INA, Ill. (December 15, 2022) — Riley Peyton, a home-schooled kid from Enfield, never thought college was for her. Instead, she dreamed of a life that consisted of inspiring people through singing. Little did she know that she would be performing for thousands in a cross-country arena tour shortly after graduating from Rend Lake College.
Riley Peyton, RLC Graduate and Renee singer.
"When my sister and I were just five and six, we began singing," Peyton said. "From a young age, I realized I could inspire others with music, and I knew I wanted that to be a part of my life. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do professionally, but I knew music had to be a part of it."
She continued to develop her musical goals. She recalled watching some of her favorite artists on the stage at the Ford Center Arena in Evansville, Indiana.
"Those moments watching live performances inspired me to keep going after it. They were just powerful."
After winning a scholarship from the Hopper Heritage Foundation, the path began to appear. Peyton decided to follow in her mother's footsteps and become a cosmetologist.
"People will always need their hair done. I knew the hours could be flexible, and this would allow me to continue pursuing music."
Peyton enrolled in the cosmetology program at Rend Lake College. She discovered a passion for the beauty industry, and a path to success began unfolding.
"I have been around cosmetology most of my life," she said. "Rend Lake has the best program. They were flexible, understanding, and had great instructors. I looked at several colleges but chose RLC because they stood out with a better program."
Riley's journey to success wasn't easy. She traveled nearly an hour every day to attend RLC's Cosmetology program and had to adapt to the college workload. She persevered and found support from her family, friends, instructors, and classmates.
"I met some of my best friends at RLC. I am so glad that I went. The teachers poured so much into me and impacted my life significantly. The things they taught me will help me in life forever."
Riley learned the technical skills in the cosmetology program to succeed in the beauty industry. However, she also developed essential life skills like time management, communication, teamwork, and making friends. These skills helped her not only in her career but also in her personal life and in pursuing her passion for music.
Her perseverance paid off.
Today, Riley fronts the music group Renee with her sister Rachael. They are scheduled to perform on the Winter Jam 2023 Music Tour, delivering their powerful musical performance in 15,000+ capacity arenas across the country. They will perform with artists such as We the Kingdom, Jeremy Camp, Zane Black, Andy Mineo, Anne Wilson, Disciple, Austin French, Newsong, Thrive Worship, and Sean Be.
Rend Lake College Graduate, Riley (L), and her sister Rachael (R) will perform with their band, Renee, on the Winter Jam 2023 National Arena Tour.
Possibly the most significant stop on the 40-city arena tour will be February 9, when Riley walks out at the Ford Center Arena — the stage that a young girl looked up to so many years ago and dared to dream. (See full tour schedule here)
Riley's story is a reminder that college isn't just about getting a degree – it's about discovering your passion and developing the skills you need to succeed in whatever path you choose.
So, the question is – Where are you going?
