108: Ryan Innes

Artifice

Growing up in tiny Thatcher, Ariz., Innes was raised in the traditional musical environment of a small town. As a youth, he was classically trained on piano and sang in the Phoenix Boys Choir and local church musical groups. But…It wasn’t until he was introduced to R&B that Innes began a deep and personal involvement with music that would begin to change his life. At 24 years old, he applied to the media music program at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, a city that has become a mecca of emerging talent, producing such artists as Imagine Dragons, Neon Trees and Lindsey Stirling. During his time at BYU, Innes gained confidence as a performer while singing with the popular a cappella group Vocal Point. Around the same time, Innes began writing his own songs, influenced by melodic, vocal-centric artists like Ray Charles, Amos Lee and Ray LaMontagne. In 2010, Innes recorded a self-titled EP…and began performing solo shows, promoting his EP and gaining a loyal following with his original songs and captivating covers. While gaining popularity in the local music scene, Innes landed a residency at The Montage in Park City, Utah. The new gig not only allowed him to quit his day job, but also to continue to polish his performing and songwriting skills. In 2013, Innes took a break from his residency to try out for NBC’s The Voice. Singing John Mayer’s “Gravity”, Innes quickly received a four-chair turn and picked Usher as his coach. Mentored by Usher and fellow grammy-winner Pharrell Williams, Innes performed a rendition of Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine” in the battle rounds, solidifying his place as a crowd favorite. Innes released his debut album THE INBETWEEN in April 2018, it’s one that he hopes can capture the ups and downs of life, giving voice to the listener’s own feelings of struggle and hope Early April of 2020 Ryan appeared on yet another NBC Music TV show, Songland. Over the years, Innes has developed a distinct and dynamic artistic voice. One that can be heartbreakingly intimate at one moment and soaringly epic the next. The range of emotions Innes can articulate in a single song or across a setlist mirrors the emotional scope of the artist’s life, a contrasting mélange of turmoil, peace, grief and hope. www.ryaninnes.com/