RIOPY Returns with New Single “Piano 17”

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Layered, rhythmic, and immersive - RIOPY transforms Steinway's Spirio into both instrument and collaborator on his first new solo piece since 'Thrive' (2023)

September 26, 2025 --- Multi-instrumentalist Jean-Philippe Rio-Py, better known as RIOPY, returns with a striking new solo piano work, "Piano 17," out today via Warner Classics.

Fresh off a collaboration with Lana Del Rey on "Grandfather please stand on the shoulders of my father while he's deep-sea fishing" featured on the album Did you know that there's a tunnel under Ocean Blvd, "Piano 17" is the first release of new original piano music from RIOPY since his 2023 album Thrive.

Layered, rhythmic, and immersive, the piece was conceived and performed on his Steinway & Sons Spirio, a revolutionary high-resolution player piano capable of capturing and replaying performances with absolute fidelity.

RIOPY used the Spirio not just as an instrument, but as a collaborator. By recording a line, allowing the piano to replay it, and then performing over the top, he built up multiple interwoven layers of sound: a duet, trio, and ultimately a full ensemble with himself. The result is a composition that is playful and intricate, a cascade of melodies that rise and fall in musical conversation. The tapestry of melodies showcase the rich textures of RIOPY's masterful technique and his dynamic approach to composition.

"I started with one simple idea and recorded it on the Spirio. Then I played over it, again and again, layering pianos until there were many voices. It felt like a conversation with myself - playful, rhythmic, sometimes almost like a video game - each part calling and answering the other," RIOPY explains .

"We are delighted with the warm and inventive result of RIOPY's collaboration with Spirio," said Eric Feidner, CTO and Chief Innovation Officer for Steinway & Sons. "Spirio was designed as a tool for artistry, and RIOPY's considered approach to music proves a welcome fit for the instrument. 'Piano 17' transcends mere musical loops on its voyage of discovery."

The release of "Piano 17" follows a period of deep personal reflection for the French-born composer, who has spoken candidly about facing serious illness in recent years. Music became a healing tool that led his path to recovery after a relentless fight for his life: "Resilience often comes in small steps," he says. "Sometimes we imagine it as this huge, powerful force, but in truth, it's made up of tiny acts of courage. Choosing to keep going when it would be easier to stop." The playful dynamism of "Piano 17" is a manifestation of this resilience and the healing power of music.

With more than a billion streams worldwide, chart-topping albums, and collaborations ranging from Lana Del Rey to neuroscience-backed meditation projects, RIOPY has built a reputation for music that crosses between classical, cinematic and deeply personal realms. "Piano 17" channels that ethos into a bold new composition. It's a piece that is at once innovative and intimate, born from the marriage of human expression and cutting-edge piano technology.

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Stream "Piano 17": https://riopy.lnk.to/piano17

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