Reconnecting With Rising Producer Ryan Nevis of Chicago

Ryan Nevis is an up-and-coming electronic music DJ/producer. Coming from the Chicago suburbs, he credited his musical style to influences such as San Holo, Porter Robinson, and Petit Biscuit. On July 16, 2021, the talented Ryan Nevis released his latest song, “We Can Run Away”, with up-and-coming vocalist KIANNA on his own label, Be You Records. Ryan Nevis created this label back in April, which also released two other recent tracks, “I wrote my heart on a postcard” and “It Was 2 AM”.

Back in November 2020, One EDM had first interacted with Ryan Nevis and got to know him. Nine months later, One EDM is reconnecting with the young rising star and talks with him about the things he have accomplished since the last interaction. Check out this second exclusive interview right now.

Kenny Ngo: Hi Ryan, we had interviewed you before back in November. How has things been for you since then?

Ryan Nevis: It’s crazy just how much things can change in less than a year. I believe I’ve progressed as an artist in so many ways since. In April, I just launched my record label Be You Records, which I never thought could become a reality. What’s crazy about the last few months, is that I’ve built relationships with so many amazing people in the industry. From the people at Chill Nation, Bitbird, Airwave, and many more, it just goes to show what hard work can yield.

As things have been easing up lately over the past several months, have you done anything or went anywhere exciting?

In the past few months, for me, I’ve really just kept my head down and worked. When it comes to building up a label and building up a personal brand as an artist, it takes a lot of time and patience. At my stage, most artists would have a small team in terms of their label, their content (graphics, posts, etc), a manager, and so on. But I’ve really just been doing all of the above by myself. I will say though, one of the more exciting instances was when the official Chill Nation account followed me on Instagram and slid in my DMs, I think that’s one of the times which were really, really exciting just to see.

How about concerts, raves, music festivals, or other shows?

I am yet to attend and play at any shows and concerts. I really miss attending concerts and getting inspired. However, I do believe that most shows here in Dallas are going to be taking place in November. I am definitely going to attend them (San Holo, Porter Robinson, etc).

You recently dropped your latest single, “We Can Run Away” featuring KIANNA. What makes this single unique?

“We Can Run Away” is a journey in itself. The song goes from a nostalgic feel to an uplifting and groovy one. I think having this contrasted variation in the song is what really allows it to stand out. The track was super close to me with just being an instrumental, but with K!ANNA, she really brought it to another level. When it comes to the song itself, I think the seamless transitions are super unexpected and that “wow factor” is what I’m always chasing when writing music.

How did you and KIANNA work on making this single a reality?

I found K!ANNA through Spotify as one of her originals popped up. I had to contact her immediately, and it has been amazing ever since. She knows how to express herself, and that’s exactly what I look for in vocalists. I really do believe that singers should have full creative control when it comes to writing their lyrics and melodies, just as I have full creative control over my instruments and production. We obviously went back and changed elements here and there to ultimately get this beautiful record.

How is the track different from your last two tracks, “I wrote my heart on a postcard” and “It Was 2 AM”?

I always try to go in different directions with my tracks. It’s hard for me to just create one style or genre, that’s kind of why most of my songs are very different from each other! I’m a firm believer in creating what you feel, and not doing it for the sake of anyone or any opportunity. “It Was 2 AM” is one of my more emotional records that’s slower and nostalgic. I worked with Amber Shae, and it’s one of those songs that you go back to when you feel crumbled. It’s a very special song to me as it’s the very first release of Be You Records.

“I wrote my heart on a postcard” is a more upbeat and groovy track. While all my songs carry that emotional element, I try to create something unique every time. So, this specific record is one of those that you just want to dance to when you’re hyping yourself up! I would say that “We Can Run Away” lies somewhere in between these two, with being my third release on my label. It’s more ‘future bass’ with organic and raw elements.

Are there any similarities as well?

I think staples in my songs are pianos, lush synths, and guitars, with all being manipulated in different ways. I like playing around with crackles and vintage textures, so that’s something you can really hear across my tracks!

What are your future plans in regards to music releases?

I’ve got a couple more singles for this year all to be released on my label, Be You Records. I may or may not release on another label just for the sake of variety and new exposure. But, until I find artists that I truly resonate with, you’ll definitely see consistent releases from me over the course of the upcoming months! No two songs would be similar to each other, so there’s always something exciting that I’m cooking up!

Are you scheduled to go on tour or perform at music festivals soon?

You know, I think for right now, I need to build up my catalog and gain the digital exposure that I need to. I’m all about performing my songs rather than just DJ-ing a bunch of other artists’ songs. So, in order for me to do that, I need to have more of my originals out there, but there’ll be an exciting performance coming soon!

What do you want to see happen at the end of 2021?

I think I want to see more artists ‘making it’. I know a lot of underground musicians that have the talent but haven’t reached close to the surface (I too, am far beneath the surface). If we were talking about outside of musicians, I just want to see people happy. I hope lives can go back to normal, and people can put certain things into perspective that we used to take for granted. Actually, I don’t just want things to get back to normal, I want things to be better than it ever was.