Article Information
- ARTICLE_POSTED_BY: Haiti Place
- ARTICLE_POSTED_ON: Jan 12, 2015
- Views : 953
- Category : Art & Culture
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Description :
By Moses St. Louis
- Website : http://www.haitianbeatz.com/hb-news-entertainment1/latest-news/968-meet-riva-the-haitian-american-singer-poised-to-leave-her-ma
Overview
HaitianBeatz.com
By Moses St. Louis
Riva Nyri Précil is half Haitian and half Irish/Russian. She was born in Brooklyn, New York and moved to Haiti at the age of 5, where she resided for 10 years. While in Haiti, Riva was exposed to traditional Haitian music and culture, which greatly influenced her eclectic music and fashion palette. She studied acting, Haitian folkloric and modern dance, and art and
sculpture. She began performing at cultural events, clubs and Haiti’s National Palace, dancing, singing, and acting. At the age of 9 she began teaching art classes to the other children in her neighborhood. She also began independently beading and creating pieces for her friends and family.
Riva moved back to New York at the age of 15 where she attended LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts and majored in Vocal performance. She took a liking to jazz performance and attended several jazz studies courses to broaden her knowledge on the subject. She was also a member of the gospel choir where she gained an interest in that particular genre. While in New York, Riva took her first jewelry-making class and began taking her craft more seriously, creating more intricate pieces and challenging herself by using new materials.