Music Interview | Dreamstate EP by Ruben Young
I’M JUST FOCUSED ON
CREATING MUSIC
THAT FEELS REALLY
DAMN GOOD, AND
THAT INSPIRES ME AS
A MUSIC FAN
BRASH! How did you get your start in
singing/songwriting?
RY: I’ve always been singing. It’s one of those
things that was just in my DNA, I guess. But in Jr
High, my mom started sending me to vocal lessons
and from there it kind of moved from lessons, into
bands, into Canadian Idol, into casual songwriting
and once I graduated university, I really dove into
it full time. Funny story actually - there was a time
when I was in school during the day, and
bartending at night, so after my shifts at like 3am I
would go to my buddy’s empty warehouse, set up
my keyboard and write songs until sunrise.
BRASH! Tell us about the creative process in
writing/recording songs for your EP Dreamstate.
RY: One thing I’m definitely proud of when it
comes to Dreamstate is that almost every song
was created in a different way - in a different
session with different producers and in different
cities. Most of them started on a keyboard and
grew into the records they are now. My favorite
process was probably Vienna. I couldn’t sleep one
night last summer. I got out of bed, went to the
keyboard and without a second of overthinking, I
wrote Vienna in less than 10 minutes. The
production was done by The Lost Boys in
Montreal, and with Spencer Cheyne in Calgary -
who really took the time with me on this record to
experiment and create a mood and a vibe that I
envisioned. I wouldn’t be where I am in my career
without Spencer’s guidance and patience. He
exceutive produced the entire EP.
BRASH! What inspired you to leave your home
and pursue your dreams in music?
RY: I guess it was just time. I had spent most of last
year doing writing trips in and out of Toronto, and
this year once Dreamstate was done, I felt that it
was time to head to a place where I could continue
to build on the momentum I had gained over the
past year. It was tough to leave home, but the
doors I need to open don’t exist in Calgary yet, so
for now, Toronto is home, and I love it.
BRASH! How important is it to you to create
music that crosses over various genres?
RY: I guess creating crossover music has never
been something pre-meditated for me. I’m just
focused on creating music that feels really damn
good, and that inspires me as a music fan - you
know? As such a big fan of pop, R&B, electronic
music, hip hop - a lot of it, I guess the byproduct of
all that just comes through my own music - in its
own way.
ONE THING I’M DEFINITELY
PROUD OF WHEN IT COMES TO
DREAMSTATE IS THAT ALMOST
EVERY SONG WAS CREATED IN
A DIFFERENT WAY
B! 7