Ryan Koriya is a British-Zimbabwean singer-songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist. The rich, velvet, multi-layered tones in his voice bring a rare versatility, which allow him to cross a wide range of musical genres, while delivering his songs straight from the heart. His recorded music consists of acoustic guitars, cello, bass and drums, with vocal harmonies and strings being utilised, to build an intense spectrum of emotive sound. His diverse musical influences come from artists such as Coldplay, Bon Iver, Ben Howard, Daughter, John Mayer, David Gray, Seal, Dave Matthews, Angus & Julia Stone, Radiohead, Damien Rice, Ray LaMontagne, Sting, Scott Matthews, Snow Patrol, Death Cab For Cutie, Muse, Cranberries and Kings of Leon. Ryan’s entire life has centred on the love and connection he has with music. At school, he sang in the choir from the age of 9, and played cello and violin. For this he was awarded “Music Colours” at the age of 14 – two years younger than the minimum age and the only time this has been achieved in the school’s 117-year history. As a result he was given a scholarship at the Zimbabwe College of Music, where he built upon his musical knowledge. Ryan also went on to pick up the guitar and teach himself to play, by learning covers and using guitar books. After teaching music for four years and working on an exit strategy, he made the move to London. During this time, apart from playing in venues, Ryan could be regularly found busking on London streets and on the Underground. He would create street concerts and performances, entertaining happy crowds of people who were captivated by his talent. During this time he also received a special mention in the press, for his bass playing and backing vocals at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Returning to the warmer climate of Zimbabwe in 2010, he completed his first EP entitled “London’s Burning” – seven tracks inspired by his time in the UK, trying to make ends meet.​ While back in his home country he received a special invitation from the US Ambassador to Zimbabwe and played a very successful headline showcase gig in 2010, at the Ambassador’s amphitheatre. The show was also presented as part of the global Daniel Pearl Music Days campaign – an International network of concerts, that uses the power of music to re-affirm tolerance and humanity London remained in his heart, and he returned to the City in 2012, where he was to start recording his next track and first single entitled “Ghostrider”. Having written the track in Zimbabwe in 2011, it was recorded and mixed, while on the go in London, Amsterdam, Antwerp, LA, Harare, Victoria Falls and Copenhagen, which adds further depth to the lyrics and overall feel of the track. He also assembled his first band and January 2013 saw their debut performance together in London. Ryan went on to perform at festivals around the country and Europe that Year. 2013 and 2014 saw Ryan travelling the Globe, visiting four continents including Australia, The USA, Europe and Africa, performing in nine countries and over thirty-seven cities. He completed multiple tours in The UK, Denmark, Zimbabwe, The US, Germany, and The Netherlands especially. His resilience, musical aptitude, confidence and popularity continued to grow and his signature pop track “Ghostrider” was independently released as a debut twin single in 2014, including the more acoustic “Deep Space Edit”. 2015 continues to see Ryan go from strength to strength, with another one of his heart-felt tracks “When Hope Is Lost” being the subject of a remix competition. He also has a number of projects in the pipeline with World-class dance music producers, which will project him even further in to the public eye. He has inspired people across the Globe, with his energy, drive and positivity. As a self-motivated artist, who has single-handedly built everything you see and hear, despite having no fixed abode or steady income. Ryan is now taking things to the next level with a new management and PR team behind him, who have been as inspired by his story, music and sheer talent, as the thousands of people who have already discovered him. “I am a singer-songwriter. I travel the World with my guitar and sing to people. I busk, I write, I couch surf, I live, I love, I laugh and I love my job, which feels more like a lifestyle than it does work. Creating an uplifting experience for strangers is a magical thing. I look forward to keep on meeting other magical beings out there and to make friends with industry people who can help keep this beanstalk growing skywards” Ryan Koriya Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.