Charming pop-rock backed by a powerful voice. 

On her second EP Right Now, Bella Rios is standing firm on who she is, regardless of who she has to cut off. Singing about a past relationship from the other side, she is comfortable in apathy, yet still in touch with her fury and worry. Rios’ powerful, at times almost raspy, vocals shine in the pop-rock genre. She delivers high school sassiness on “I’m The Man,” then quiet vulnerability on “Overthinker.” So while the EP can feel like retreading overexplored territory, Rios’ charm and clear confidence in her music makes it a leisurely listen. 

The opener, “I’m The Man,” sets the tone with a tongue-in-cheek swagger, channeling Chappell Roan-esque theatricality, though not quite reaching the same level of charisma. Rios delivers lines like “that’s right boys, I’m the man” with a wink and clear lived experience, yet her claim doesn’t necessarily feel real – even to herself. 

The next track “Options” has a similar issue: it teeters on sounding performative rather than natural. It is an easy listen with a catchy melody and dramatic guitars, but appears to only hint at the personal. The lyrics are filled with eye-grabbing quotes, “I’ve got options A through D/ count them out like 1, 2, 3.” This is not to say simple lyrics are a barometer of a song’s success – see “good 4 u” by Olivia Rodrigo. The difference is that Rios uses these instagram-worthy quotes as the central theme of the song, whereas more seasoned songwriters weave easy-accessible lyrics with real storytelling. In an age of pop star authenticity and world-building, it is hard to see who Rios is as an artist beyond her exploration into girlhood. 

Right Now is a solid step forward for Bella Rios. While she hasn’t fully found her distinct artistic voice yet, the vocal talent is there and the personality is beginning to poke through. With sharper production and more focused songwriting, Rios could easily grow into a standout within the pop-rock space.