Ziona Riley is a Nashville-based singer-songwriter and self-taught fingerstyle guitarist whose intimate, quietly commanding performances have made her a distinctive voice in contemporary folk. Riley has built a devoted following through years of touring and live work, crafting songs that unfold with the pacing and detail of short stories.

Raised on classical and hymnal music, Riley brings a singular harmonic sensibility to her songwriting, balancing beauty with tension, intimacy, and wit. Her music explores family, resilience, and existential dread while finding moments of humor and surprise through sharp lyricism, unusual melodic turns, and intricate guitar work.

Riley has been recognized for her “delicate and precise acoustic folk,” and has shared stages with artists including S.G. Goodman, Jake Xerxes Fussel, Josephine Foster, and Bill Callahan. Her debut EP, Not Too Precious, was self-released in 2019 and remastered and re-released in 2026 via Like You Mean It Records. Not Too Precious was named one of the Nashville Scene’s best local releases, described as “a short collection of deeply thoughtful, impactful songs about family and contemporary society.” Produced by Trevor Nikrant (Styrofoam Winos, Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band, MJ Lenderman) and recorded live direct-to-tape with only voice and acoustic guitar, the EP captures the immediacy, vulnerability, and detail that define Riley’s live performances.