Electronic Press Kit (EPK)
riley amanda
A master songwriter, repeatedly called an "Old Soul"
Riley Amanda is a Texas singer-songwriter splitting her time between Terlingua and Austin. She is known for her emotionally rich songwriting and genre-blending style rooted in folk, Americana, and jazz. Riley was the inaugural winner of the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival Youth Talent Competition in 2018 and a 2X winner of the Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival’s New Song Showcase. With over 400 original songs to her name, she recently released her debut album "WRATH", marking a major milestone in an already dynamic young career.
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Extended Bio
At just 22 years old, Riley Amanda has already established herself as one of the most compelling emerging singer-songwriters to come out of the Texas music scene. Splitting her time between the rugged desert landscapes of Terlingua and the creative communities of Wimberley and Austin, Riley writes songs that feel both timeless and deeply personal, melding Americana, folk, acoustic pop, and jazz influences into a sound that is distinctly her own.
Often described as an “old soul,” Riley has been writing songs since childhood and has amassed a catalog of more than 400 original compositions. Her music is marked by emotional honesty, vivid storytelling, and a maturity well beyond her years. Whether performing solo with acoustic guitar and piano or fronting a full band, she brings an uncommon depth and authenticity to the stage.
Riley’s songwriting talent was recognized early. In 2018, she became the inaugural winner of the Youth Songwriting Competition at the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival, an achievement that launched her onto the national folk songwriting radar. That same year, she placed third in the Youth Talent Competition at the Old Settler's Music Festival. Since then, she has continued to earn acclaim, including becoming a two-time winner of the New Song Showcase at the Walnut Valley Festival, one of the country’s premier acoustic music gatherings.
A lifelong student of music, Riley completed an Associate degree in Jazz Piano Composition at Austin Community College, where she refined her harmonic sensibilities and broadened her compositional approach.
Riley’s connection to music extends beyond performance and songwriting. She teaches piano, guitar, ukulele, voice, and songwriting to children and adults in Austin, Wimberley and Terlingua, sharing her love of music with the next generation of young artists.
Her debut album, WRATH, released in April 2026, showcases the full breadth of her artistry. It is introspective, fearless, and emotionally resonant. The record captures the same qualities that have made her live performances so memorable: thoughtful lyrics, nuanced melodies, and an ability to connect deeply with listeners.
Riley’s roots in the folk community run especially deep through the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival, which she has attended for more than a decade and considers one of the most meaningful influences on her musical journey. Having grown up immersed in the songwriting traditions celebrated there, her return as a featured performer in 2026 feels both natural and full-circle.
Whether performing in an intimate listening room, on a festival stage, or in a house concert setting, Riley Amanda offers audiences something increasingly rare: songs of substance, delivered with wisdom, vulnerability, and a voice uniquely her own. At the beginning of what promises to be an extraordinary career, she is quickly earning recognition as one of Texas’s most promising young songwriters.
Press / Reviews
“ What can I say about Riley Amanda?? Other than she’s the most amazing singer songwriter at the ripe old age of 21. Such a beautiful old soul that I will have the pleasure of one day when she’s on stage doing a duet with Brandi Carlile or accepting her first Grammy that I get to say, “Man, I remember seeing her play when she was 14 years old and look at that chick now!” She is such a bad ass! I will always be her biggest fan!”
— Pauline Pace, Owner, Basecamp, Wimberley, TX
“Riley is the real deal: a singer, songwriter, and consummate musician who lives the symphonic chronicle she is creating for herself. Her journey is one to be heard, sung through a voice as dynamic and textured as the mountains and canyons of west Texas which inspire her.”