Growing up in Toronto, Canada, the youngest of five children, Ryan and Dan Kowarsky’s love of opera was spawned by the music of their childhood – the songs of the legendary Mario Lanza and the great Luciano Pavarotti. As teenagers they came to admire the pop harmonies of the Bee Gees, the melodies of Stevie Wonder and the smooth R&B vocals of Boyz II Men.
Guided by their opera singing father, Ryan and Dan spent many evenings of their youth watching his performances from the side of the stage.
“We never took vocal coaching or formal lessons,” says Dan. Yet their voices, which effortlessly slide from baritone to soprano, full voice to falsetto, have a stunning clarity and purity.
They have been performing on stage, in plays and musicals since they were about four years old. In high school they shared the lead role in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, though no one else could be sure who was Joseph on any given night.
It was natural, then, that they should want to become performers, and at the age of 18, they (together with a friend) walked into the offices of Sony Music in Toronto. Through a combination of chutzpa, charm and luck, they secured an audition with the vice president and walked out with a record deal. The three subsequently performed as the boyband "Before Four" aka "b-4-4", which went on to release two full length albums that had considerable success, in fact going multi-platinum in Canada and Germany. Nevertheless, they gradually became dissatisfied with pop fare.
“We reached a point at which the two of us felt that something was missing,” explains Ryan. “Dan and I have always tried to inject a lot of emotion into our singing and we wanted audiences to focus on vocal interpretation rather than on our hair. We decided that it was time to change direction and go back to our roots … to the kind of music we listened to as children.”
The emotion with which they sing is undeniable - and that emotion was evident during the recording process of their album. They composed “Tears of an Angel” in honour of their young niece Tal. “She was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour and was undergoing chemotherapy at the time. We haven't played the song for her yet.” This was not their first encounter with life’s misfortunes. Their mother was recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease.
Despite the uncertainties in life, Ryan and Dan find much to celebrate. The energetic and uplifting song “High” (penned by seventies folk artist Judie Tzuke, also composer of another album track, “Like The Sun”) reflects their optimism and how they view life’s challenges.
The recording of the album was preceded by a process of elimination. To help them choose which songs they wanted on the album, they recorded over 50 songs before deciding on the final 12.
The album was produced by Steve Anderson (Kylie Minogue’s long-term musical collaborator), mixed by Ren Swan (Il Divo / KT Tunstall) and recorded in a private London recording studio owned by Grammy winning songwriter Terry Britten (Tina Turner's “What's Love Got To Do With It”). With a vintage Neve sound console once used by Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones and The Beatles, and a microphone used by Frank Sinatra, the album combines Pro Tools technology and vintage recording equipment to beautifully create the rich orchestra accompaniment required for RyanDan's unique voices.
The fact that they are identical mirror-image twins - Dan being left handed and Ryan being right-handed - adds an extra dimension to their sound. When they harmonise they have the power of a duet yet they sound as one. “Even our parents don’t know who is singing which part,” Dan adds.
They have always shared a telepathic link. “If one of us was hurt, the other would feel pain at the same time, even if we were not together” explains Ryan. “This still happens sometimes.” Similarly their thoughts are often in harmony. One of them might start talking – only to have the other complete the sentence.
And inevitably, as children, they would playfully swap identities. “Being identical twins enabled us to play all kinds of games with our teachers and our friends” says Ryan. “We were troublemakers during our teenage years, and probably drove everyone crazy. In some ways we are very similar” he adds, “particularly with regard to staying positive. Also, we’re both very open and introspective - we get that from our mother. In other ways, we’re different. Dan tends to be more intense than I am. I’m a little more laid back.”
“It's extremely important to us that our music reflects the depth and strength of our emotions. We pour our hearts and our souls into our singing, and we want people to feel that passion.”
“We think of the album like a meal. Starting with an appetizer, you get into your main course and finish with dessert, and hopefully after you've devoured the whole record you'll feel satisfied like you do after a great meal,” they say, complementing each other in speech as in song.
Somewhere deep in their souls, their past and present fused together and is reflected in their astonishing debut album – one that is powerful and pure and is destined to turn these brothers into international stars.
