‘Dandelions’ hitmaker Ruth B releases collaboration with Dean Lewis
RUTH B — the Canadian-Ethiopian singer/songwriter/ pianist behind massive hits “Dandelions” and “Lost Boy” — released “28,” the product of her collaboration with viral music sensation Dean Lewis.
The song is where this wallflower songwriter — who tends to write about others’ stories — tears away the layers of a personal anguish to reveal herself to her fans.
“It is about letting go of something and finding yourself in the process. I think oftentimes, it’s like a very scary thing to do so I kinda just wanted to write to where I was at in my life. I’m 28 when I wrote the song. I think it’s just about putting yourself first and figuring out what makes you you,” Ruth B said in an exclusive interview with Music Geek.
The song is very personal to her and was inspired by the end of a certain relationship.
“It is one I that I needed at that time. I was going through the end of a certain relationship. At that time, that’s just where I was at and I’m trying to find the good in something that felt very hard because letting go of anything can be tough. So, writing that song was a turning point for me where I went from being devastated about this thing to seeing the good in all of it.”
She was happy to have collaborated with the Australian singer for the single since they hit it off the first time they met.
“I had always been a fan of his music and likewise. Getting into the studio with him was super fun. He is very energetic and bouncy. That was cool to be around him.” As the daughter of immigrants from Ethiopia, Ruth grew up on music from her parents’ native country and later discovered the artists who would become formative influences on her songwriting, such as Stevie Wonder and Lauryn Hill.
“I grew up in Canada but both my parents immigrated from Ethiopia forty years ago so that’s definitely a huge part of my upbringing. I think that I would say subconsciously, it has affected my way of writing a little bit like the melodies that I used. Now that I’m older, when I do go back and listen to Ethiopian music, I can make a connection of some of the melodies I used right now and some of the piano riffs I play. So that’s definitely something I want to explore further down the line.”
After taking up piano at the age of eight and singing her entire life, Ruth began writing songs in her late teens and soon came up with “Lost Boy,” which went viral. By the end of 2015, she’d released her gold-certified debut EP “The Intro,” which led to such triumphs as winning Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the 2017 Juno Awards. Her platinum-certified full-length debut “Safe Haven” arrived in 2017 and earned her three Juno nominations, including Album of the Year and Artist of the Year. She released her sophomore album “Moments In Between,” released in June 2021.
In 2022 Ruth B. would soar to greater heights with the help of an internet resurgence of a previously released Ruth B. song, “Dandelions.” The single has surpassed over one billion total streams.
“It’s crazy! You never get used to numbers like that. Having a billion streams is mind-boggling. I wish I could go back to my 20-year-old self when I was writing that song. I couldn’t even process that if someone told me that it’s been streamed a billion times and I can’t still believe that. It’s amazing and it’s heartwarming. Makes me wanna write some more music and connect with my listeners even more.”
Here’s more of the exclusive interview with the Canadian-Ethiopian singing sensation:
How would you describe your music?
I would describe my music as honest and raw. It is typically pretty bare piano lyrics and all of it comes from my heart. Every time I’m writing, it is very much like a journal entry and I think very relatable to most.
What is your creative and songwriting process?
It’s different for every song. But for the most part, I write about what I’m going through at that point. So, I’m probably be going to feel something for a couple of days and I will just be bubbling with ideas and energy. Typically, I will just go my keyboard and start singing playing, and whatever comes out. It usually starts with a feeling. The feeling is always first: the emotion, the sadness, the happiness, the excitement, the fear. And then, take it to the keyboard.
Who are your musical influences?
I love so many musicians. I love Lana del Rey, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, I would love to collaborate with those people. I respect them all. I just love a good storyteller.
What is your message to your fans in the Philippines?
A huge thank you for the support because I’ve gotten so much from the Philippines. I hope you keep enjoying the music. I hope it makes you feel something. More than anything, I hope I can play a show there soon, sing you a song, meet face to face and give you a hug.