RyanDan
Encyclopedia
RyanDan is a Canadian musical, songwriting and producing duo, consisting of identical twin
s Ryan and Dan Kowarsky, whose music is a mix of pop
, opera
, and classical
.
They were originally part of the boy band b4-4
(renamed Before Four for European later releases) that also included Ohad Einbinder. They later on worked as a vocal duo as RyanDan. They have also produced for a number of mainly Canadian artists including Blake McGrath
, Shawn Desman
, Danny Fernandes
, Tyler Medeiros
, Mia Martina
and Massari
and others.
neighbourhood north of Toronto. Their father, Paul, a South African who attended King David Linksfield (a Jewish day school in Johannesburg, South Africa), is a talented operatic singer who frequently sang as a cantor in synagogues both in South Africa and after immigrating to Canada. Their mother Adele Gould was also instrumental in encouraging them. She was diagnosed later with Parkinson's disease
in 2004. In high school, Ryan and Dan shared the lead role in their school's production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
.
" in the reception area. They were signed to a record contract soon after forming a boy band called b4-4
along with their friend Ohad Einbinder. They received a Juno Award
nomination in 2001
for Best New Group, but lost to Nickelback
. They also enjoyed some success in Germany as Before Four.
to pursue their career. They recorded their album RyanDan
with producer Steve Anderson, who has worked with Kylie Minogue
and Paul McCartney
. The duo is currently managed by Dani Matte at The Management Trust and Sander Shalinsky.
Their debut self-titled album received critical acclaim including "The Face", which was co-penned by Stephan Moccio and for "Tears of an Angel" written by the duo in commemoration of the memory of a There Niece' who had died.
They cite opera singer Mario Lanza
as a strong influence on their music. Their song "Tears of an Angel" was inspired by the loss of their four-year-old niece, Tal, who died from a brain tumour during the recording of their album.
’s “Time To Move”, including "Relax" and "Burn the Floor"
, Mia Martina
’s “Latin Moon” and "Stereo Love"
, “Automatic
” by Danny Fernandes
, and a number of tracks for Tyler Medeiros
.
Twin
A twin is one of two offspring produced in the same pregnancy. Twins can either be monozygotic , meaning that they develop from one zygote that splits and forms two embryos, or dizygotic because they develop from two separate eggs that are fertilized by two separate sperm.In contrast, a fetus...
s Ryan and Dan Kowarsky, whose music is a mix of pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
, opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
, and classical
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
.
They were originally part of the boy band b4-4
B4-4
b4-4 later on Before Four was a Canadian boy band from Toronto, Ontario. The band was composed of the twins Ryan and Dan Kowarsky, and Ohad Einbinder. They were signed to Sony Records and achieved commercial success in Canada and later on as Before Four in Germany...
(renamed Before Four for European later releases) that also included Ohad Einbinder. They later on worked as a vocal duo as RyanDan. They have also produced for a number of mainly Canadian artists including Blake McGrath
Blake McGrath
Blake McGrath is a Canadian professional dancer, pop singer and choreographer, best known for being on the first season of So You Think You Can Dance in 2005, and MTV reality dance show, DanceLife.-Early career:...
, Shawn Desman
Shawn Desman
Shawn Bosco Fernandes better known by his stage name Shawn Desman, is a Canadian pop/R&B singer of Portuguese descent. He is signed to Universal Music Canada.-Career:...
, Danny Fernandes
Danny Fernandes
Daniel Bosco Fernandes is a Canadian singer and songwriter of Portuguese descent. He is signed to CP Records.-Career:...
, Tyler Medeiros
Tyler Medeiros
Tyler Medeiros is a Canadian singer, songwriter and dancer of Portuguese and Italian descent. He was signed to CP Records in 2010....
, Mia Martina
Mia Martina
Mia Martina is a Canadian artist from Saint-Ignace, New Brunswick and is signed to CP Records. She has been working in the studio with Belly and RyanDan on her upcoming debut album titled Devotion, due for release on August 30, 2011. Her first single release was a cover version of Edward Maya and...
and Massari
Massari
Sari Abboud better known by his stage name Massari is a Lebanese Canadian R&B, pop, and hip hop singer who grew up in Canada. Massari means "money" in Arabic....
and others.
