Ryan’s kind of music

It’s always refreshing to hear a new voice in music  and in the current musical landscape, one of the freshest voices to emerge in years is that of Ryan Christopher Sy.

Ryan released his self-titled debut album under the Ivory Music & Video label recently, and already, this promising acoustic pop singer is fast gaining ground, thanks to his flawless guitar skills (yes, he plays) and soothing voice. He also composes his own music. One of the songs he wrote, titled Mr. Sun is included in the lineup. The others are Lovelight, So I Guess, Hey You, Little Lies and Dreams.

The beauty of Ryan’s material is that the melodies are simple and uncomplicated, perfect for driving down a deserted highway (which doesn’t exist in Metro Manila these days, but that’s a different story) with the windows of your car thrown wide open, the wind whipping your hair in several different directions. Ryan shares that he’s always liked his music that way: easy breezy, simple and uncomplicated, and easy on the ear. That’s why his musical idols include Jason Mraz and Ed Sheeran.

“With Jason Mraz, I like how he plays around with lyrics,” said Ryan. “He always has some unusual twist to them.”

This newbie artist should win enough accolades for the kind of music he produces, but it doesn’t hurt either that he’s incredibly good-looking (he does double duty as a commercial model when he’s not busy working on his music) and charming as well. Because of his refreshing acoustic sound, his performances are in great demand and he’s making a big mark in the local music scene. He was invited to perform at Threenity Birthday Blast, the biggest fandom event of the year for fans of the British boyband One Direction, Five Seconds of Summer and The Vamps.

Ryan knows his music and sound are different from what’s currently out there — which lean heavily toward ballads and love songs — but that’s precisely the way he wants it. He’s not aiming to change the whole system, but explained that it’s more about giving it a new twist.

“I think the industry is ready for something different,” he said during a recent face-to-face meeting with the entertainment press to launch the album. Ryan performed some of the cuts, which were well-received and showcased exactly what it is he wants to do with his music. “I think the Original Pilipino Music (OPM) scene could use a different flavor, something a little more Western, just something different to inspire our fellow Pinoy musicians and artists.”

The bigger plan, apparently, is for Ryan’s music to reach a global audience. He also talked about his album being released in other parts of Asia, starting with South Korea, soon.