Music Now Spotlight

by Isaac Davis Junior, BGS, MBA


Ryan Sy

Singer/Songwriter/Musician Ryan Sy is the total package; he sings, writes, and plays several instruments. One of the strongest aspects to this artist’s music is his enriching lyrics full of life lessons that are well beyond Sy’s young age of 24 years old. Another strong point to Sy’s music is his amazing voice that will have you weak at your knees. If you want to listen to music that comes from the heart and soul, then Ryan Sy fits the bill. But don’t take our word for it; read about this artist in this fantastic interview and make sure to check out his music for yourself. Enjoy!

Isaac: It’s an amazing time to be a DIY artist/performer/band/musician. What do you enjoy the most about being an indie performer?

Ryan: I love sharing my music – I literally play for people every chance I get. I started off as a writer, and actually came very close to writing for a big label – the thing is I couldn’t possibly bear having anyone else sing my songs, lol. They were based on my experiences, and they really mean a lot to me. Since deciding to pursue music rather than banking though, I’ve been doing a lot more singing and my vocals are finally beginning to shine as much as my song writing. I guess the difference between being an indie performer is that you’re not “forced” to focus on marketability (voice/image/etc) and can be truly appreciated for the quality and passion of the songs your write. There’s more heart, I guess, and less flair.

Isaac: If you had an opportunity to sign with a major label, would you sign now knowing you may have to give up some of what you have build up over the years about you in the process?

Ryan: Oh hell yeah. I write for myself, really - it’s my way of taking intense feelings – whether they’re good or bad – and expressing them rather than keeping them bottled up. Also, it helps me deal with several issues and setbacks, so I can move on from them in one piece. That being said, I perform my music to share my story, and the lessons I’ve learned along the way. I want to be able to reach as many people as possible. One advantage that major labels have is that they’re really good at being “loud” – they’ve got crazy promotion and distribution channels, and they definitely use them well. I definitely wouldn’t feel comfortable giving up my artistic vision just to fit the bill though!

Isaac: I remembered Simon Cowell from American Idol talking about the “it” Factor that makes a musician/band stand out. What do you think is your “it” factor that makes you stand out from others in the music business?

Ryan: I mean, I’m a pretty good performer and play a bunch of instruments. I taught myself how to play the piano, guitar, and the alto and tenor saxophones, by listening to music and reproducing it on the instrument. I don’t know how to read notes, but I can replay any song almost perfectly after hearing it once. Thinking about it though, I guess my “it” factor is really my songs. All of them tell a story, and have a bit of a moral –they’re all about being an obnoxious kid and making a shit ton of mistakes, lol! My songs tackle pretty unconventional themes like bullying, the gap between rich and poor, single parents, war, etc. but they’re catchy in a very “poppy” way.

Isaac: Why should music fans listen to your music? Describe what they are going to get when they listen to Ryan Sy?



Ryan: I’m hoping my fans would want to listen to my music because they can relate the songs that I write. I mean, although I was a bit of a wild child, my songs aren’t exactly “far out” – a lot kids go through the same thing. I’m pretty much aiming for the high school/college/young adult crowd, because my music is about issues that these people face. I feel like sharing my experiences through my music will help motivate them to always go with what feels right, and will allow them to learn from my mistakes.

Isaac: Briefly describe your humble beginnings that led you to where you are at musically now.

Ryan: I guess my “humble beginning” was in freshman high school, when I skipped class to go chill with my friends at the mall. I ran into my Dad at a Starbucks, and was grounded for about 2 weeks (harsh Asian parents). I pretty much had nothing to do but mess around with the grand piano we had at home. It was literally there as a decoration and nobody in my family played music at all. I got bored and started playing with the piano and trying to imitate the songs I stole from Napster. I got obsessed with it, like really obsessed. And now here I am. : )

Isaac: You have some strong iconic influences. Of these influences, which artist/band do you relate to the most and why?

Ryan: James Blunt and Jason Mraz, definitely. I feel like they put their heart and soul into the songs that they write, and their music has been a big influence on me – and not just musically. I love songs that make you feel “different” after having listened to them. And they’re music does exactly that.

Isaac: Do you feel that Indie music gets the respect it deserves? Why or why not?

Ryan: I do feel that indie music gets the respect it deserves, especially today. I worked at a recording studio, and have definitely noticed how much the industry has changed. There’re a lot more great musicians being heard and making a name for themselves, because of awesome independent labels that believe in their talent. It definitely no longer takes a major label to get big – plus, “indie-big” is like the new cool thing ; )

Isaac: If you could change one thing about the music business, what would it be and why?

Ryan: If I could change one thing about the music business, it’d probably be the fact that many people in the industry are focused on solely on $$$. I really lucked out, because I met some really cool people who do believe in talent, and developing artists instead of focusing solely on “finished products”. But there are many talented musicians who are never given the time of day, because they don’t know the right people, or they’re undeveloped. These days, labels only want to take in artists with a fan base, a fully produced demo, a press kit, and a ton of experience playing live. The few that get around this are only able to do so because they know the right people. Nobody wants to take risks – I guess I can’t really blame them, especially with how pretty much everyone has money problems nowadays. But the dream of being “discovered” used to be a lot more realistic than it is now.

Isaac: Do you think in the near future that DIY artists/bands will be the norm and big record companies will be very limited?

Ryan: With how the industry is moving, I wouldn’t be surprised. : )


Ryan Sy

Isaac: What type of feedbacks have you been receiving about your music from fans and music critics?

Ryan: I’ve received mostly very positive feedback, which is really good for someone like me, who’s really just doing this on a whim. I decided to go ahead and pursue music less than half a year ago. I’m just glad that people have actually reached out to me, despite the fact that all I have are YouTube videos made with a $25 webcam, lol. It makes me feel less guilty about not using my investment banking degree from Emory and getting a real job…

Isaac: If you knew that you would never gain fame and fortune with what you are doing now, would you continue to make music? Explain.

Ryan: Yezzir. I definitely would. I chose to do this with no expectations other than being happy. I’m glad that people like my music, and it’s really motivated me to aim higher and higher than I previously have. But everything’s really just icing on the cake at this point. I’m happy playing at random bars and posting YouTube videos – the feedback I get is enough to convince me that what I’m doing is right. It makes me happy. And luckily for me, my family business is extremely successful… I don’t have starvation to worry about : )

Isaac: How do you handle negative feedback or negative energy about your music?

Ryan: You can’t please everyone ; )

Isaac: What role do your family and friends play in the equation of your pursuant of a music career?

Ryan: My family and friends are very supportive of my music, and my Mom’s my #1 fan. It means a lot when the people you care about believe in what you do. And especially in my case, the fact that my family is behind me tells me that I’m good enough to be successful at what I’m doing. They’re the most pragmatic “business-type” people you’ll ever meet, and they wouldn’t be encouraging me if they didn’t truly believe in me. It really helps me believe in myself.

Isaac: What is the best site/s that you can be found on the Internet?

Ryan: http://www.ryansymusic.com – it’s got links to my YouTube, Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter accounts.

Isaac: The floor is yours; final words…..

Ryan: I appreciate the time you guys took to interview me. I’m going to be working with some really cool people during the next few months – I’ll keep y’all posted with what happens. Till then, keep your fingers crossed and wish me luck!