A multi-talented actress, producer and singer/songwriter, RITA WILSON's first love is music.  Rita’s music has been hailed as “inspiring” by Rolling Stone, “uplifting” by USA Today and “powerful” by Newsweek among many other accolades.  

 In May 2012 Rita realized a lifelong dream with the debut of her solo album AM/FM.  The album, which is on Decca/Verve Records, is an intimate, elegant and beautifully sung collection of covers of her favorite songs from the ‘60s and ‘70s. In March 2016, Rita released her self-titled second album, Rita Wilson, which showcases her skill for creating insightful, eloquent singer-songwriter pop music that is etched with stunning honesty. For two years prior to the release, Rita worked with a host of the finest Award-winning and best-selling songwriters and producers in both Los Angeles and Nashville.    

Rita’s 2018 album, Bigger Picture saw her reunited with producer Fred Mollin (Johnny Mathis, Jimmy Webb, and Kris Kristofferson), expanding on her gifts as a storyteller and vocalist.  With this third album, she took a bold step forward in the latest chapter of a remarkable journey and dove headlong into songwriting. Upon its release critics and fans alike raved. “Wilson [is] even more comfortable as a songwriter” said Billboard, while Forbes called her voice “smooth as silk.” Michelle Obama described Bigger Picture, which landed at #1 on Amazon’s Singer/Songwriter chart, as “a beautiful and introspective album.” 

Halfway to Home released in 2019, has a fuller sound; Southern California rock meets Nashville country.  The album was recorded mostly in Nashville and co-produced by Rita and Nathan Chapman (Taylor Swift, Keith Urban) with additional production from Ron Aniello (Bruce Springsteen, Patti Scialfa) and John Shanks (Bon Jovi, Stevie Nicks, Sheryl Crow).  Many of the songs were co-written with an A-List group including Grammy winner Liz Rose, Kristian Bush of Sugarland, Mozella (Madonna, Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus), Mitch Allan (Demi Lovato), and Kara DioGuardi (Pink, Kelly Clarkson).  

Rita made her debut at the historic Grand Ole Opry in 2018 and shortly thereafter was a presenter at the prestigious 52nd Annual CMA Awards.   Her performances have taken her to such world-famous venues as Disney Concert Hall to the Sydney Opera House. Rita has toured extensively, including performing at major festivals such as CMA Fest, Stagecoach, and LakeShake, as well as headlining her own shows and also touring with Grammy Award-winner Kristian Bush of Sugarland.  She also created Liner Notes: Songwriters, Stories and Music, in which she is joined by special guests for an evening of songwriters performing and sharing the stories behind their songs.  The show has been performed in such famed venues as the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles, the Bluebird Café in Nashville and the iconic Café Carlyle in New York City multiple times. Of her performance there, The New York Times said “Ms. Wilson has a catch in her voice that conveys yearning and potential heartbreak behind a façade of cheer.  As a stage performer, she is gregarious and forthright; a natural entertainer.” For her LA performances of Liner Notes, Rita won the Broadway World Award for Best Female Cabaret – Large Venue.    

2020 was notable for Wilson and her prolific and varied musical projects.  While in quarantine and recovering from COVID-19, she posted a clip of herself on Instagram rapping along perfectly to the multi-platinum 1992 hit “Hip Hop Hooray,” which she had learned for her role in the film, Boy Genius.  Intended to bring hope and a smile, the clip went viral and ultimately resulted in Wilson and Naughty By Nature teaming up for, “Hip Hop Hooray (Remix).” The single was released via Tommy Boy Music in April, with net profits donated to the MusiCares® Foundation Inc. COVID-19 Relief Fund to help those in the music community affected by the Coronavirus pandemic. 

Her poignant single, “Where’s My Country Song?” was co-written by Rita and Lee DeWyze (American Idol), and co-produced by Rita and Mikal Blue (Colbie Caillat, OneRepublic). The song is a love letter to women everywhere.  Rita explains, “I love country music and writing songs in Nashville.  I was thinking about all the women in our country, doing their jobs, and how they have always helped our country run efficiently. Women have always been pillars of strength, but now with coronavirus, millions of women comprise the essential workers who are on the front lines, and so critical to our nation.”  The song also drew inspiration from Rita’s own mother.  The song’s moving lyric video is directed by Luke Eisner; the musician, actor, model, and director is well known for his role in Netflix's original film "Tall Girl", and half of the LA-based pop-rock band, VOILÀ.  Eisner also produced and directed John Legend’s lyric video for “Conversations in the Dark.” 

Wilson also released “Everybody Cries,” from the film THE OUTPOST which won the Hollywood Music in Media Award for Outstanding Song for Independent Film, and was also nominated for “Best Song” by the Critic’s Choice Awards. Co-produced by Rita, Jason Larocca and Larry Groupé, the stirring ballad was co-written by director Rod Lurie, Wilson and Larry Groupé.  Wilson’s vulnerable and emotional vocals are on full display on “Everybody Cries,” along with delicate and stark arrangements.  Musically the song perfectly captures the intensity and poignant themes of the film, conveying the struggles of war. The film was directed by Rod Lurie, with a screenplay from Oscar-nominated screenwriting duo Paul Tamasy and Eric Johnson (The Fighter). 

Additional musical guest appearances include Jimmie Allen’s track “When This Is Over” where Rita sings alongside the legendary Oak Ridge Boys & Tauren Wells, “Angel of Montgomery,” a cover of the classic John Prine song and collaboration on Alex Blue’s EP, Good Company, and “PINK,” featuring Dolly Parton, Monica, Jordin Sparks, Sara Evans and Rita benefitting the Susan G. Komen®, the world’s leading breast cancer organization; 

Her latest singles include, “What I Would Say,” co-written by Rita and GRAMMY Award-winning, platinum hitmakers Jesse Frasure (Thomas Rhett, Florida Georgia Line, Luke Bryan) and Shane McAnally (Kacey Musgraves, Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban), “Pray for Peace” “I Wanna Kiss Bob Dylan” and “Hello World” in partnership with Zumba in honor of International Women’s Day. 

Most recently Rita is working on a new 3-EP series – Trilogy 1 & 2 are out now. Rita explains the inspiration for the Trilogy series: “People are multifaceted. We are not just one thing. And we often do multiple things at once; a metaphorical and creative juggling act. I started thinking about triptychs and how each panel shows one aspect of a painting. In actual triptychs the panels can be folded so that only part of the art is seen. That’s often how I feel. I’m showing one side of myself or maybe two but the complete picture is hidden. That led me to the idea of a trilogy; a series of three related works. These songs are a part of me that I don’t often show but they’re a part of who I am. My three new EPs called Trilogy 1, 2 and 3 are different aspects of the music I love to write, the stories I love to tell. Three EPS, three songs each. As a triptych each one is showing a different part of the whole picture. As a trilogy they’re related to each other musically and narratively.”