Inspired #409 - Stacey Ryan
Self-proclaimed queen of jazz-tock Stacey Ryan released her debut EP ‘I Don’t Know What Love Is’. The Montreal-based artist has established a rabid fanbase from posting covers and arrangements across her social platforms, including on TikTok where she has one and half million followers.
Stacey Ryan has the rare gift of turning heartache into beautiful, bubbly soul-pop ballads. Her breakthrough Don’t Text Me When You’re Drunk collab with Zai1k has garnered 19 million global streams, catapulting Stacey to the center of 2020’s most viral TikTok trend. Her deeply personal account of an all-too-common dating experience, the track is a sparkling piece of soul-pop with effervescent textures, bright percussion, and mesmerising piano work that brilliantly contrast Stacey’s emphatic refusal to compromise her needs.
She took a moment to talk to us about the inspirations behind her music.
Who are your top three musical inspirations and why?
It’s very hard to narrow it down to only 3 but if I had to choose I would say 1. Al Jarreau because he was such a pioneer in bringing jazz to pop music and I aspire to be as creative and free of inhibitions in my music as he was. 2. Daniel Caesar - I discovered his music right out of high school and his soul-pop-RnB vibe definitely influenced my style of writing, as I was new to writing music at the time. 3. Bruno Mars - I've loved every era of his music, from his earlier pop stuff to his music with Silk Sonic.
Is there a certain film that inspires you and why?
So it’s not a film but recently I watched the series adaption of Daisy Jones and the 6, and seeing a show about a band on tour and writing songs, it felt close to home and made me excited about the feeling you get when you write a great song and play an amazing show.
What city do you find the most inspiring and why?
I feel like for me, it’s not so much a place that inspires me and it’s more people and experiences, but if I had to pick a city I would probably say Montreal. They say home is where the heart is and I always feel a jolt of inspiration when I’m back home.
Who is the most inspiring person to you and why?
I guess it’s not so much one person but more so a group of people. I get so inspired watching my friends and people I care about share their music and hone their craft that it makes me want to go home immediately and write my own music.
What were your inspirations when writing your new EP?
Definitely a lot of life experience with love and relationships and remembering the yearning and the heartbreak but also the hope of love. It’s trying and failing and starting again. It’s discovering and navigating through emotions and trying to make sense of them.
How would you like to inspire people?
I hope that my music makes people feel and love and dance and hope. I just want to connect to people through my music and inspire them in any way I can!
