Meet ryn

Today we’d like to introduce you to ryn. 

Hi ryn, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
From 3 years old to now, not much has changed for me. An avid performer and a bit of an attention hog, I always knew that I wanted to be on stage and felt on fire as soon as I was. Starting off as a ballerina, I didn’t know that I wanted to make music until I discovered hip-hop (age 9) and released how fricking dope it would be to sing the music I dance to! Finding songwriting was a pretty natural thing for me. I couldn’t stand playing the stiff and structured melodies that came with my piano classes. So instead of sucking it up, I ditched the sheet music and decided to be my own Mozart and write my own songs. Never being one for theory, I just listened for the sound of what I wanted to hear come from my piano as I haphazardly played triad chords. Sure, it sounded like a cat was dying most of the time but hey, nothing good happens without a little chaos. Four years and over 250 songs later, I’ve found my own way of pop music and what it means to me. Technicalities aside, I write my music for myself and what it is I’m dying to get out at the moment I am writing it. It’s very spontaneous when it comes to lyrics. Sometimes I’m an artist that writes about being strong and empowered and other times I’m vulnerable in a way I never thought I would express to my listeners. For me, being a singer and musician isn’t about being just one thing, just one way that everyone sees all the time. It’s about being honest with how you really feel in that moment, being strong enough to show it, and allowing yourself to be what you really are from day to day, instead of pretending to be just one thing all the time. No matter your age or place in life, we are all just figuring it out, one day at a time. All I’m doing is making the music to go along with each of us on our own journeys. And man, If I can connect with even 5 peoples’ stories/journeys with one of my songs, I’ve made it. Big bonus if I can make them dance at the same time! -ryn 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Growing up, I had a great childhood thanks to my wonderful parents and siblings (whom of course I hated from time to time but who doesn’t?). But a smooth road? Not exactly. Being subjected to sexual abuse at a very young age was immensely difficult to overcome and deal with. I would be lying if I said I was completely healed from it even now. My family really became my rock when at 15 years old, we lost my childhood home. As horrible as it might seem, some of the best times of my teen years were spent living in a two-bedroom cottage with my grandma and my five-person family. Never did we feel like we didn’t have enough. Blessings showed themselves in other areas. If it weren’t for those rough periods and close quarters of living in my grandma’s house, I would not be as close with my family as we still are today. When I think back on my young years now, I never feel victimized for the struggles I/we faced because I see now how it taught me perseverance, understanding, and appreciation. I know for a fact that if it weren’t for those bumps in the road, I would not be where I am today as a person, artist, songwriter, and performer. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Being more of an instinctual artist, my music is all about the feeling. Some songs make you want to dance your ass off and you know that I am every time I perform it! But some songs are meant to just sit with you and resonate in ways that everyone can relate to it. Being a dancer all my life, it is super important for me to make every song worthy of movement. Performing gives me the most joy out of anything in life so when I’m on stage, you bet your ass I’m gonna be jumping around, doing choreo, and singing my heart out. What I think separates me from most pop artists is the connection I make with my audience. There is no formula to it other than me just being my most authentic self and really sharing with them my story, my music, and my energy. There is no greater feeling than when I notice that my audience is really engaged and totally feeling my music. I am far from reaching my goal but I can’t help from feeling proud of my work when I see or hear someone really connecting to what I’m doing. I use to try to set myself apart in ways that didn’t always feel organic or natural. But what I’ve learned this last year is that the less you ‘try’ the more you succeed. I am different and set apart just by being me. Nobody else is exactly like me or has the same story and nobody can make the exact same music or give the same performance as me. I am unique just by being ryn. 

Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
The biggest piece of wisdom or advice I would give a new artist/songwriter/singer is this: Before you go looking to find other artists you want to be like, spend time with yourself to see who YOU really are. (Keeping in mind that this may also change through the years and that is perfectly fine! It should change as all things do with time.) What are the key elements that make you YOU? Write them down and pick the 10 most identifiable words or phrases that really feel like they belong to you. No matter how hard you may try to be the next Billie, Dua, or Adele, you will ALWAYS succeed far more in being yourself. Fun fact, you are the ONLY you!! How dope is that?! 

Pricing:

• Songs are on Spotify for free with subscription
• Songs on iTunes only $.99

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.ryn-music.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/callher_ryn/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Camryngriffith.as.ryn
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/callher_ryn
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpllwj52scznejmGnPKRByg/featured
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-997988978
• Other: https://linktr.ee/rynmusic

Image Credits
Tom Bertolotti
Nicholas Gaspar
Christian Adams
Elias Shank
Vikram Desai