Beyond the Music : In-Depth with Carter Ryan
Introducing Carter Ryan, the young musical prodigy who is ready to take the world by surprise. With the release of his single “Wishes,” he put himself on everyone's map. Now he's delivering a brand-new song, one that will further solidify his status as a rising star.
“Talk to You” explores the idea that the most difficult part about losing someone close to you is not being able to hear their voice. He delves into the emotional impact of losing a loved one and the pain that comes with not being able to communicate with them. With his music, Carter seeks to inspire his generation through his uplifting and powerful songwriting, which is deeply rooted in personal connection and relatability. He strives to connect with his audience on a deeper level, sharing his own experiences and emotions through his lyrics. However, Carter’s impact extends beyond his musical pursuits. Alongside his brother, he is the co-founder of The Persevere Project, a mental health nonprofit dedicated to supporting teens everywhere in the world with the ever-present and growing issue of depression.
In this revealing interview, Carter is sharing with us all the details about his life, from musical inspirations to the goals of his charity! Let’s see what he has to say, shall we?
Congratulations on your latest release “Talk to You”! This song tackles the challenging subject of losing someone you love. Can you tell us more about the inspiration behind this powerful track? What personal experiences or emotions motivated you to create this impactful piece of music?
‘Talk to You’ is a song that I wrote about losing someone in my family and all of the emotions and experiences that I have felt since his death. It left me with so many unanswered questions. Ever since I can remember I have been creating music to express my emotions and this song was born out of a deep desire to connect to others who are also experiencing all of the pain associated with the loss of someone they loved.
What message are you hoping to convey through “Talk to You”?
‘Talk to You’ is a song that has a message of longing for one last moment to talk to the person and how that feeling never really passes. I think that everyone who has experienced the loss of someone close to them wishes they could talk to that person and imagine or in my case had a dream about what that person would say if they could talk to them again. Closure is something everyone wants but can’t have because grief never ends.
What was your approach to creating “Talk to You” and how did it differ from your other songs?
I started with a chord progression which led to the chorus and then I dove into the emotions to create the words.
Can you share with us your background and experiences that led you to pursue a music career? How did your passion for music spark and develop over the years?
I have always had a melody and drum beat in my head. When I was in second grade I would play drum beats on my desk and beatbox constantly until my mom bought me my first drum set. My mom always gave me the freedom to create music in our house even when I was first learning. I learned the guitar and the drums simultaneously and am self-taught on the piano. I started songwriting in my room at 12 years old. For me, it is a way to make sense of the world and all of the challenges I have faced. When I was 14 I started putting my music onto social media and now have amazing fans who I appreciate so much. My passion for a career in music was brought to fruition when I realized how connected people have become to my music and their expressed desire for me to keep making more music to help them heal and feel connected
Who/what are your inspirations?
My family knew John Denver before I was born and I grew up listening to his songs on family road trips. I have always been inspired by his lyrics. As I got older I admired Shawn Mendes and Justin Bieber and their ability to perform on stage and engage audiences. I am also inspired by Ed Sheeran and Jeremy Zucker, for me the lyrics are what really draw me into a song and all of these musicians have perfected that in my opinion.
Are there any upcoming projects or ventures you have in the works?
‘Talk to You’ is coming out in March and I have another song that will come out in April. From there I hope to do some live shows this summer as my fans have been requesting that over and over. I will probably do a show in Phoenix and LA to start and then see if eventually I can do some shows in Europe. I really connect with my fans and I know that they hear me and understand me and I want to keep making music for them so that they know they are not alone in this world and their experiences.
Besides music I see you’re also trying to leave a positive mark in the world alongside your brother with the Persevere Project. Can you tell us more about the project and its mission?
During quarantine 2020 my brother Ashton and I noticed that there were a lot of our friends reaching out to us when depression from isolation was affecting them. We knew that this feeling of isolation could leave our peers vulnerable to substance abuse and although we were able to help our own peers through this rough time we knew there were so many other teens who needed that connection and encouragement.
I started creating acapella music on TikTok with just my voice and a guitar. I started receiving messages on TikTok that were concerning to me. Many of my followers were asking me ‘Make sure to post a new video with a song because I am depressed and I need you.’ Others felt my music had a calming effect. Others were saying they only woke up each day to hear his song. My brother and I decided we needed to do something. This is when The Persevere Project was born.
The Persevere Project is an online platform (persevereproject.com) created as a way to reach thousands of teens nationally who have nowhere to turn. We founded persevereproject.org, as a protective platform for teens and young adults struggling with depression and substance abuse to converse anonymously. Promoted through social media, it creates positive social awareness as a first line of communication for any struggling teen regardless of where they live and encourages healthy coping mechanisms to life’s daily stressors.
We obviously know we aren’t mental health professionals but we wanted to provide support to all these teenagers who were suffering and were reaching out at school and through social media. We are now receiving many emails and are responding to about 10 emails a day. Our responses always begin with, This is not professional advice, but I am here to be a friend to you. We also have resources to refer to if we feel a situation is too severe. Many Psychiatrists have reached out offering their services for free as a support to us but we really want to keep it a teen-to-teen platform. It is a place where anyone can go and email us directly and we will respond.
We have a donation button on our platform for anyone who would like to contribute to the work we are doing to help spread understanding, connectedness, and a feeling of belonging to so many teens. We are the first line of communication for anyone who is struggling.