FLORIO is the stage name of Chicago native Dominic Florio. Collecting a huge array of musical influences growing up in Chicago, including Ray Charles, Elton John, James Taylor, Phil Collins, Don Henley, and Tears For Fears, FLORIO was raised on jazz, blues, soul music, 80s pop, new wave, and storytelling. In an interview with Purple Melon, FLORIO says:

I think I got involved with music at a time when I needed it most. I was 12 years old and I remember feeling pretty lost. I remember not being able to stop. Not being able to stop playing the piano at my house, or writing songs (or at least trying to) every minute I had to myself. I have a feeling like this made me not such a great student, but I had found something that I loved to do unconditionally. I really learned how to write songs in biker bars, dives, five star restaurants, and jazz clubs in Chicago. It was one, maybe two gigs a night playing 4-5 hours at a time. And that is where I absorbed everything I could about writing music.