Singer-songwriter Ava Rivello, 18, from Philadelphia (USA), has released the single “Closer to Dead”, a track in which she speaks openly about depression, self-harm and loneliness. Instead of focusing on the damage caused by someone else, as she did on her previous single, “(it was) never love”, this time she looks inward, at her own mental health and the feeling of being trapped inside her own head.
The song begins in an intimate way, with just voice and acoustic guitar, and gradually builds until it explodes into power chords and driving drums. It was recorded at Studio City in Los Angeles, produced by Eric Johnson of NI Music Group. The result recalls early-2000s alternative rock, with echoes of Paramore, Avril Lavigne and Evanescence. Hayley Williams, incidentally, is Ava’s declared biggest influence.
Despite the heavy subject matter, the track doesn’t end in despair. One of the central moments of the lyrics is a plea for help to change, which shows a desire to find a way out. Ava doesn’t sell the idea that recovery is simple or quick. Her message is more direct: what someone feels right now doesn’t have to define what comes next.
In an interview, the singer said that writing about what she went through was easier than deciding to make it public. She believes honesty can help people going through something similar feel less alone, without promising ready-made answers. For Ava, songwriting is also a way to process emotions that are hard to put into words in conversation, and the guitar is often the starting point for her melodies and lyrics. She also says she makes a point of keeping her private life separate from her public image.
With around 500,000 combined followers across social media, Ava is building her career on emotional authenticity. The single previews her debut EP, which is expected to explore breakups, toxic relationships, self-discovery and the transition into adulthood, in the form of snapshots of different moments, without a neat story of recovery.
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Ava debuted in 2023 with “no good”, which featured bass and guitar by Aben Eubanks, a Grammy-nominated musician. “(it was) never love” followed in April 2026, and “hold me til i fall asleep” in August, which began as a love song and became a vent about a relationship that had turned toxic. Now, she turns her gaze to her own mental health.
Ava Rivello:
TikTok: @ava_rivello_official
Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/5VNfxF6r2aKzxGhTOJENPZ
Apple Music: music.apple.com/us/artist/ava-rivello/1676319454
YouTube: youtube.com/@AvaRivello
Instagram: @ava_rivello_official
