After releasing a string of emotionally full-bodied and soulful pop gems, 15-year-old London-born, Australian-raised Ruel returns today with the release of his highly anticipated debut EP, "Ready," out now via RCA Records.
The 6-track EP, which was executive produced by Ruel's good friend, mentor and collaborator M-Phazes (Eminem, Logic, Kimbra, Zara Larsson, KYLE) includes previously released standouts, "Younger," "Don't Tell Me," and "Dazed & Confused," which had PAPER Magazine praising it for its "million-dollar chorus" and "slow-burning beat sure to lodge itself in your prefrontal cortex," and TIME Magazine drawing comparisons "in the vein of Purpose-era Justin Bieber's most mature and earworm-ready hits," adding "Dazed and Confused" stands apart by drawing on blues and R&B for added depth."
The EP, also features two previously un-released songs, an infectious falsetto-laden alt R&B influenced track called "Not Thinkin' Bout You" and "Say,"a nostalgic, heartfelt power-ballad that exquisitely showcases the young artist's impressive vocal range and control.
Last week, Ruel released "Younger," which saw its premiere as Zane Lowe's WORLD RECORD on Beats 1, and has since received support from KCRW's Jason Kramer on his esteemed nightly show. Comprised of an all-star cast of Ruel's friends, including Grammy Award-winning producers M-Phazes and S1 (Beyonce,
Kanye West & Jay-Z), background vocals by Sarah Aarons (Zedd & Alessia Cara, Dua Lipa) and Jason McGee & The Choir. It is unique collaborations and songs like "Younger" that further solidify the young multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Ruel as one of the most exciting emerging artists in 2018.
Compared to the likes of
Frank Ocean and
James Blake by NYLON Magazine, Ruel was introduced to soul, blues, and jazz by his music-loving father, and counts Stevie Wonder,
Dave Brubeck and Amy Winehouse as major musical influences growing up.
Having caught the attention of Grammy nominated Khalid, who invited him on the road as direct support on his Australian/New Zealand tour in late 2017, to the legendary Elton John, who proclaimed on his Beats1 radio show that he had the "most amazing voice that I've ever heard from a male singer at 14 years of age." Ruel is connecting with audiences on a global scale, and since inking his deal with RCA Records he's ready to bring his signature soulful sounds to American shores.
After picking up and learning to play the guitar at 8 years old, Ruel started to write songs of his own, drawing inspiration from the aforementioned groundbreaking acts. Drawing from his own experiences as a teenage boy, Ruel explains "all my songs are about personal experiences. Songwriting helps me get through things, feelings that I don't understand myself. When I write about something, it helps me figure it out in the process. But I want people of all ages, whether they're 15 or 50, to be able to relate to my songs."
According to Ruel, "Don't Tell Me" was inspired by an evening spent sitting at the dinner table telling his parents and siblings about a girl he had a crush on. "My whole family was like, 'Ruel, you don't know what you're talking about, you're way too young to think about that sort of stuff,'" he recalls. "And that really frustrated me. I thought 'they can't tell me how to feel', so I wrote a song about it. I never thought it would lead to all of this." Watch the video for "Don't Tell Me"
HERE.
Earlier this Spring, Ruel unveiled the official Grey Ghost-directed music video for "Dazed & Confused," which was shot on location in Melbourne, Australia. Talking about the song, Ruel explains "the song started with some simple, light-hearted piano chords and has since become the toughest track on the EP. I wrote over 30 songs for this EP, it has been really hard deciding which ones should make the cut, but the decision has been made and I'm really excited for everyone to hear what I've been working on." Watch the video
HERE.
Ruel's "Ready" EP is out now via RCA Records.
Track Listing
1. Intro
2. Younger
3. Dazed & Confused
4. Not Thinkin' Bout You
5. Say
6. Don't Tell Me
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