“Stand By You” is Riah’s latest single that will not make any grandiose statements, but still is certainly something you won’t be able to shrug off. The new track is a softer, more contemplative work of Riah, oozing with feelings and introspection. Right at the first chord, there’s this sense of suspended animation you get when you enter an empty room filled with heavy feelings. The thing about Riah’s voice is that when she sings, you just want her to keep going. Not because her voice would need more flourishes or decibels. But because you just don’t want it to stop. In that simplicity lies the whole beauty of her track. The lyrics are simple as well, but not simpleminded. Lines such as “If I could mend for you, I’d lick all your wounds / But I can’t, so I’ve gotta let you heal” capture the feeling so many of us have struggled to name. “Stand By You” is a song about being there for someone without being sucked into their problems. Riah gets the concept across without having to be either loud or flamboyant.
“Stand By You” is a bluesy, even a little R&B-ish track. The feel of the track is greatly supported by the acoustic recording of the song. It feels like the whole thing was recorded live in the studio with zero overdubs and post-production. Dominick Williams on the piano and El Javi on guitar play in the background and, in a way, fill the emptiness without being intrusive. The song, to its greatest credit, just breathes. You can almost count the silence between the notes. It’s the type of song that can keep you company at 3 AM on a cold and quiet night. You just close your eyes and remember how much that song means to you, how much you need to hear it. The overall feel is stripped to the core, yet dense and full in a way only live music can be. The recording certainly adds to the intimacy. You can feel that nothing was rushed, everyone just knew when to come in. It feels like the way four or five old friends could just sit in a living room and jam without having to fill the silence.
As for the video, it fully supports the vibe of the song. Riah was captured on camera by Chris Rasmussen, who was able to encapsulate Riah’s whole performance without it being showy. The song didn’t need to be supported by a grand visual narrative and showy camerawork and special effects. The video of “Stand By You” is simple and not trying to be anything else than what it is. It would be an understatement to say that this is just another single in Riah’s increasingly stacked catalog of releases. It’s almost a tipping point in her artistry. Riah has been a symbol of honesty and authenticity for years now, but this is the first time she doesn’t have to prove it to anyone. She just stands by, and that in itself is an act of power.
