Ryan Wright – A Dream I’ll Forget

By starrymag | April 26, 2022

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

A) It’s a dreamy surreal version of all the confusing nonsense within my head, but it somehow makes perfect sense translated into music.

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

A) I draw a lot of influence from the bands that raised me like The Killers, The Everly Brothers, The Cars and The 1975.

 

Q) How did growing up in Virginia help shape you as a musician?

 

A) There is quite the local music scene where I grew up. Everyone is kind of family, in a sense, so I have always been surrounded by talent and musicians of all different types.

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “A Dream I’ll Forget.”

 

A) “A Dream I’ll Forget” is my most heartbreaking single to date. The song evokes the unsettling feeling of waking up and not quite being able to remember what you’ve dreamt of, but in this instance, you’re waking up and forgetting everything good in a relationship. In the aftermath of a breakup you’re left wondering if all the good things you thought you had were just all in your head. The concept of dreaming is reflected in both the lyrics and production—images of a starry night in July are backed by the sound of fireworks fizzling in the sky to create an ethereal, surreal sound.

 

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

 

A) I think everyone can relate to the feeling of having something so wonderful and important and perfect turn sour. The reality underneath the surface of something that has the facade of being good will always shine through in the end. The analogy I used in the song was a dream you forget when you wake up. You’re left with a bittersweet unsettling feeling of madness that makes you question yourself and everything around you.

 

Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?

 

A) There’s a lyric in the song that says “I’m running down your backstreet.” It kinda references a lot of the feelings of stupidity you get as a teenager in love. Running with reckless abandon down a darkly lit street in the cold seemed fitting. Chasing the thing in front of me, being so close yet so far, seemed fitting. The confetti blasting and the hazy slow motion brought in the surreal aspect of a dream like state.

 

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

 

A) I pretty much come up with melodies, concepts and lyrics in my head and build imaginary production around it until I get into the studio to bring it to life. Sometimes I can pick out the chords beforehand, but my dad usually helps elevate the chords when I bring in the songs.

 

Q) How much of a hand do you have in the production of your music?

 

A) I would say it’s a team effort. I have two producers who I adore, and both know my likes and dislikes. They have more of a technical sense than I do, so when I have the ideas in my head, they help me translate it onto the track. I bring the writing material and the ideas in, and I sit next to them and work on all of the songs until they’re ready for mastering.

 

Q) Will there be a full album or EP coming in the near future?

 

A) My new EP A Dream I’ll Forget is out everywhere on all platforms right now and there will definitely be more to come. I’ve got like a bazillion songs I want everyone to hear.

 

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

 

A) Jammin Java and Union Stage are for sure some of my favorites. I grew up pretty close to the community at Jammin Java and have been going there since I was a kid. I also shot my live performance videos at Union Stage, and it was so much fun.

 

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

 

A) Definitely Brandon Flowers from The Killers. I’d probably fangirl so hard, but I would collaborate with him on anything in a heartbeat.

 

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them? 

 

A) I’ve been listening to a lot of Charli XCX’s newest album. I think she is so great. Everything she does is so timeless but feels new and original and huge. She’s just so cool.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

 

A) I think that because of how globally diverse my listeners are, it helps me reach people from all over the world with millions of miles between us and different time zones in an instant, simply by posting something.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

 

A) Definitely a huge thank you. It really does mean so much to be able to not only have people that support me but have people who resonate with the music and can really connect with it.