At only 17 years old, the ultra-talented Ryan Brown's old soul shines brightly on her new single "Carousel." Premiering June 30, 2023, this beautifully produced pop record takes us on an emotional carousel ride, reminding us of young love's graceful, humbling innocence.
The whirlwind of emotions and excitement that comes with entering a new relationship directly relates to a carousel ride, having ups and downs and spinning circles within the cycles of affection. Ryan uses this metaphor magnificently throughout the record's lyrics, addressing her naivety in past relationships, singing, "I hoped that we could beat the cycle/ I hoped we'd never change." Her graphic lyrics allow the listener to imagine the scene while letting her raw emotion lead the painting of the picture.
Ryan doesn't sugar-coat her life but tells real stories and the wisdom she has shared along the way, evoking the thought of her being an "Old Soul." Having enticing lyrics is one element, but merging these words with her incredible youthful voice that similarly evokes emotion to Olivia Rodrigo is what separates her from the influx of female pop singers. These two ingredients, added to a pot of tasteful production and a classic pop sound, create a perfect combination of catchy and eloquent to consume and fully satisfy.
Ryan was born and raised in Marlton, a small town in New Jersey, adjacently the birthplace of another young superstar, Christina Grimmie. This up-and-coming pop singer was on the fast track to stardom in 2016. With show-stopping performances on The Voice, a major-label debut, and winning a teen choice award, the "Anybody's You" singer's trajectory was undoubtedly toward the stars. That was until Christina abruptly passed away in June of 2016 due to a tragic shooting by a crazed fan during a post-concert meet and greet. Since they were from the same small town, it was assuredly destiny that Ryan and Christina would eventually cross paths.
"This town connected me to the Grimmie family and gave me the wonderful experience of working with them. I'm very grateful for where I live and have grown up." As if written in the stars, that small town aligned Ryan and the Grimmie family, allowing her to work on Christina's unfinished songs. She finds comfort in knowing Christina's work will live on through her music.
Even though she showcases her depth and vulnerability as a teenager, people of all ages experience these same ups and downs. "Carousel" takes the listener on an emotional journey, returning to the youthful love that once stirred our hearts. She claims, "At the core is authenticity," and we certainly agree.
Every ride has its end, but we always have the opportunity to ride again. Experience that rejuvenating thrill with Ryan Brown's "Carousel," out now on all platforms.
Congratulations on your single release, “Carousel”. We would be elated if you took us through the mental process of creating this beautiful record. Was it difficult to share your personal emotions with the world?
Thank you! I remember the first spark for “Carousel” was in October of 2021 after I went through a “friend break-up” and was admiring the pretty autumn leaves. My mom said something about writing a song about leaves and at first I laughed, until I was cleaning my room later that day and found a picture collage of me and my old best friend that she made for my birthday. I was still hurt and the idea of throwing it out made it feel permanent, so I put it under my bed; as the first line of “Carousel" says, “Underneath my bed sits a picture of us, couldn't throw it out so it's there collecting dust.” This wasn't the first time I had gone through a friend breakup and I was upset, wondering why I was stuck in this cycle. Somehow and somewhere in my ADHD brain made a snap connection between the cycle of leaves growing and dying again, and me getting friends then losing them again. Since this song was written two years ago, I’ve more than healed from this specific bestfriend and now find comfort in my own song when this exact same thing happens THREE more times between now and then. However, I still have our picture.
We are star-struck by your age! 17? WOW! With the promising career that lies ahead of you, what do you hope to accomplish along the way?
I love performing and creating music and hope to do so much more on bigger scales in the future, but most importantly, I hope to help as many people as I can. Music helped me through some dark times and always is a pick-me-up when I’m feeling down, so I hope to make some peoples day brighter.
“Carousel” has intimate production elements. What producer did you join forces with to build this song?
Actually, there were 2 very talented producers that helped create this song. Joe Nicolo and Stephen Rezza!
How did you cross paths with the Grimmie Family and come upon the opportunity of working on the legendary Christina Grimmie’s unfinished songs?
The Grimmies lived in my hometown; my dad was mayor of the town and we have stayed in touch since. A little into my professional career, the Grimmies came to me with some unfinished songs of Christinas and I was extremely honored and MORE than happy to help complete them
What are your plans for the rest of the summer? Will there be more music following “Carousel” in the near future?
This summer I will be releasing more music! I’ll also be traveling the country to sing the National Anthem at various sports games!