Denver-based dark pop artist Riah has released her new single “Skin on Chrome.”
A thrilling, sensual celebration of feminine power, Riah has collaborated with fellow pole dancer and singer-songwriter Alissa Ann for both the track and music video.
The latest single from her upcoming album, The Fourth Wall, “Skin On Chrome,” embodies the thrilling sense of being seen by other people and flirting with your own secret desires in shadowy, intimate places.
Composed by Austin Weller and mixed by Quoc Truong, the track draws on Riah’s past experiences as both a sex worker and a performer, infusing a sense of both vulnerability and sensual self-confidence as well.
As a rising voice in the Bedroom Pop scene, Riah has been making a name for herself with her introspective lyrics and distinct “villain energy”, having become used to making music on her own terms after experiencing the dark side of the music industry at the tender age of seventeen.
An accomplished dancer, Riah also won her division in the prestigious PSO Mountain competition as a competitive pole dancer in 2023.
According to Riah: “We wanted this song to feel like slipping into a version of yourself that only exists under neon lights—bold, unapologetic, a little wrong in the best way. There’s something powerful in reclaiming the gaze. We’ve often danced for others, but this track is about dancing for us.”
A fusion of dark pop and R&B, “Skin On Chrome” features both Riah and Alissa Ann’s dark vocals, and the music video expands on this as Riah and Alissa dance with each other, both for each other and themselves.
Riah sings “I can’t look away from you/under the lights like this/it’s got me questioning who I really am,” and Alissa sings back “we’ll find your centre together/and soothe that fight/’cause nothing you do/will make this any more right.”
It’s gorgeous, and the two singers play well off each other against the slow, pulsing backing track – the two of them are finding each other, and while they harmonise on the lyric “it feels a little wrong/just a little wrong,” these two are very right for each other.
