Owen Rivera

Owen Rivera has been performing since he was four years old, but it's the years since then, juggling music, acting, and auditions in an industry that never slows down, that have taught him the most about staying grounded. 

Ahead of the release of his new single "LaiLuv," the nineteen-year-old singer-songwriter, drummer, and SAG-AFTRA voice actor opened up to us about the tools that keep him steady: weight training, yoga, Kung Fu, futbol, and his two dogs, Sumo and Kibo. 

He also spoke candidly about using songwriting as a way to process difficult emotions, the importance of surrounding yourself with people who believe in you, and why family, his biggest source of perspective, keeps him from burning out. Here's Owen, in his own words, on music, mental health, and finding peace amid the chaos.

1. Hey Owen, thanks for taking the time! For anyone meeting you for the first time, how would you describe yourself outside of music? 

No problem, thanks for the opportunity! Oooh… That is always such a tough question for me. Simply put, I am a musician. Music has been my passion since I was born. But I am also a proud Puerto Rican who loves my family, my pups, and Futbol!  

2. You've been performing since you were four. What's it been like growing up with music as such a constant part of your life? 

I love it, there’s never a moment when I'm not learning something new, and I’m always striving to be a better musician. It has given me an outlet to express myself and explore who I am. Also, to be honest, I don’t have a choice; it's just who I am and who I have always been. 

3."Lailuv" has such a warm, feel-good energy. What was it about this song that made you want it to be the one you released right now? 

Lailuv just felt like a summer release. Lailuv is all about summer love, warm nights, golden hour, and that feeling you wish you could stay in a little longer. I hope people reminisce about all the best moments of their past summers when they hear Lailuv.

4. Between music, acting, and everything else you've got going on, what does a normal week actually look like for you? 

A normal week consists of countless hours in my home, and LA music studios creating and working on my music craft as well as VoiceOver and acting auditions throughout the week, working on scripts, reads, and submitting my work to my Agents and Managers. I sneak in futbol games once a week and do some yoga as well. I always wrap up each day chillin with my pup Sumo, watching some soccer highlights as we fall asleep. 

5. Is there a side of your creative life that people don't really see or ask about?  

I would say my passion for guitars and guitar playing. I am blessed to work weekly with one of the best guitar mentors in the world. I collect all kinds of guitars, and believe me, being a left-handed player, it is tougher than you think to find them. I also love working on my guitars, and I hope to actually handcraft one of my own from scratch someday.  

6. How have you learned to look after your mental health while growing up in an industry that moves so fast? 

It does move fast, and it is chaotic! Part of it is that you just get used to it. Since I have been doing this for so long from a young age, it's kinda the norm for me. Things that help, though, are my daily weight training workouts, and I recently took up yoga as well. I do Kung Fu training and play Futbol at least one day a week. My secret weapons, though, are my pups Sumo and Kibo. I love them, and they definitely make me happy.

7. Music can be a huge emotional outlet. Has songwriting ever helped you process something you were finding difficult to deal with otherwise? 

Absolutely, many times it has helped me understand how I feel about a certain point or moment in my life that I found difficult to process. I’ve found that writing out my emotions and what I'm thinking in the moment makes the tough stuff easier to deal with… at least for me.

8. Balancing so much at a young age is a lot for anyone. How do you make sure you don't burn out?  

I am very lucky because everything I am doing is what I love and who I am. My family also helps to keep me balanced and keeps everything in perspective for me. 

9. Is there a person, family, friend, mentor, who's been especially important in keeping you grounded? 

My family. My parents are both teachers, and seeing what they do for their students and community is very inspirational and keeps me very grounded. My brother is my best friend, and I know I can always count on him having my back as well.

10. What would you say to a young person who feels creative but is struggling with their confidence around sharing that with the world? 

It is tougher today with social media, but you just have to go for it. People are going to say what they will, but you just have to keep pushing forward and focus on all the good. Also, it is SO important to surround yourself with good friends and family who believe in you. Get away from negative people who just bring you down.

11. What does feeling truly at peace look like for you these days?  

Easy…A late afternoon nap on the couch with my pup Sumo after a good day of hard work.