Ebony Riley Traded in Her Modeling Career for Music and Has Zero Regrets: ‘I Needed to Bring My Vision to Life’

On Ebony Riley’s first visit to the Billboard offices, the up-and-coming R&B singer-songwriter felt a burst of emotion run through her in response to the staff’s positive reaction to the playback of her debut EP, ebony.

Floored by the praise she received for tracks such as “Over,” “Deuce Deuce” and “Cry,” Riley gained the much-needed reassurance in knowing that her career was off to a great start, especially after only beginning this journey a year ago. 

Before she hit the gas on her music career, Riley was a model, appearing on runways and in campaigns by lauded fashion houses such as Marc Jacobs, Oscar de la Renta, Bottega Veneta, and more. She even landed a coveted spot in the fashion campaign for Beyoncé’s Renaissance album in collaboration with Balmain, featured in Vogue France Magazine last April. 

Notching wins among several A-List celebrities would have any aspiring model craving more. However, despite her success in the industry, modeling failed to fill Riley’s cup — and that had to change. 

“That was more something God chose for me,” Riley tells Billboard about her modeling career. “It wasn’t something I grew up thinking I was going to do. I just kept hearing people mention it, like my mama’s best friend, and I just took a leap.”

She adds: “But I feel like with modeling, it’s more us portraying [other people’s] dreams. As far as the stylist, the makeup artist, the photographer, and the creative director — we’re bringing their vision together. I needed something that would bring my vision to life, and that was music.”

The journey to the music industry has been long and winding for Riley, as she’s also pursuing self-love. Riley’s tears in the Billboard office were rooted in gratitude over people loving something she created. For Riley, self-love is part of her pursuit of becoming a full-fledged music artist, especially since that journey has been challenging. 

“I’m still going through the ropes of making sure I’m completely loving myself,” Riley admits. “‘Cause I feel like you manifest and attract where you are. So not saying that I ain’t s–t, but I don’t feel like I put myself to a standard years before this, because of my own childhood traumas or whatever else. My unhealed child was looking for sympathy, and I’ve figured that out. Now, I’m empowering myself with my story and my vulnerability.” 

Below, Billboard speaks more with Ebony Riley about chasing her music dreams, the differences between the modeling and music industries, hitting a level of vulnerability to share her pain with fans, and more. Check it out below.

With you stepping into the game with your music career, Detroit has produced yet another talent. What’s the secret?

I think it’s the pain and struggle that everybody goes through in the city. We are a bunch of strong, talented individuals, and we find an outlet through our music or whatever creative outlet that we get presented. There’s not a lot of opportunity out there, but the OGs that came before inspired us to keep it going.

What was growing up in the 313 like for you?

Detroit was booming at one point. From the car industry to the music industry, we had millionaires and billionaires all over — then they started pumping drugs into the street and threw a freeway in the middle of all the Black businesses. That negatively affected our community, and we’re still going through that struggle. My family was affected by it, and it wasn’t easy. I lost my mom when I was like nine and went through foster care. But I felt like everything I did go through built me up to be where I am today. I thank God that I don’t look like what I’ve been through, or portray it. I don’t let it overtake me.

When did music come into the picture for you?

My mom used to have her little cassette tapes playing around the house — from Mary J. Blige, Erykah Badu, Toni Braxton, Barry White. She had me on all the things, so it started really early for me. And then I think I noticed my voice when I was about seven and started playing around with it when I was, like, nine. My grandmother exposed me to even more music — and from there, my love grew more and more. I wanted an outlet where I could go through it and share my pain, and music was that for me.

When did you know that you could become an actual artist?

It wasn’t necessarily me waking up and knowing one day. It was more of me challenging myself, proving a point and letting go of my fears. Music is my love and my passion, but I let my insecurities and fears of what society thinks beauty is get in the way. Society told me we ain’t had nobody that looked like me that really had a career since, like, Whitney [Houston] — but I learned it wasn’t about that.

What were some of the differences between the modeling and music industries?

I struggled with the model industry so badly because it was too many things going on where I felt I was restricting myself and I couldn’t live like that. My blessing with that was to get in the door and lead me to where we at now. I’m grateful and blessed to have been in these rooms, campaigns and runways, but at the same time, I wasn’t expressing myself creatively. I wanted to move more on my terms and have my own creative input in it instead of me being a puppet and just doing what I have to do to make ends meet. My story is bigger than that. If I just shut up, nobody would know my story. I wouldn’t be able to inspire the girls the way I want to.

When you first visited us in our New York office, the response to your debut EP filled you with so much joy. What’s that feeling like with this essentially being your rookie year?

It feels amazing, because ebony is my baby. We’ve been working on this project for four years. So to hear it and finally share it, and y’all actually rocking with it, is like — wow. I’m grateful that it’s translating and people are connecting to it.

You’re talking about all facets of love on the EP, from flirting to heartbreak. What was your mindset going into ebony?

ebony is a love story gone wrong based around a very specific time of my life. When I was like 21, I was in a bad relationship where things happened, and a lot of stuff that I [hadn’t healed from] was still lurking around. I had spent so many years not expressing myself and holding on to my feelings. I wanted to be vulnerable, because it helps with healing, and I was just blessed to have a team of people who know and understand me.

Being this vulnerable also comes with a sense of self-love and understanding of who you are as a person. Is that type of love the most important to you right now?

Yes, and I’m still teaching myself that. I’m still going through the ropes of making sure I’m completely loving myself. I was in situations with men where there was no self-love. You have to love and respect yourself. If that man doesn’t get it, he got to go. Love for me is just loving yourself first and really loving yourself unconditionally. I’m not saying to go do a post on Instagram or get your hair done. It’s more of taking care of your mental, taking care of everything from your body to every part of you that keeps the motor going. You can’t do anything without having love for yourself because you won’t do things for yourself.

What’s the legacy you want to leave for yourself as you go deeper into your music career?

I want people to see I unapologetically went for my dreams and showed no fear. The legacy will be, she came, conquered and did what she was supposed to do. I’m doing this to give people a voice, but I’m also doing this for myself. This is me reassuring and reminding myself that I do have a purpose and that I love myself, my story and the journey that’s coming.