Riley Max Captures Growing Up Through the Songs on What It Takes

Written across a five-year period, What It Takes is a collection of memories and moments from experiences Riley Max had growing up, with the songs touching on themes to do with change, mental health, friendships, love and relationships that can grow to become more complicated as time passes. "Year One," "Pockets," and "What It Takes" are just some examples of songs that highlight those experiences, as each song incorporates different production styles with elements like softer guitar-sounds and slower progression to brighter indie-pop portions and fuller arrangements that highlight the emotions present across the lyrics. The fact that the album was written and recorded in different places like dorm rooms, college studios and Riley's family home adds a more personal touch to the record, since the songwriting reflects the real moments Riley still looks back on years later.

The Different Production Styles Heard Across What It Takes

What It Takes shows different production approaches across each song, since Riley Max has made sure songs highlight guitar notes, indie-pop feelings and even fuller instrumental arrangements depending on what each track is trying to convey. "Year One" is the perfect example of a track that uses softer production with a softer guitar start to make the song easy to follow, while also making the listeners feel calm as they listen to it. What makes this song great is how gradually it builds, allowing Riley's vocals more room to come through and be heard clearly. The emotional depth that is present in her voice also makes the lyrics about worse days and scraping by feel more impactful since the song reflects more openly on the difficult period Riley experienced during her first year at Harvard. As those more complex feelings come to light, more instruments can be heard entering the mix with the arrangement sounding more composed, showing how this kind of production style works with the change in lyrics and also the slower progression established at the beginning of the track.

"What It Takes" contrasts those two songs, since the production focuses more on highlighting upbeat moods as the opening brings in this stronger drum-led sound and lower guitar sounds that creates a strong foundation for the track. The vocals also have this indie-pop feeling to them, matching the brighter production even though the lyrics touch on a serious idea involving relationships and the need for both people to come to some compromise where they meet on issues in the middle. Having this kind of contrast present across the song shows how happier vocals and more playful production can make a track feel lighter, while allowing the meaning behind the lyrics to still be heard and felt.

The Five-Year Writing Process Behind What It Takes

To understand how the album came to be, it's important to take a look at the five-year period that Riley took to write each song. Several of the tracks were written and recorded when inspiration arose in the moment such as during her time in university in the dorm rooms, in the college studios and also when she was back at her family home. Since Riley worked in these different environments, it also meant that the songs could directly reflect what she was experiencing during those times, instead of being written much later in life from a completely different perspective. When looking at the way Riley Max has spoken about wanting to write more directly about herself, those details become more important as the album has given her a chance to place those real situations into lyrics while the memories stay fresh. Riley has also spoken about how listening brings those memories back to her, showing how closely the writing process became tied to the actual periods of her life that inspired them.

The five-year songwriting and production process also helps show how much Riley Max has developed over the years as a songwriter, since What It Takes captures the difference between writing from imagination and writing from situations she actually experienced herself. Since the album covers several years of her life, the songs end up working as markers of where she was emotionally at different points during that period. Having that kind of progression shown throughout the record makes What It Takes feel like a crucial release for Riley Max, as it shows how her songwriting has become more personal, direct and connected to her own life over time.

Check out the album below and you can follow Riley on Instagram here.