High
RyanDan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nothing to do but be here today
Giving myself it's the best I can do if I'm needed
Use my strength in anyway
[Chorus]
If we all work together
We would be stronger
We could see further
If we all stand tall enough no one can beat us
If we all hold our hands up high we can carry the world
And all I ask is that we be honest
Do what we can if we're gonna stay
I want to make you a promise
Love and understanding
Is the game I want to play
[Chorus]
With my hands with my feet
When I dream when I sleep
From the start here inside I believe
If we all work together
We would be stronger
If we all hold our hands up high we can carry the world
[Chorus]
The lyrics of RyanDan's song "High" convey a message of unity, cooperation, and positivity. The first stanza talks about the singer's willingness to offer and use their strength to help others, even if they are not sure of what to do. The chorus emphasizes the idea that if everyone works together, they will become stronger and achieve great things if they open their eyes, stand tall, and hold hands high.
The second stanza asks for honesty and a promise of love and understanding. The lyrics imply that the singer wants to play a game to improve the world, where everyone wins. The last stanza reaffirms the singer's belief in the power of their hands and feet, adding that the dream and belief within them can make all things possible.
"High" is a touching song that reminds listeners that, despite our differences, we can work together to achieve great things, make the world a better place and overcome challenges if we give each other a hand. It's a call for unity that encourages people to use their talents and work collectively towards a common goal.
Line by Line Meaning
Well here I am with so much to offer
I have a lot to give, but there's not much for me to do today.
Nothing to do but be here today
There are no specific plans for me today, besides being present.
Giving myself it's the best I can do if I'm needed
I am prepared to offer myself to help if needed, doing my best.
Use my strength in anyway
If I am called upon to help, I will use my strength to do so in any way possible.
If we all work together
If everyone collaborates and cooperates, we can accomplish more.
We would be stronger
Together we are more powerful than if we work alone.
If we all open our eyes
If everyone becomes more aware and observant, we can see more opportunities and recognize more solutions.
We could see further
By being more aware and attentive, we can have a clearer and more expansive view of the world.
If we all stand tall enough no one can beat us
If we have confidence and stand firm in our beliefs, no one can defeat us.
If we all hold our hands up high we can carry the world
If we offer each other support and encouragement, we can achieve great things as a group.
And all I ask is that we be honest
The only thing I request from people is to be truthful and sincere.
Do what we can if we're gonna stay
If we want to remain together and work towards a common goal, we must all contribute in any way we can.
I want to make you a promise
I am making a commitment to you.
Love and understanding
The values I want to base this commitment on are love and empathy for others.
Is the game I want to play
These are the principles and guidelines I want to follow in my interactions with others.
With my hands with my feet
I am committed to taking action and making a tangible contribution.
When I dream when I sleep
Even in my subconscious thoughts and resting state, I am dedicated to working towards our shared goals.
From the start here inside I believe
My belief in these values and goals has always been present and unwavering.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: DAVID PAUL GOODES, JUDIE TZUKE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kickoffass2125
Well here I am with so much to offer
Nothing to do but be here today
Giving myself it's the best I can do if I'm needed
Use my strength in anyway
If we all work together
We would be stronger
If we all open our eyes
We could see further
If we all stand tall enough no one can beat us
If we all hold our hands up high we can carry the world
And all I ask is that we be honest
Do what we can if we're gonna stay
I want to make you a promise
Love and understanding
Is the game I want to play
If we all work together
We would be stronger
If we all open our eyes
We could see further
If we all stand tall enough no one can beat us
If we all hold our hands up high we can carry the world
With my hands with my feet
When I dream when I sleep
From the start here inside I believe
If we all work together
We would be stronger
If we all hold our hands up high we can carry the world
If we all work together
We would be stronger
If we all open our eyes
We could see further
If we all stand tall enough no one can beat us
If we all hold our hands up high we can carry the world
來源： LyricFind
作詞/作曲：David Paul Goodes / Judie Tzuke
《High》歌詞 © Universal Music Publishing Group
@wendyburns4102
The RyanDan song "High" should be considered by the Olympic committee for either the summer or winter games. The words fit the theme of the games....to compete strongly and fairly in a world arena.
@orcagang
+Wendy Burns LMAO
@Maystranyishful
Barry white
@dwviolinist
I wish I had discovered RyanDan earlier...their harmonies are amazing! If I could only favourite this a billion or so times...
@marybarton252
I agree with you. They are awesome
@normanfletcher8332
OMG, here 2022 & just discovered RyanDan, Love, Love their music..
@Luisa8783
In Italy nobody knows them ... pity... they're wonderful!!!!! Thanks Youtube I got to know them and many other really talented artists ....:-))
@Wolfesthane
I love all their work. I practically have a series of choreographies lined up with these songs, and they all link together. That's how beautiful their music is: it inspires me to dance
@Robisquick
This is so much outside my wheelhouse of music, but their voices are certainly amazing… and their harmonies are beautiful
@jtoobacc18239
This should be an opening theme song for an anime