Ryan Sandford Is Wide Awake
The thing about Ryan Sandford is that he’s one of those people who’s capable of seeing beauty in just about anything.
For the past year, Ryan Sandford has written a lot of songs sitting on the porch of a big old house he’s renting in D.C. He says the mansion, built in the early 1800’s, is falling apart, but to him, it’s just as beautiful that way.
Having spent months at sea in a 30-foot sailboat traveling from Maine to the Bahamas, and 3 years in Rwanda serving in the Peace Corps., Ryan has developed a unique perception of the world, and of what makes something beautiful.
Ryan’s latest musical project was recently released as the single “Sleepless” produced by Dillon Turner. Over the last year Ryan has moved to define himself as a solo artist, and the new single brings a sense of confidence and of unique artistry.
Click here to listen on Spotify———————————>
Click to listen
The song’s dark musical tones are cut with Ryan’s sincere way of delivering the cadence of the lyrics as if waltzing, pondering the feelings being professed with each breath.
When he was creating the song, Ryan says he “was focusing on just a plethora of cellos and some dreary lyrics about insomnia and quarter life crises.”
When Ryan decided to bring in the talent of producer Dillon Turner, it was to Ryan’s delight that Dillon asked for more cellos.
“Working with Ryan was easy because a lot of what we did was just experiment with sound. There was no goal in mind except to make it sound cool. So that gave us a lot of freedom, and I think that ultimately brought out the best in both of us.” - Dillon Turner
Ryan also pursues a passion for photographing people and places. Right now, he’s working on a project called “Memories.”
“Essentially, it's my sneaky way of photographing friends and family I love so I can later look back at this moment of our lives,” says Ryan.
The first part of the project (ryansandford.org/memories) is simple: Ryan asks someone to think of a memory and then takes their picture.
The second phase will ask subjects to write out the memories they were meditating on.
Ryan typically shoots in black and white with a FujiX100.
Q’s:
Is there an overall message, feeling or theme that your art is meant to evoke?:
Music: I think a big theme for me is identifying all emotions and life circumstances as important to acknowledge. I want my music and my photography to help the viewer/listener feel something that helps them release an emotion they had kept bottled up. With music, that often looks like writing about depression, grief, or relationships. I want those songs to bring a deep feeling inside someone that helps them be guided to a place of feeling and acknowledgement of a moment of in time, whether for the loss of losing that place or relationship, or just the apathetic realization of life's continued struggles.
Photography: I like taking portraits and making people feel like a historical figure. We see so many photos over the course of history that we look back on with reverence and curiosity. What if we realized we are also in a historical moment and are living in a photo that will be studied 200 years from now? I wonder if that changes how we conduct ourselves when we think outside of ourselves to that extent.
Who or what have you been inspired by recently?:
Jon Batiste has truly motivated and inspired me recently. In a moment of serendipity, I watched his tiny desk concert on NPR right when I needed some inspiration. I shed some tears watching the way he performs, let's the music flow through him, and engages in art aggressively with incredible freedom. I want that freedom. And I want to play more jazz standards!
What are you working towards now?
I've been playing guitar and cello for a few artists, and my goal is to be a part of some tiny desk concert submissions this year! I also am aiming to release three songs this year.
I’m also aiming to create high-quality content of people performing on my porch over the summer!
Why do you do what you do?
Because it makes everything make more sense! When I perform or write, I feel the same thing I feel at the ocean, even when I'm not at the ocean. It's this freedom, and existential peace that helps me feel gratitude and real wild joy.
Where can we find you online?
You can find my work at ryansandford.org or follow me on Instagram at @rsandy and @ryansandfordphotography. Stream the single Pixie Dust on Spotify!
