Virginia-based singer-songwriter Ivy Ryann has released a breathtaking new album, “A Nonaggressive Extreme Violation of Boundaries,” and, yes, the album is just as great as its title might suggest. We listened and immediately fell in love with this stunning collection of songs. Amplify sat down with Ryann recently to discuss her album, her music, her inspirations, touring, and so much more. Read our Q&A below to get to know this talented artist.
Hello, Ivy. Please tell us about your new release.
This is my debut album, “An Nonagressive Extreme Violation of Boundaries.” It’s as wild of a ride as it sounds, ha ha.
This is a collection of songs I’ve written over the course of the last 10 years. A lot of the songs on this album are songs I deemed too personal or taboo to release. I’m really excited to be putting them out into the world and also a little nervous. A first time listener might not grab all the times that you can hear me choking up in some of my songs. I had to try really hard not to cry during some of the more emotional songs. I eventually threw in the towel and did a lot of takes where I just didn’t care if I cried or my voice cracked. We ended up keeping a lot of those takes.
For our readers who are just being introduced to you here, how would you describe your music?
I describe my sound as indie rock with singer-songwriter influence. I’m glad that I generally don’t get the same review from any two different people. But I did have one fan tell me after a show that I reminded them a lot of Taylor Swift and… nothing against Taylor Swift, but I cringed pretty hard. Not because Taylor Swift isn’t a great artist, but I don’t see any similarities between our sounds at all. I’m sure my face did something really awkward or embarrassing upon receiving that comment.
When did you first fall in love with music? Have you always been interested in making music?
Despite not having grown up in a musical family, I always was really interested in music. I don’t think I can pinpoint a “starting point.” I grew up on a lot of rock and country, and the first concert I attended as a kid, my parents had to drag me out to go to a medical tent because my ears were bleeding because it was so loud, but I still didn’t want to leave. Being a musician has pretty much been the plan since I had a concept for what jobs were.
Pick one artist that has been inspirational and influential to you, musically speaking. What does that artist mean to you?
Brandi Carlile, hands down. Like I said, I was raised on country and rock. So, when I discovered Brandi at around 10 years old, she was this amazing mixture of Americana and rock in a way I hadn’t heard before. I was, and still am, enthralled by her. I was also a queer kid being raised in a conservative Christian family/community, so her music was really encouraging to listen to, and I looked up to her quite a bit. I was encouraged to be a more confident singer and a more honest lyricist through her work.
Just a few years ago, I got to see Brandi perform, and I was so starstruck I teared up when she came out on stage. That is cringe-y and embarrassing, but it’s the truth.
If you could have been a fly on the wall for the recording of just one album, would it be one of Brandi’s or another one?
I would like to say I feel like this is a crime to ask me to pick a single record. I remember listening to the “Shallow Beds” record by Dry The River in high school and being completely encapsulated by it. It was the first time I appreciated the production of a record as much as its contents. Listening to “Shallow Beds” was one of the first times I was obsessed with all the sounds and effects used on a record and not just the melodies or lyrical content. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall for that process. In that way, that record was really influential to my current sound, and whenever I get compared to that record I take it as a huge compliment.
If you could work with any other artist or performer in some capacity, who would it be?
I would have to say Julien Baker. If nothing else, for a guitar lesson. She is such a phenomenal player, and her lyrics have struck me to my core on so many occasions. She mixes together gut-wrenching content with beautiful melodies in ways I can only hope to.
Touring can be a pretty crazy for so many reasons. Got any great tour stories?
I’ve got some “tour-er stories.” As a musician, you have so many horror stories from being on the road, playing shows, and living a pretty different lifestyle. One time, I was playing a local show at a bar pretty early in my career. I was on stage in the middle of a more upbeat song, and I was keeping my eye on a man in the crowd who was obviously very drunk. It was incredibly crowded, and the bar was at its capacity. I watched this guy clear a long path through the crowd and then start RUNNING down the path toward the stage at me. I had no idea what he was doing, but I looked over and the security team were scrolling on their phones. As he got close to the stage and jumped to get on, I just stuck my boot out and caught him mid-air. He landed on his back and I’m sure was too drunk to remember why he had a boot print on his chest the next morning. The set went on as usual. Show biz, baby.
When you aren’t out on tour, what do you like to do in your spare time?
I really love my community of people and spend a lot of time just enjoying the people I love when I’m home. Sometimes that looks like doing a lot of thrifting and drinking a lot of local coffee, and sometimes that looks like nerding out with my sister and brother on video games.
Do you have any music career regrets?
I wish I would have started writing in the genre I really wanted to from the start. I spent a really significant portion of my career trying to write folk music because that’s what everyone in my immediate circle was listening to and writing. I found myself writing rock songs and then altering them to fit the status quo of my community. I’m thankful for the influence folk still has on my current sound, but I would like to have written more authentically from the beginning.
What does being an artist and musician mean to you?
I think the best thing has been the community that being a musician has given me. I am always meeting new people and getting to interact with so many different beautiful humans. I have gained so much perspective and heard so many people’s stories by connecting through music in an edifying way.
