MI SUCCESS STORY: JOSE RIOS
While growing up in San Diego, Jose Rio’s father would play salsa, jazz, funk and blues, memories that he attributes to first inspiring his love of music. His passion for music and guitar led him to apply to MI to study further study theory and performance with some of MI’s renowned instructors. While at MI, Jose started playing music with fellow MI students, and their collaborations would later change their lives.
After graduating in 2007, he continued playing with fellow students Anderson Paak and Ron TKTK in a group called Breezy Lovejoy. The group would play covers of Stevie Wonder, Dr. Dre, and Prince in churches, bars, restaurants, and parties around L.A. After a few years, Jose contributed to Anderson’s album Venice in 2014, and in 2015, wrote and produced tracks for their second album, Malibu. Following a Grammy nomination in TKTK, Anderson and The Free Nationals traveled the world on tour, sharing stages with KT, TK,TK. They recently finished up a run opening for Bruno Mars, and amongst these incredible milestones, Jose still counts his time at MI as being integral to his growth and current path as a professional musician.