Ryan's Music Musings

We sat down with Ryan from CPL Cascade Place and Music Program Facilitator Jeremy Ruckels just after the release of Ryan's new song "Greatness". Ryan talks to us about his creative process, where he gets inspiration, and what's next for him.

How long have you been at Cascade and taken part in the music program?

I started here in 2019 – the music program is why I came to cascade.

Where do you get inspiration for your music?

I guess I’m influenced by artists like Eminem and Hilltop hoods but my inspiration for writing draws on certain points in my life where I’ve had to make tough choices.

I wrote it (Greatness) about when certain people in your life try to drag you down and, at the end of the day, it’s only yourself you can really count on and that’s where your greatness is.

What is your creative process when working on a song or a clip with Jeremy?

I just start playing around with music (samplers and synths mainly) until I find a melody that works.  Some people mainly listen to the melody but for me the words are what speak to people. If there are people that have shared experiences I’d hope that the lyrics would speak to them and help them through it.

What goals are you working towards?

If you were to ask me 5 years ago I wouldn’t have been able to say anything good but now my goals are to hopefully get my music out there for someone to listen to and stop them from making choices they’ll regret.

 

How long does it take to get your song or film clip just right? Do you know exactly what you want it to look like before you start?

It sort of depends on how many projects I need to work on. Sometimes I can finish a song in a week or it can take up to a month.  For music, I make a plan, execute said plan and then throw away the plan! My musical ideas evolve from that point.

For the film clip – it all happened very quickly because I sort of knew what it looked like before we started. We mapped it out with a story board, some test shots and got some film references to work from.

Who are your favourite musicians?

I listen to a lot of Eminem -  I can really relate to his writing. I listen to a lot of music and my favourites change based on my mood or how I’m feeling.

What are you working on now? Or are there any ideas in the mix?

I’m working on a logo for my YouTube channel and also on a short horror film that will hopefully be done in the next 6 to 12 months!

CPL’s Redcliffe service, also known as Cascade Place, is a centre for art, music and the environment, providing support to absolutely anyone who wants to flex their creative muscles.

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