Beginnings
Identical twins Ryan and Dan Kowarsky were born December 5, 1979. The youngest of five children in a Jewish family, they grew up in the ThornhillThornhill, Ontario
Thornhill is a community in the Greater Toronto Area of Southern Ontario, Canada, located on the northern border of the city of Toronto. Once a municipal village, Thornhill is now a community and postal designation geographically split into two municipalities along Yonge Street, the city of...
neighbourhood north of Toronto. Their father, Paul, a South African who attended King David Linksfield (a Jewish day school in Johannesburg, South Africa), is a talented operatic singer who frequently sang as a cantor in synagogues both in South Africa and after immigrating to Canada. Their mother Adele Gould was also instrumental in encouraging them. She was diagnosed later with Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
in 2004. In high school, Ryan and Dan shared the lead role in their school's production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical with lyrics by Tim Rice. The story is based on the "coat of many colors" story of Joseph from the Hebrew Bible's Book of Genesis. This was the first Lloyd Webber and Rice musical to be performed publicly...
.
In band b4-4 / Before Four
At age 16, they presented themselves at the offices of Sony Music Canada, and attracted the attention of record company executives when they sang "Show Me the Way to Go HomeShow Me the Way to Go Home
"Show Me the Way to Go Home" is a folk song. It was made famous by its 1925 adaptation by the pseudonymous "Irving King" . The song was written on a railroad train journey from London by Campbell and Connelly. They were tired from the travelling and had a few alcoholic drinks during the journey,...
" in the reception area. They were signed to a record contract soon after forming a boy band called b4-4
B4-4
b4-4 later on Before Four was a Canadian boy band from Toronto, Ontario. The band was composed of the twins Ryan and Dan Kowarsky, and Ohad Einbinder. They were signed to Sony Records and achieved commercial success in Canada and later on as Before Four in Germany...
along with their friend Ohad Einbinder. They received a Juno Award
Juno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
nomination in 2001
Juno Awards of 2001
The Juno Awards of 2001 were held in Hamilton, Ontario Canada during the weekend of 3-4 March 2001.The primary ceremonies were hosted by Rick Mercer at Copps Coliseum on 4 March 2001 and broadcast on CBC Television...
for Best New Group, but lost to Nickelback
Nickelback
Nickelback is a Canadian rock band from Hanna, Alberta. Since 1995 the band has included guitarist and lead vocalist Chad Kroeger, guitarist and back-up vocalist Ryan Peake and bassist Mike Kroeger.. The band's current drummer and percussionist is Daniel Adair who has been with the band since 2005....
. They also enjoyed some success in Germany as Before Four.
As RyanDan
They eventually wanted to cultivate a more adult sound and fan base, and in 2006, they moved to LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to pursue their career. They recorded their album RyanDan
RyanDan (album)
RyanDan is the debut album by Canadian duo RyanDan, released 27 September 2007 in the United Kingdom by Universal Music. It was produced by Steve Anderson....
with producer Steve Anderson, who has worked with Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
and Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
. The duo is currently managed by Dani Matte at The Management Trust and Sander Shalinsky.
Their debut self-titled album received critical acclaim including "The Face", which was co-penned by Stephan Moccio and for "Tears of an Angel" written by the duo in commemoration of the memory of a There Niece' who had died.
They cite opera singer Mario Lanza
Mario Lanza
right|thumb|[[MGM]] still, circa 1949Mario Lanza was an American tenor and Hollywood movie star of the late 1940s and the 1950s. The son of Italian emigrants, he began studying to be a professional singer at the age of 16....
as a strong influence on their music. Their song "Tears of an Angel" was inspired by the loss of their four-year-old niece, Tal, who died from a brain tumour during the recording of their album.
Music production
Ryan and Dan Kowarsky have also devoted their talents to production. Their experience includes songwriting efforts for several tracks on Blake McGrathBlake McGrath
Blake McGrath is a Canadian professional dancer, pop singer and choreographer, best known for being on the first season of So You Think You Can Dance in 2005, and MTV reality dance show, DanceLife.-Early career:...
’s “Time To Move”, including "Relax" and "Burn the Floor"
, Mia Martina
Mia Martina
Mia Martina is a Canadian artist from Saint-Ignace, New Brunswick and is signed to CP Records. She has been working in the studio with Belly and RyanDan on her upcoming debut album titled Devotion, due for release on August 30, 2011. Her first single release was a cover version of Edward Maya and...
’s “Latin Moon” and "Stereo Love"
, “Automatic
Automatic (Danny Fernandes song)
"Automatic" is a 2010 single by Canadian Danny Fernandes featuring fellow Canadian Belly from Danny Fernandes's second studio album AutomaticLUV....
” by Danny Fernandes
Danny Fernandes
Daniel Bosco Fernandes is a Canadian singer and songwriter of Portuguese descent. He is signed to CP Records.-Career:...
, and a number of tracks for Tyler Medeiros
Tyler Medeiros
Tyler Medeiros is a Canadian singer, songwriter and dancer of Portuguese and Italian descent. He was signed to CP Records in 2010....
.
