Placing his mark on the music scene over the past year since the release of his debut single, Head & Heart; rising artist Jordan Rys has rapidly amassed millions of streams, listeners, and followers across all his social media platforms with his irresistible brand of pop led artistry. From covers to original music, Jordan shows no signs of slowing down; and continues to develop and hone his craft, as he blends together urban elements with smooth vocals and catchy pop melodies, to deliver relatable, raw and candid reflections on a range of universal topics. Having already released a series of fantastic singles this year, and with an exciting journey ahead; we sat down with the rising star to chat all about music, his latest releases – including his single Hold Tight, and what we can hope to see from him next. So keep on reading for the full interview below.
TSU: For those who aren’t as familiar with you and your music, tell us a bit about yourself and your journey so far.
JR: My name is Jordan Rys, I am a songwriter and artist based out in Los Angeles, CA. I enjoy playing soccer and skiing – and I’m very grateful to be doing this interview!
TSU: Emerging onto the music scene last year; what has your experience been like so far, navigating being a new artist during these Covid times?
JR: I have tried my best to let COVID be a motivating season of my life for my career. I’ve been able to focus and spend more time developing my music because I’ve been locked inside my bedroom. I’ve also learned how to share my music online in a more efficient way. Lastly, I’ve taken these times to draw inspiration from situations I wouldn’t usually fine myself in.
TSU: Garnering a mass amount of attention and acclaim, particularly on TikTok; how would you say the platform has influenced you as an artist and your sound and style?
JR: I’ve been on TikTok for quite a long time. I have been on the app since it was called Musical.ly. I am not sure how much it has influenced my music, but it has definitely influenced the way I view social media and the way I handle it as a business tool. Growing on the platform was extremely slow and steady. I have posted many different styles of content and I just try to be myself.
TSU: Which artists are you currently most inspired by?
JR: I try not to draw inspiration from a single artist, but instead keep it very broad with a lot of variety. I am a songwriter, so I get requests for lots of different styles of music every day and if I listen to one genre of music, I get creatively blocked. However, I do have my favorites in each genre such as Zedd, Drake, The Weeknd, and Justin Bieber.
TSU: In addition to releasing your own music, you’ve also dropped several cover tracks this year including Justin Bieber’s ‘Peaches’ and Ariana Grande’s ‘Positions’. Do you have any particular process when choosing songs to cover and going about making the track your own?
JR: I just try and cover the songs I think are going to be the most popular. Usually some DJ’s around the world will hear my version and use my vocals for their remix. I am all about collaboration, so I usually say yes.
TSU: You’ve recently released your fantastic single Hold Tight. Tell us a bit about the inspiration behind the track.
JR: The inspiration behind Hold Tight was definitely my relationship. I wanted to use a ton of imagery to start off the song and then a simple hook for everyone to sing along to. The track came together very easily and probably only took me 30 minutes to write and another 30 min to record.
TSU: With a really mellow and ambient pop vibe, Hold Tight is a perfect summer song! What’s your favourite way to listen to the track?
JR: I think Hold Tight slaps best when driving down the highway on the way to the beach for sure. It’s definitely an adventure song and something that guarantees good vibes.
TSU: Are there any genres or musical stylings that you would love to explore or experiment with that you haven’t yet had a chance to do so?
JR: I hope to get more into R&B one day as well as have a smash EDM record as well.
TSU: What do you want people to take away from your music and sound? How would you describe it?
JR: All I desire is people enjoy my music and that in turn points them towards me and my character. I want my music to reflect the kind of person I am and I want to be a solid, positive figure in the industry.
TSU: What can we expect next from you? Do you have any projects that you are excited to start working on?
JR: I’m always working, so you can definitely expect more from me. Unfortunately, I can’t name any specifics, but I do have 5 projects I’m working on at the moment and a lot more coming. I’ve been very busy this past year, and I can’t wait to keep grinding. Everyone can find me and stay up to date with me at jordanrys.com/socials
Such a pleasure to chat to Jordan, make sure to keep up with him on all his socials: @jordanrys
