Riley Green: 'I'm Constantly Writing Songs, It Never Really Stops'

Riley Green calls me from Dallas, Texas, where he was set to play a show that night. His smile fills the entirety of his face.

He’s playing a run of shows in US at the moment ahead of the release of his brand-new album Don’t Mind If I Do, an 18-song LP that was made available for streaming from October 18.

Green is also coming to Australia to headline the Melbourne and Sydney-based country music festival Ridin’ Hearts this year. Ridin’ Hearts will run over the weekend of November 2 and 3 in the respective cities. 

He’ll be playing alongside the notable Josh Ross, MacKenzie Porter and Casey Barnes, as well as packing out the Fortitude Music Hall for two sold-out shows on Wednesday and Thursday, October 30 and 31. Josh Ross and Lane Pittman join him on those shows.

It’ll be Green’s first time touring in Australia, and despite not having a great deal of time to take in the experience of being in the country, he’s rather excited at the prospect of performing in front of audiences here. 

“Everywhere I've been over the last few years, fans have just been showing up, knowing the words to all of the songs,” says Green. “We went to the UK for the first time, and the crowds were singing every word to every song. So, being able to look at streaming numbers and look at ticket sales in Australia, I’ve got a feeling that we're gonna have a lot of fans there, too.

“We’re only spending 8 to 10 days out there; I'm sure it’ll be a busy time. They'll definitely have a lot of press for me to do and a lot of shaking hands and meeting people, but I'm looking forward to seeing a lot of the country while I'm down there.”

For Green, this initial opportunity to be in Australia will, in some ways, act as a reconnaissance tour, a way of scoping out how he can experience the country and apply it the next time he comes out. 

“I always say the first time I go somewhere, I'm usually spread quite thin, and I don't get to do much,” he says. “But the next time I go, I get to move around a lot more. This time I think we're going to try to do some fishing or something else in the outdoors.

“I'm a big hunter and fisherman. I love being outdoors, so I'm really excited about seeing a different part of the world and experiencing what Australia has to offer in that sense.”

When Green isn’t spending time hunting or fishing, he is prolifically writing songs. It’s a practice that never really stops for him, but it’s in the format of full-length albums that best suit his intentions for his music. 

“It’s one of those things where I'm constantly writing songs; it never really stops,” says Green. “Whenever I get enough songs that I'm really passionate about or really fired up about, I try to put them together and release them.

“I've really enjoyed recording full-length albums and putting them out. What we did in the past and what I always did when I started out was recording EPs, so putting four to six songs out at a time. The problem with that is you don't really make a full project, and you’re left with four to six songs. Don’t get me wrong, there's been some great songs released that way, but for me, it's nice to go and intentionally record an album.

“To look at the full project and understand if it's missing a certain kind of song or wondering if this is really what I want to say with the album as a whole. What’s great about this album is it's got a lot of different types of songs on it, which is great for my songwriting. I can easily write a specific type of song that way.”

His new album leans into that approach to writing in a considered way. It showcases the range of sounds that Riley is capable of—an eclectic meandering that Green intends to translate into the live shows in Australia.

“I'm constantly thinking about our live show, considering how I can write songs and how they might be received,” he says. “But then I'm also trying to write a better song to replace a song that doesn’t quite fit. For me, it’s all about writing the best story but also having songs that are a bit more lyrically driven that involve me coming out and sitting on a stool and just playing acoustic guitar. 

“But you’ve also got to realise that no one wants to sit around and cry all day. So, you gotta have some high-energy songs, a song where you can dance whilst holding a beer. So, I bring that to my live show, too, and I think that's how this album came to have a lot of different types of vibes on it.”

Green is also loving how he is releasing music at the moment due to the reception his creativity is garnering from audiences and fans around the world. 

“Fans are really hungry for music from me right now, which is a great problem to have,” says Green. “Being able to put an album out soon, let people listen to it, learn it and then be able to go tour in Australia a couple of weeks later is such great timing.”

Green is also excited about the opportunities that will come through playing at the Ridin’ Hearts festival with other musicians. 

“Every relationship I have with other artists in country music that has led to a feature or collaboration came from playing shows with them. I wouldn’t be surprised if something comes from some of the shows in Australia as well.”

It’s a busy time touring and writing songs for Riley Green at the moment, but he’s enjoying it as much as audiences are around the globe. 

You can get tickets to Ridin’ Hearts Festival here. 

RILEY GREEN

​AUSTRALIAN TOUR - OCTOBER & NOVEMBER 2024

​WITH SPECIAL GUESTS JOSH ROSS & LANE PITTMAN

​Presented by Frontier Touring

WEDNESDAY 30 OCTOBER The Fortitude Music Hall | Brisbane, QLD (Lic. All Ages) – NEW SHOW

THURSDAY 31 OCTOBER - The Fortitude Music Hall | Brisbane, QLD (Lic. All Ages) – SOLD OUT

Tickets: frontiertouring.com

RIDIN’ HEARTS FESTIVAL 2024

FULL LINE-UP

Riley Green (USA)

Cooper Alan (USA)

Josh Ross (CAN)

MacKenzie Porter (CAN)

Tanner Adell (USA)

Casey Barnes (AU)

Austin Snell (USA)

Bella Mackenzie (AU)

DJ Konsky (AU)

DATES & VENUES

Saturday 2 November – Sydney (Eora), Showgrounds

Sunday 3 November – Melbourne (Naarm), Caribbean Gardens