With his latest single ‘In My Head’ making headwaves through the Canadian radio charts, Ryland James and his immeasurable talent is still a bit of mystery for audiences worldwide.

The United States’ northern neighbours have fared very well recently in producing and presenting some groundbreaking pop artists, including the likes of Shawn Mendes and Alessia Cara, so Ryland James will be hoping to follow in their footsteps and get his music booming across to all the significant platforms and the most distinguished stages across the world. He’s already made his mark by opening for his personal idol, Alessia Cara, and is now set to release his debut album in 2020. 

The single ‘In My Head’ was written amidst long and inspirational trips across Sweden and London, and subsequently explores the perils and challenges of a complicated relationship that he cannot escape. His low, deep voice complements the themes of the song perfectly, as his range ebbs and flows through the emotions whirling through the words. The strong, upbeat percussive instrumentation in the background amplifies the intensity, rendering it loud and powerful---something that can be blasted through the stadium as well as it can be played stripped-down at an acoustic setting. James has got a flair for invoking a truth whirlpool of feelings through the pitch fluctuations in his voice, and he applies that to excellent use in the bridge of the song. 

At just twenty, James already demonstrates a sensibility that many artists are still trying to master, and his music is more complex and resonant because of it. “Well, of course selling out stadiums and getting lots of streams is a success, but it’s only a part of it”, he mentions.  “What’s really important to me is creating music, songs and performances that impact emotionally on people. So whatever the song may be – happy, sad, angry or whatever – I want people to be able to relate to it. If people tell me my music affects them, then I’ve been successful.” He may be dealing with a bit of a complicated topic here---how difficult it is to overcome a broken relationship, but with such a good head on his shoulders, his fans should be pleased at his humble attitude going forward.

 Pop