Albums
| Year | Album details | Peak | Certifications Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... (sales threshold) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS... |
UK UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
HK Hong Kong Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour... |
US | |||
| 2007 | RyanDan RyanDan (album) RyanDan is the debut album by Canadian duo RyanDan, released 27 September 2007 in the United Kingdom by Universal Music. It was produced by Steve Anderson....
|
8 | 7 | 4 | 18 |
Canadian Recording Industry Association Music Canada is a Toronto-based, non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, artists, manufacture, production, promotion and distribution of music in Canada... : Gold |
| 2012 | Silence Speaks Silence Speaks Silence Speaks is the second studio album of RyanDan released in 2010 after the great success of the self-titled debut album released in 2007. It was released on Universal Records... |
— | — | — | — | |
Guest albums
- 2008: "A Celebration in Song: Olivia Newton-John & FriendsA Celebration in SongA Celebration in Song is the twenty-fourth studio album by Australian pop singer Olivia Newton-John, released in 3 June 2008 by Warner Bros. in Australia. The worldwide release of album was by EMI, in 2 September 2008...
" (guest vocals on "The Water is Wide" and "Find A Little Faith")
Singles
- 2007: "Like the Sun" – Worldwide
- 2007: "The Face" – Canada only
- 2007: "High / O Holy Night" – UK only
- 2009: "Is Love Enough (To Save The World)" – Canada only
- 2009: "Open ArmsOpen Arms (Journey song)"Open Arms" is a popular song originally recorded by American rock band Journey, and released as a single from their 1981 album, Escape. Co-written by band members Steve Perry and Jonathan Cain, the song is a power ballad whose lyrics are an empowering plea to a lover to forgive past wrongdoings...
" (Remake of the JourneyJourney (band)Journey is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco by former members of Santana. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between the 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded...
song by the same title)
Songwriting and Production Credits
- 2010: "Relax" - Blake McGrathBlake McGrathBlake McGrath is a Canadian professional dancer, pop singer and choreographer, best known for being on the first season of So You Think You Can Dance in 2005, and MTV reality dance show, DanceLife.-Early career:...
- 2010: "Feel It" - Danny FernandesDanny FernandesDaniel Bosco Fernandes is a Canadian singer and songwriter of Portuguese descent. He is signed to CP Records.-Career:...
ft. Shawn DesmanShawn DesmanShawn Bosco Fernandes better known by his stage name Shawn Desman, is a Canadian pop/R&B singer of Portuguese descent. He is signed to Universal Music Canada.-Career:... - 2010: "Girlfriend" - Tyler MedeirosTyler MedeirosTyler Medeiros is a Canadian singer, songwriter and dancer of Portuguese and Italian descent. He was signed to CP Records in 2010....
ft. Danny FernandesDanny FernandesDaniel Bosco Fernandes is a Canadian singer and songwriter of Portuguese descent. He is signed to CP Records.-Career:... - 2010: "Automatic" - Danny FernandesDanny FernandesDaniel Bosco Fernandes is a Canadian singer and songwriter of Portuguese descent. He is signed to CP Records.-Career:...
ft. BellyBelly (rapper)Ahmed Balshe , better known by his stage name Belly, is a Palestinian-Canadian Juno Award-winning rapper.... - 2010: "Burn the Floor" - Blake McGrathBlake McGrathBlake McGrath is a Canadian professional dancer, pop singer and choreographer, best known for being on the first season of So You Think You Can Dance in 2005, and MTV reality dance show, DanceLife.-Early career:...
- 2011: "Latin Moon" - Mia MartinaMia MartinaMia Martina is a Canadian artist from Saint-Ignace, New Brunswick and is signed to CP Records. She has been working in the studio with Belly and RyanDan on her upcoming debut album titled Devotion, due for release on August 30, 2011. Her first single release was a cover version of Edward Maya and...
- 2011: "Please Don't Go (Say I Love You)" - Tyler MedeirosTyler MedeirosTyler Medeiros is a Canadian singer, songwriter and dancer of Portuguese and Italian descent. He was signed to CP Records in 2010....
- 2011: "Stereo Love" - Mia MartinaMia MartinaMia Martina is a Canadian artist from Saint-Ignace, New Brunswick and is signed to CP Records. She has been working in the studio with Belly and RyanDan on her upcoming debut album titled Devotion, due for release on August 30, 2011. Her first single release was a cover version of Edward Maya and...
External links
- RyanDan.com Official Site
- RyanDanDiary.com Official Network for Fans of RyanDan
- RyanDan page on The Management Trust website
- RyanDan Europe @ Facebook RyanDan Fansite
- RyanDan Europe @ Twitter RyanDan Fansite