Riah …. A rising star |24 February 2024
Riah (second left) poses after receiving her best newcomer award at the prestigious Paradise FM Music Awards 2023 (Photo: Kurtrine Albert)
Riah Aglaé, 15, from Anse Boileau secondary school, has quickly made her mark on the music scene, capturing the title of best newcomer at the prestigious Paradise FM Music Awards 2023.
This came after the release of her song ‘Zanmi Leker’, which debuted on June 3, 2023 and maintained her position on the chart for weeks on end.
According to the young artist, it took her around two months to write the song. The inspiration stems from a shared dream between Riah and her best friend Deandro to one day write a song together. However, this dream was cut short following the tragic, untimely passing of her friend on December 3, 2022.
In honour of their bond and the memories they shared, Riah decided to turn their dream into a reality and she dedicated this song to him.
“There were a lot of things I wanted to say to him, but he is not here now so why not put it in a song, a message for him,” shared the young artist.
Riah was genuinely taken aback by the overwhelming response to her song 'Zanmi Leker,' expressing heartfelt appreciation at how many people connected with and appreciated its message.
“I wasn’t expecting the impact that it has now; definitely I wasn’t expecting that a lot of people would relate to it,” said the young artist. She also noted that this is the first time she ever wrote a complete song.
In a touching display of gratitude, Riah took a moment to acknowledge the invaluable support that propelled her success. She extended heartfelt thanks to her mother Brigitte Lepathy, whose unwavering encouragement and guidance have been a constant source of strength.
She also expressed deep appreciation to her manager Mervin, Dareal Thing for producing the song, Maria, Nesta Barbé, Leah Lepathy and the Youth band. Moreover, she thanked the mother and family of her late friend Deandro, whose memory inspired the song's creation.
“I would like to thank them as they were here by my side even before I released the song. They did not care about the popularity but just being proud of me,” added Riah.
Furthermore, Riah stated that when she won this award she was full of emotions. “I also wanted to share the joy with Deandro to show him that we’ve made it,” she added.
The 15-year-old also recognised that if Deandro was still here, probably that none of this would have happened.
Riah is ensuring her fans that this is just the beginning and in the near future she would definitely be releasing more songs.
Anika Cathene