Meet Ryan Egan

I do love a good smoothie. A blend of fruit and veg really hits the spot, you know? An explosion of nutrition and flavor!

You know who else makes a good blend? Ryan Egan! This singer-songwriter knows how to shake things up. With a penchant for various instruments and catchy grooves, he will shimmy his way into your hearts with his electric pop meets neo-soul meets funky rock. 

It’s a real cocktail of sounds and emotions and tasty delights, my fellow smoothie lovin’ friends.

Below, we discuss the superiority of scented candles, the Parisian scene, and his outsider status within music. 

Grab a reusable straw and drink up, bbs. 

Car of the Year, a Mad-lib with Ryan Egan

Almost every community in America now has a bowling VIETNAM because bowling has become very SUBTLE with young LOVERS.  Most of them become very VERSATILE at the game. The main object of the game is to DANCE down the alley and knock down the 4 pins which are at the other end. If you knock them down in one roll, it's called a CAT PURR. If it takes two rolls, it's called a MISSED NOTES ON TRUMPET. Many alleys have automatic MUSIC setters. Others hire LANGUAGES who set the pins by having SEX. The most important thing to remember when bowling is to make sure you have a good grip on the ROMANCE or you're liable to drop your TONGUE!

Would you rather

your bed breathe heavily, or narrate everything you are doing.

I picture the breathing bed recreating some sort of womb experience that could ultimately be soothing.

Some Questions With Ryan Egan

Which do you prefer scented candles or room spray?

Scented candles and it's not even close.

How does the music scene differ between NYC and Paris? Are you more partial to either?

I haven't been in Paris long enough to form a full opinion but I'm partial to new experiences so in that way it's stimulating. It's also a much smaller scene and people are more accessible/welcoming across the industry because of that. Finally, France values and supports the arts on such a higher level from the US that it's quickly looking like a more feasible option in terms of standard of living and making a career in music.

Do you drink Coffee or Tea? How do you take it?

Coffee but occasionally tea. I love all forms of coffee and typically drink it black but sometimes cream is cool...alternatively I sometimes enjoy a really sweet coffee in a Vietnamese spot or something too.

Who would be your dream musician to collaborate with?

I'm not sure I could surpass the intimidation of attempting to make music with certain favorite artists of mine...therefore I'll say Bjork because I imagine her being very inviting and open to varying collaborations.

Are you self taught in music production? Did you have a mentor or inspiration to learn?

I'm self taught across the board with music and production. In terms of inspiration, I owe a lot to my dad who was an example of a non musician living and breathing music, but also my friends during the formative years growing up and learning music who were much more serious about practice and it showed me the necessary discipline. I find that I generally learn more efficiently on my own but of course I then discover gaps in my knowledge of a particular instrument or craft. That said, I prefer feeling like an outsider looking in because my relationship with music has always been a bit mysterious and I cherish that naivety somewhat. It's never too formal, it's always just having fun and digging for something interesting.

Besides today what is your favorite era of music?

That's a tough call but I'm pretty romantic about the D'Angelo & Soulquarians era of music around late 90s/early 2000s in particular. Otherwise, I find 70s music really resonating with me nowadays as well as the 90s shit I grew up.

When putting together your music which usually comes first the lyrics or the track behind it?

90% of the time it starts by singing with whichever instrument I'm drawn to...typically a guitar or keyboard...but sometimes I'll arrange a bit more of a full instrumental from the beginning of the process as well. Vocals guide everything though and lyrics come once I have concrete melody ideas and structure.

Where is your favorite place to find/discover new music?

I really love Spotify (despite their problematic positioning against paying creators)...it's kind of like my record digging dreams coming true. I also follow some crate diggers on Instagram or folks like that where you're always getting turned on to obscure records from around the world. Alternatively, it's so nice to discover something live for the first time if you have the opportunity.

Your single “I Feel Like Crying” seems to be a slight departure from your other recent releases. Was there anything that brought on this new approach?

The first reason I went in that direction, with live strings, was that the song asked for it. As I was playing around and trying it out on different instruments, I was playing it with a synth strings patch and the mood was so appropriate. I was immediately overcome by enthusiasm to figure out how to arrange it for strings and do it justice. In general though, I think producing this type of song really comes from my love for artists like Bjork or Leonard Cohen or classic jazz artists performing over hyper dramatic and lush string sections like that. It was a dream come true to work in that format and I can't wait to do it more.

What was the best toy you remember from your childhood?

No doubt my Ghostbusters proton pack and trap.

Did you play any instruments growing up?

I started playing drums in the school band as a kid but nothing stuck with me until I began singing and writing with friends as a teen. We started bands and kind of made it up along the way, and that really spoke to me. From there, I learned a handful of instruments to become more independent as a writer/performer.

What is one sport you wish you could do really well? Why?

hat's tough, but I swam a bit as a kid and can imagine it must be crazy to get your body into serious shape like that, and maneuver through water like a freak. Also, marathon running is a distant goal in my mind...

Any final comments? (This is your electronic soapbox for one last answer.)

I really appreciate the chance to share my music and some background here with you all. I hope the music I've released thus far resonates with you somehow. I am gearing up to do some future projects that I haven't quite figured out yet, but I have tons of music that I want to sit with for a bit longer and before sharing in 2020.