Rolling Stone launched its In My Room series amid the global pandemic to keep the music playing from home. In this latest episode, 22 year old Sheldon Riley delivers an intimate, unforgettable experience.
From his garage at home in Sydney —because as he says in the clip, he’s “about to sing real loud”—Sheldon Riley performs a trio of could-be future hits. Kicking off with brand new single “Left Broken”, marking the first ever acoustic session version of the song, Riley sings with his heart on his sleeve.
Performing another two tracks, Riley was generous with the stories behind the songs throughout, revealing that his first ever single “More Than I” was meant as a cinematic soundscape experience, and that unreleased single “If I Cry” is about letting the person you love go.
“More Than I”, released in November, was sparked by the emotions surrounding the time he affirmed his sexuality, digging deep as it weaves through a dark-pop arrangement. The track was produced by Sam Sakr (Dua Lipa, G Flip, The Veronicas, Guy Sebastian).
While his soaring vocals are the clear star of this In My Room performance, his commanding piano playing takes the entire experience to another level, both musically and emotionally.
Using his now renowned superpower of pairing introversion and extroversion, Riley’s In My Room is both sharp and delicate, gentle and powerful.
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In 2020, Riley completed an internationally acclaimed run into America’s Got Talent’s Quarter Finals but was sent home from America due to the safety concerns of Covid-19. Riley has continued to grow his fanbase, amassing over 35 million views across YouTube and socials.
The Gold Coast artist received praise and support from Kylie Minogue after he covered her hit song “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head”, but with his original music now turning heads the world over, a debut record from Sheldon Riley is fast becoming one of the most anticipated local releases.
