Think "countertenor" and certain images come to mind: white gloves, brass balustrades and all the dusty conventions of classical refinement. Ryland Angel knows all about it, having sung on many of the world's great concert stages. But there's another side to Ryland: busking in the Paris metro, riding a Greyhound bus across the Texas plains, trading quips with Paul McCartney at Abbey Road Studios and, above all, writing exquisite pop songs. With the release of his self-titled Manhattan Records debut, Ryland permanently reconfigures the classical crossover genre while establishing himself as an important new artist.
Born and raised in Bristol, England, Ryland first sang as a chorister at Bristol Cathedral. His father served as Dean at Trinity College, while his mother had trained as an opera singer." Though grounded in classical music, Ryland loved pop, and even saved up to buy a Korg M1 keyboard. He later trained as a lawyer, supporting himself singing jingles and playing piano in clubs. "I only knew about seven tunes," he says. "I had fun improvising, but when the requests came pouring in I had to bow out." Soon enough he realized law wasn't for him: he was born to make music.
Ryland moved to Paris to undertake a serious study of music. There he met Kentucky native Bryce Johnson who later became his Austin-based writing partner. Eventually Ryland began singing with many prestigious ensembles, among them Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, the Ensemble of Early Music of New York and Les Arts Florissants. He's performed at the New York City Opera, the English National Opera, Carnegie Hall, the Opéra National de Paris and many more, covering every important work in the countertenor repertoire.
Eventually Ryland moved to New York (he divides his time now between Paris and Manhattan). Though his classical career was in full swing, he longed to develop his pop ideas. Once he met songwriter Ed Bennett, he found a partner who understood his vision. The two collaborated intensely. Ryland also headed to Texas to work with lyricist Johnson, often jotting down musical ideas while riding the bus to Austin. Once a few demos were cut, it was easy to persuade Manhattan Records sign him.
He still keeps a busy classical concert schedule, and was in fact nominated for a classical Grammy last year for his work with the Tiffany Consort. But Ryland plans on devoting much more time to his pop music endeavors, including tours, cross-promotions and TV specials.
Sure, there's risk straying from the comforts of the classical world he knows for something new and different. But for Ryland Angel, that's precisely the appeal. "What I try to do," he says, "is create simple beautiful melodies that hold a message of hope. And I hope this has meaning for people."
