RYLAND JAMES

PHOTOS AND WORDS BY BLAKE CHARLES

When Ryland James steps in front of a microphone, he’s home. When he opens his mouth to sing, jaws drop. And when he’s on stage, he’s far more than your average small-town Canadian boy. Born in Deseronto, Ontario, a town of fewer than 2,000 residents, James has always been surrounded by music. His grandmother was a gospel pianist, so the power and groove of soul music constantly flowed throughout their home. Growing up listening to his grandma’s gospel and soul collection, he quickly developed a passion all his own.

With his love for music clear from a young age, it was no surprise that as soon as James started talking, he started singing. Whether it be along with one of his grandma’s classic soul records or while she was playing piano, James never missed an opportunity to use his voice. The more he sang, the more he seemed to love it. The years of informal practicing eventually led up to a moment that James will never forget; the moment he realized that he wanted to be a singer.

“There was definitely one specific moment when I was younger when I was probably about 10 years old. I heard this kid on Britain’s Got Talent singing ‘Who’s Lovin’ You’ by The Jackson 5, and my mom and grandma said to me ‘I think you could do that.’” I randomly decided to belt that song out and from that day forward, I was obsessed with singing. I don’t even remember why I decided to belt in the first place, but it kind of just came out of me.”

From that moment on, the music that once filled his home was now his biggest source of inspiration. Artists like Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin were staples of James’ upbringing, helping him develop an unbreakable love for soul music and the impactful voices that sang it. Many of the genre’s most defining qualities have made their way into the now 20-year-old’s sound, as his soaring vocals, heartfelt lyrics, and understated, yet impactful sense of rhythm pay beautiful homage to the music he grew up loving. He would later find inspiration from artists like Adele, Sam Smith and Alessia Cara, all of whom demonstrate the vocal talents and lyrical potency of soul music while embracing catchy hooks and pop-friendly melodies.

“Having those singers as inspirations I think melded into who I am today. I didn’t want to imitate them, but I wanted to evoke the passion that they have in their music, and I think that’s why I sing the big songs and have that soul I have today.”

Simple yet dynamic, James’ first single “In My Head” is a heartbreak anthem, detailing the memory of a relationship gone awry. His voice is an absolute showstopper, crooning over the piano and acoustic guitar with ease. The verses beautifully flow to the chorus, where James’ signature belting cuts through the smooth instrumentation like a hot knife through butter. The song’s classic pop influence hits all the right marks, resulting in a perfect representation of the artists that Ryland James has grown to be.

“I wrote ‘In My Head’ about a year ago in Europe when I was there for a writing trip. At the end of the trip I was in Stockholm and it was one of the last songs we wrote in the studio that day. I had three other amazing writers that I was working with, and we started working on a different song at first, but it wasn’t really working. We decided to put that one away and try something different. One of the writers started playing these chords and I was immediately drawn to it. We were all going around the room and telling stories and playing around with melody ideas and lyrics, and we built the song around all of that. The first line of the chorus is actually one of the first things that came in that song. I remember saying ‘If we fall apart’ and one of the other writers said ‘I still got you in my head’ and that became the main focal point of the story. We wanted to create a journey of a relationship that’s becoming toxic, and then realizing that if it all ends, then we’ll still have all the memories in our head.”

With the song’s release, it felt as though James was announcing himself as a fresh face to the music industry, eager to make an impact. Despite the track being his first single, his mission to create music that people will connect with and relate to was well underway. The power and vulnerability of “In My Head” has impacted people all over the world, and continues to do so with every new set of ears it touches. It isn’t a showy or complicated song, and that’s exactly why it works so well. It finds a striking balance between catchy and emotive, as it seeps itself into your mind and heart. While the track may seem like an obvious choice for a debut single, the song was never intended to be his first single or to be released at all.

“When we were choosing songs to release and looking at what the first single would be, ‘In My Head’ wasn’t really even considered. It was living somewhere way back in my email, and one of the writers asked me if I was going to use the song and I was like ‘Oh yeah, I forgot about that song!’ and then it ended up being my first single.”

The once-forgotten track has since become his signature song. The positive response to the song and James as a whole has got the ball rolling on turning many of his dreams into realities. One of his biggest dreams just recently became a reality, as he got to tour the United States with longtime inspiration and fellow Canadian, Alessia Cara. Getting to tour the US was a huge goal of James’, and getting to do so with someone he’s looked up to for song long feels like the universe’s way of telling James that he’s exactly where he’s supposed to be.

“The crowds have been so awesome and so receptive, and I feel like Alessia’s fans are the perfect audience to play for because they’re so welcoming. She’s been a huge inspiration for me, and her lyrics have always really connected with me, and being able to open for her and have this full-circle moment is absolutely mind-boggling. It still feels surreal to me and I still wonder every day how this is real.”

While he’s recently spent his time touring the United States and Canada, he’s now starting to turn his focus towards his upcoming debut album. With a release planned for 2020, James is sure to expand upon his more soulful and classic take on pop music.

“The reason we ended up choosing ‘In My Head’ as the first single from the album is that it feels like such a good representation of what the album is going to be like. I’m so particular about these songs having a big vocal presence, so the rest of the album is very similar in that regard, in that they’re very vocally-forward songs. I do start to dip into different genres though. The core of the album is very pop-soul, but it also sort of melds into different things as well, which is really cool. I feel like one of the tracks is kinda rock-ish, but it’s hard to explain! Some of them feel very R&B, and other songs feel more pop, so they all lean in different directions.”

With a new decade on the horizon, it only seems fitting that a performer as timeless as Ryland James is emerging. His voice is second to none, but his desire to create something impactful is arguably his biggest strength. When he decided to pursue singing, he aspired to make music that connected with someone the way that the music of his childhood connected with him. While this just feels like the very beginning for Ryland James, he’s already making music that matters to people, and at the end of the day, that’s all he’s ever hoped for.