Additional Coverage:
- I escaped a cult and was homeless and desperate. Chris Martin gave me a piano, and I became a successful musician. (businessinsider.com)
From Cult to Concert Hall: The Unbelievable Journey of Musician RIOPY
In a tale that sounds like it’s ripped from a Hollywood script, French-British musician Jean-Philippe Rio-Py, known professionally as RIOPY, has transformed a childhood marked by a brutal cult into a soaring career in music, even snagging a gifted piano from Coldplay’s Chris Martin along the way.
At 42, RIOPY’s life story is a testament to resilience, the healing power of music, and the kindness of strangers – and rock stars. His compositions have graced meditation apps and trailers for critically acclaimed films like “The Danish Girl” and “The Shape of Water.” But before the red carpets and record deals, there was a far darker beginning.
Born in France, RIOPY spent his early years trapped within a cult his mother joined. It was a harrowing existence, rife with “dogma and indoctrination,” where physical beatings were dished out to “take the evil” out of children.
He recalls being forced to sit motionless for entire days, heads shaved, under the rule of a guru who literally sat on a throne. For a time, his family even lived in a “moldy old castle tower.”
In this restrictive environment, where TV, books, and music were forbidden, a piano became his secret sanctuary. “I wasn’t allowed to watch TV, read, or listen to music.
The one thing I turned to for escapism was a piano. I taught myself to play from an early age,” RIOPY shared.
He described the piano’s vibration as “a drop of water splashing everywhere, filling my heart with love. I’d play one note and discover a whole melody.”
When the piano was eventually sold as a punishment, he’d sneak out his younger brother’s guitar in the dead of night to find his solace.
His escape came on his 18th birthday in 2001. A dental appointment revealed signs of extreme stress, prompting him to break free that very day. His initial freedom wasn’t easy, leading him to Los Angeles where he cleaned toilets for a bed in a hostel and experienced homelessness.
By 2003, at 20, RIOPY moved to Paris, finding his feet by playing piano in bars, clubs, restaurants, and hotels. “Music was the only way I found peace,” he reflected.
A year later, he landed in the UK, grappling with depression. It was there that a concerned customer at a music shop took him under his wing, helping him secure a music scholarship at Oxford Brookes University, where he met his future wife, Sabra.
His talent soon found bigger stages, from pubs to the Royal Opera House. Then came the serendipitous encounter that would change his trajectory: a Vanity Fair party in 2011.
Coldplay’s Chris Martin, captivated by his music, approached him. Despite RIOPY’s shyness, Martin was persistent, offering a warm hug and asking his manager how he could help.
The manager, perhaps half-jokingly, suggested a piano. True to his word, Martin gifted RIOPY a Boston piano, designed by Steinway & Sons.
The only hitch? RIOPY was still struggling financially and had nowhere to put it. The magnificent instrument remained in storage for two years, a secret he was “too embarrassed” to share with Martin during a later conversation.
Over the next six years, RIOPY’s creative and commercial work blossomed, taking him across the globe. In 2017, he signed with Warner Classics, recording his debut album on Martin’s gifted piano, released the following year. Now with four albums to his name, his fifth, “Be Love,” is slated for release in early 2026.
Beyond his albums, RIOPY has poured his experiences into composing for film trailers, commercials, and meditation apps. “My experience as a child and mental health struggles have made me want to bring others peace,” he explained.
When asked about his proudest achievements, RIOPY doesn’t hesitate. “When people often ask me what I’m most proud of, it’s being a husband and a father of three.
Music has helped heal my trauma, but my family is everything to me.” His incredible journey stands as a powerful testament to the human spirit’s ability to overcome adversity and find harmony, both in life and in music.