Riddy Arman is a singer-songwriter who lives in Montana’s Mission Valley, a rural agricultural community in the state’s northwestern corner. Riddy’s self-titled debut album was released in 2021 and has received praise from renowned institutions such as Rolling Stone, as well as from many highly respected fellow musicians, including Colter Wall. Riddy and her music are highly influenced by the wide-open spaces of Montana, and she brings a deep level of authenticity and emotion to all aspects of her craft– from the lyrics, to the melodies, to her live performances.
Born and raised in Ohio, Riddy left home after high school and began a long, winding, and interesting journey that took her to North Carolina for a year of college, to New York City where she worked as a model, and on an extended hitchhiking and train-hopping journey around the United States, just to name a few. She began writing and playing music in earnest while living on a farm in rural Virginia and eventually moved to Montana, a place she had long felt drawn toward. After a lot of hard work, creative experimentation, and determination, Riddy has figured out how to cultivate a successful music career far from the hustle and bustle of Nashville and deeply connected to the Montana landscapes that she loves.
Riddy and I connected earlier this week and had a fascinating conversion about everything from her winding career path to her current success in the music business. We started out talking about her childhood in Ohio and how she unexpectedly ended up in New York City working as a model. We discussed some of her craziest experiences from traveling around the United States and when and why she decided to get serious about music. She talks about her commitment to be authentic, how she manages to stay calm, even when she’s extremely nervous, and how she has managed to build a music career so far away from Nashville. We discuss the value of quiet time, mindfulness, the importance of mentors, favorite books, and much more.
Be sure to check out the episode notes for links to everything we discuss. Hope you enjoy.
Photos by Elisabeth Kokesh
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EPISODE NOTES
Topics Discussed:
- 5:30 – Where Riddy grew up
- 7:50 – Riddy’s connection to agriculture
- 10:15 – Dropping out of college
- 12:30 – Moving to New York City and modeling
- 16:00 – Music and writing while in NYC
- 17:15 – Decision to leave NYC
- 19:00 – Traveling, riding trains, hitchhiking
- 20:30 – Raised to be independent
- 23:00 – Lessons learned from the adventures of traveling
- 27:00 – Moving to Virginia, focusing on agriculture
- 29:00 – Settling down, connecting with the land
- 32:45 – Finding value in quiet time
- 34:15 – Sticking with music for good
- 35:30 – Riddy’s writing process
- 37:45 – Transition to performing
- 40:45 – Dealing with nervousness
- 44:00 – Breathing and other ways to calm down
- 47:15 – Riddy’s deep connection with Montana
- 51:30 – Building a music career from rural Montana
- 56:30 – Process of being authentic and putting herself out there
- 58:30 – Artists that Riddy admires
- 1:01:45 – Advice for creatives
- 1:03:50 – Favorite books
Information Referenced:
- Riddy Arman
- Maumee, Ohio
- Warren Wilson College
- Swannanoa, NC
- Chris Douglas episode
- Freedom by Sebastian Junger
- Ranchlands Review article by Anna LoPinto
- Wim Hof
- What Doesn’t Kill Us by Scott Carney
- Mission Valley, Montana
- Chris Acker
- La Honda Records
- Gillian Welch
- Avett Brothers
- Toa of Equus by Linda Kohanov
- Ranier Maria Rocka
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- Live in Bozeman!
- Jessica Ilalaole – Creating Home in the High Desert
- Morgan Irons – Finding Her Muse
Visit the podcast page for a full list of episodes where you can filter episodes by topic and guests’ vocations.
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