From Harmony to Utopia
Musician Serena Ryder’s first album in five years is about finding her dream
Canadian songstress Serena Ryder just released her sixth album, Utopia, a fresh and funky followup to her gold-selling, Juno-winning release, Harmony. Punchy new songs like Got Your Number and Electric Love reflect her rekindled passion for rhythm, while a quick recording job meant she never lost sight of the groove. Here’s more from the interview with Ryder, who performs at the Conexus Arts Centre on June 25.
Q It’s been five years since your last record. What’s been happening?
A Well, it was five years but I toured it for three years so really it’s only been two years for me. And then just a lot of writing. I just started doing it for fun because I love it. I wanted to write for other people, try other things. I was not even thinking about a record because I just finished my album cycle. It was super cool, way less pressure. Not like, ‘This song is going to be on the radio, it has to mean something for you and you have to sing it over and over again.’
Q But then you ended up keeping the songs for yourself anyway?
A I fell in love with a lot of the songs I was writing because they were from a personal place. And I started playing the drums and writing songs on the drums. I wrote almost 100 songs.
Q Plus you did some touring. Were you road-testing songs?
A I went to the U.K. and worked with a few people there, and did some writing and touring in Australia. But the songs didn’t change. What’s been happening with me is I’ll write a song and record it in the same day, in, like, a few hours, and that’s what goes on the record.
Q Wow, that’s different.
A It’s so different now from what it used to be like for me, when you’d write a song and then hire a studio band to go in and get a bunch of different takes of it. For me, the energy of right when you’re finished writing is so exciting and to be able to record it, it’s like being in the moment.
Q That must be why the music feels so fresh and immediate.
A I think so. We didn’t go over and over and over with the different versions.
Q The songs also have a lot of rhythm, and you mentioned writing on drums. Is that new for you?
A Yeah, all the rest of my stuff has been based on guitar parts. I’ve dabbled on the drums for a while. The rhythm is what makes me excited to write a song, so a lot of the sessions would start with a beat, and a rhythmic kind of vibe. When I get excited about the beat, that’s when I start playing melodies and guitar parts.
Q What’s the significance of the title, Utopia?
A I like to create my future by coming up with mantras for myself. The last record was Harmony, and that was about finding balance in everything. My new record is about finding my dream. lsaxberg@postmedia.com