Wise beyond her years, blessed with a beautiful voice and a unique talent for writing powerful lyrics, Ryn Weaver is taking off and flying with her debut album “The Fool,” released June 16 through Mad Love/Interscope Records. Her first single “Octa Hate,” when released on SoundCloud, was deemed by Billboard “a viral sensation.” Weaver will be touring this summer in support of her new release, including several New York engagements.
So Ryn, you have this amazing new album.
I’m very excited.
I heard some of it, and I love it. You have an amazing voice.
Thank you.
Let’s talk about the album for a minute.
It stems from my leaving a pretty awful relationship and me finding my independence, so there was heartbreak, and then me finding someone else that was actually good for me. Maybe picking on some of the negative traits of the former love, I guess. It’s kind of about a fear of commitment but also an empowerment. Finding new love doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to fiddle with what you found, but it helps to redefine what you want. Does that make sense?
Yeah, I think it does in a way. So when you write, you write from your heart about experiences you have had.
Yeah.
How long have you been singing and writing?
I’ve been singing my whole life. As far as writing, I think I was writing from about fifth grade. I was always singing and coming up with stuff in my head, but wasn’t putting them onto paper until I got a bit older. It’s a confidence thing too, I think.
You’re going to tour in support of the album, correct? Are you going to hit New York at all?
I’m doing two shows in New York. We have the whole summer tour set up, and after that we’re going to continue to tour, bounce around.
From what I understand, it’s almost like you just woke up one day and became famous.
I’m not sure if I am a star.
Well you’re on your way.
You know, you get lucky, you catch a break. I was lucky enough to catch a break while I was creating the sound, doing this thing. It’s not like I put out a record and failed. I’d just been kind of honing my craft and working at what I wanted to do, but I also couldn’t have really released a record, because I can play enough to get by, but not enough to produce a record. It was a very bare-boned situation, and I can produce, but I never felt anything that I ever produced hit that peak of being a flawless production. I was super fortunate. I’m working on my skills, and who knows, maybe in the future I can do it by myself. However, I’m a big fan of collaboration. I feel like it’s kind of a lost art. Everybody is so terrified of giving any credit, because they think it will make people discredit them.
Out of the songs that you’ve done, do you have a particular favorite, one that you might like to perform more or are very proud of?
That’s hard. I really love a song called “Pierre.” That one might be my favorite, but it’s like asking someone which of their babies are their favorite. You might have a favorite, but it doesn’t feel good to say it.
I hear you. What’s the funniest or craziest thing that happened to you live?
Some of them are awful. The coolest thing that happened was, I had a bunch of fans during one of the songs, “Octa Hate,” all jump on stage. It was a bit of a bum rush, which was terrifying at first, but by the end it was magical. But I’ve fallen. It was like an extended fall, because I caught my balance, so it lasted like 10 seconds. That’s funny to watch, but not as funny to endure.
I bet not. OK, so you’re a new addition to a crayon box. What color are you?
OK, if I’m a new addition it probably doesn’t exist yet, right?
That’s correct.
Some shade of…I love the royal colors, the maroons and the dark greens.
Do you believe in love at first sight?
No, I believe in lust at first sight. I don’t believe that anyone can be like, “I’ve seen your soul.” It’s romantic, but even love…love is work. Love at first sight might last two years, but if you want to make love work, there is no love that doesn’t have a bump in the road. No one fits together perfectly.
If you could choose for your parents two celebrities, who would they be?
Definitely Angelina Jolie and Jessica Lange. I don’t know if they’d get along, but I love both of those women… no, no, no, what am I saying? I picked Angelina for vanity purposes, but it would have to be Joni Mitchell.
What makes you angry?
A lot of things. The state of things. I get very upset at the world. I shouldn’t let it bother me. Just the games. It’s rigged. What else makes me mad: overexaggeration! That probably is my biggest one. People that when you’re sitting in the room with them and you’ve heard the story five times before, five different ways.
I tend to agree with you about that. Now if we looked inside your heart at this moment, what would we find?
Probably a lot of confusion, with some rebellious issues. I’m adjusting to all of this, and every day I think there is a new color, there’s a new emotion.
How old are you?
22.
Where do you hope to be in 10 years?
I don’t care if I’m the biggest artist in the world, but I do care to be able to live comfortably. I would love to be able to tour, be able to travel, getting to Europe. I just went to Paris for the first time, and it blew me away. Hopefully traveling, playing, writing and [being] slightly influential. I guess making my voice heard and my beliefs and build my craft.
If you could trade places with anyone for a week, who would it be?
I don’t know if I really envy anyone’s situation. Personally I think everyone has so much stuff going on underneath themselves. I would like to live inside Gloria Steinem’s head for a week. That would really do it for me. She is so brilliant, and she hasn’t come to peace with anything; she’s still fighting. I wanna understand what it feels like to be fighting for so long.
I am a big fan of hers also. What’s your best quality?
I think honesty, quite honestly. I think I’m very bad at hiding what I want to say.
That’s a good one
I’m slightly impulsive.
What is your favorite thing about performing?
Watching people sing the song. That’s probably the coolest feeling.
What is your favorite thing about humanity?
My favorite thing about humanity is I feel that the higher up the totem pole people get, the worst they are because of egos, but I love the concept or the idea of people supporting each other. I like that people help each other out. When they have less, they give more to each other, and I think that is a really beautiful part of it all. Everyone does get a second chance, and I think that that is a beautiful thing.
If you had one day on earth to do anything you wanted to do and as much of it as you wanted, what would it be?
Probably some illegal stuff. Aside from that, travel. I’d want to travel as much as I possibly could. I want to live everywhere. I want to learn every language. I want to see all different people of all walks of life.
If you were a superhero, what powers would you desire?
Oh yeah, it might be a tie. I’ve always wanted to be able to hear what people are thinking. That would be the coolest power. I would also really love to be invisible. I like the idea of being able to disappear. I feel it would be so cool just to drift around and live where you wanted to and not hurt anyone. I don’t feel the need to superhero up and fight bad guys.
The soundtrack of your life has just been written. What songs are on it?
Pretty much most Joni stuff. I think I’ve spent so much time in the car listening to her. “Changes” and “House of Love.”
You’re wearing a warning label. What does it say?
Probably like “Volatile” or “Don’t Fuck With the Animals” or “Don’t Poke Me,” “Don’t Antagonize.” If you want to get me started, I can go for hours. “I will rip you a new one.”
You can catch Ryn Weaver on July 25 at Williamsburg Music Hall, Brooklyn, New York, and July 29 at Bowery Ballroom, NYC.
