Ryan

Photo Credit: Vanessa Nweze

Ryan is everything you need in an R&B artist. The Brooklyn-native grew up listening to the greats — Michael Jackson, Mary J, Blige and Usher, to name a few — and finally made his Spotify debut late last year. He has quickly made a name for himself in the industry since, garnering significant praise from R&B royalty. It was actually hitmakers Chris Brown and Jeremih who encouraged the artist to drop his first single, “Real One” in 2019. “That was the only reception I needed,” said the artist. “He’s somebody who’s paved the way for somebody like me.” Ryan’s voice is as great as any of the singers of his genre, which is evident in his flawless runs and distinct emotional tone. “Real One” has earned him over 500k streams and a following of over 14k monthly listeners. His sophomore single, “Back Up”, came out in September and has since received significant streaming success. Now, the artist presents his debut EP, Games We Play, which debuted earlier today. We recently spoke to the up and comer about the recent praise, his strong musical upbringing, and more!

How did you get started making music?

My love for music all started off when my mom took me to the Usher 8701 concert. Seeing that concert, his performance, the music, everything just did it for me. I started off writing rap songs until one day I went to the studio and said let me try singing.

What made 2019 the year to make your streaming debut?

The timing felt right. I felt I was ready to share myself with the world. 

Your music takes us back to a time to the great 2000's R&B era of songwriting. Who are some of the artists that have influenced this sound? 

I could literally name about 20 artists from my mother’s car playlist as a kid. But the ones who stood out the most to me are Bobby Brown, Usher, Chris Brown and Jodeci. The R&B artists that looked and felt like they came from where I’m from.

We recently learned that R&B legend Chris Brown and Jeremih encouraged you to release "Real One". What was it like getting that kind of reception from the artists?

It was actually Chris who encouraged me to put out “Real One.” We were together one day and I was playing my music. When “Real One” came on he instantly shook his head and said ‘It’s the one’. Later that day we went to a photo shoot and he caught himself singing it & said “Yeah lil bro, that’s the one.” For me that was the only reception I needed. He’s somebody who’s paved the way for somebody like me. 

Walk us through your typical songwriting process. How does your typical Ryan song come to be?

I usually write when I’m in the car driving to random places. I put on the beat and just let my melodies flow. It’s the melody that dictates the feeling and context of the song.

How do you overcome writer's block?

Luckily I’ve never really experienced that. If I do, I would probably play basketball or Xbox something to take my mind off of it.

How has your upbringing affected the way you go about your career?

Coming from Brooklyn and seeing so many people that never get a chance to live out their dreams, let alone live their lives, reminds me to never take this opportunity for granted.

Describe a real-life experience that inspired a song. 

One of my songs “All Night.” The lyrics of the song was literally taken from every line of a text conversation I experienced. It never came out but till this day that song and situation sticks with me.

Who do you owe your biggest thanks to?

My mother! Without her, there’s no me. 

What can we catch you doing on your day off?

A day off? I don’t feel like I get days off, especially since I try to be productive every day. But in my spare time you’ll catch me playing basketball, Xbox, shopping. Those are my go to hobbies.

What's next for Ryan?

Whatever the universe feels is for me. But for what I can control. I just put out my first body of work — my EP Games We Play. Now that I’m sharing that with the world I’m getting right back in the studio to work on my album. Enjoying every day I get and making the most of them.