We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Riley Burke a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Riley, appreciate you joining us today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

I am very happy with being an artist/creative. I’ve tried to hold down steady 9-5 (regular) jobs, and while I am able to do so in spurts, I have learned in my twenties that my personality and wiring are better suited to trust the uncertainty of a freelancer’s schedule and ebb-and-flow workflow. This lifestyle has definitely come with challenges that still surface in waves from time to time. One of my friends describes this type of career as a feast or famine endeavor, which has definitely been true, especially when I finally decided to take the leap and choose this route. At the same time, the flexibility and risk taking have paid off personally and professionally. I’ve landed in spaces that I expected to land in (as I still firmly believe in the importance of working your butt off and fostering relationships) while also stumbling into others that have expanded my understanding of myself, purpose and the world. And sure, this path brings up fear (whether I am in a “famine” mode or in a situation that is scary and also right/true), and yet I remain a firm believer in the idea that the universe provides you with exactly what you need in each moment and that you should trust the process. So sometimes I’m an anxious bunny sitting in a puddle of uncertainty. I’ve gone through periods of relying on beans for protein. I’ve also cried myself to sleep because of how heavy fear and loss can be. And this tug — to surrender and listen to what feels true in my bones — persists and continues to embolden me to follow my curiosity, hunches and knowing, showing me that the way is one I’m both sure of and at the same time unsure of. Overall, owning, embodying and choosing my artist self enables me to stay creative and open to pivoting with unexpected shifts and turns. This lifestyle continues to humble me while teaching me lessons in letting go, which can be difficult for me as a sensitive person who deeply processes experiences and relationships. Still — I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Riley, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I knew I wanted to do music when I was six. I had a friend in Catholic School who played violin and something inside of me nudged me to ask my parents if I could also do that. Whenever I sat in a movie theater or auditorium soaking in musicals as a kid, that same internal nudge would say — this. This is where you belong. There’s something important here. I didn’t understand this second calling — as a composer, songwriter and performer — until songs, lyrics and arrangements started pouring out of me in college following an unexpected, shattering exit from my DI basketball career and recurring autoimmune issues that continued to scream at me until I finally listened, processed my trauma, accepted myself and integrated my body, mind, soul and spirit.

I am a multi-hyphenate writer, composer, collaborator and performer. Some nights I’m fiddling on a colleague’s set at The Bitter End. Other times I’m leading my 10-piece band playing my album and sharing stories to an audience of 100 guests at The Cutting Room. Or, I’m sitting in the Angelika Theater in NYC hearing my score at The Tribeca Festival. When I’m not delving into these creative endeavors, I’m devising theatre, music and film related projects with students and also coaching youth basketball and track.

My sports background has informed how I value teamwork, creativity and collaboration immensely. I grew up around stories since my parents are writers/editors and my sister (formerly) an actress. I specialize in shaping stories and creating/participating in structured improv-based environments.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

As a high-achieving youth, I experienced a life-altering moment of abuse with my high-school basketball coach who happened to be the headmaster’s wife. At that age, I did not have the tools to understand what was happening, so I accumulated a ton of shame and in response began hiding who I was because I was scared of being punished again. Shortly after, I started having major health issues that would re-surface because I developed a self-protective habit of betraying myself in the face of abuse. This cycle happened three times over the span of a decade before I fortunately found a medical practitioner and amazing therapist who helped me unpack the unresolved trauma that was mapping onto my body while guiding me back in alignment with my authentic self. What I have taken from this journey is an appreciation for my spirit and resilience, an understanding of how we impact one another and the importance of mentor’s roles in shaping young lives, and the necessity of authenticity over attachment while staying in alignment with who you are, no matter the backlash. Having support systems is also so crucial. My main focus now is staying in alignment with what is true for me and trusting that there is no such thing as one way liberation.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

Samantha Power’s The Education of an Idealist
Brene Brown’s Daring Greatly
Gabor Mate’s The Myth of Normal
Richard Rohr’s Breathing Underwater: Spirituality and the Twelve Steps

Contact Info:

• Website: https://rileyburke.co
• Instagram: @therileyburke
• Facebook: @therileyburke
• Linkedin: @therileyburke
• Youtube: @therileyburke
• Soundcloud: @therileyburke
• Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3DvlvwKJh5yq6ty0fCLXCI?si=QKW2S8HlRDau7aAJnh3uPw
  Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/riley-burke/1689913390
  Merch: https://rileyburke.bandcamp.com/

Image Credits

Jimmy Harned – violin pic
Carlie Nicole – headshot
Peter Mulroe – nature shot
Emily Anderson – singing shot