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.
Stay With You
RyanDan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Watching the city lights
School days and heartbreaks racing to each finish line
The first time I kissed her
Surprised that she kissed me back
Goodbyes
They put on their bravest faces and waved as I went
The looks on their faces I kept, to remind me of home
[Chorus]
I think of my life
As moments in time
The ones you don't catch
Unless you look back
Are the moments that you keep your whole life through
That stay with you
That stay with you
She said, I love you but I just can't stay
I remember her hand and its weight
On my arm as she said its okay
She was right all along
[Chorus]
It's not about the money
It's not about regret
And it's not about the things that you wanted
That you never seem to get
[Chorus]
RyanDan's song "Stay With" is a poignant and evocative track that explores the fleeting nature of moments in time and the memories that stay with us forever. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of two young lovers, sitting on a rooftop and watching the city lights, racing to each finish line in their school days and heartbreaks. The singer reflects on the first time he kissed the girl he loves and the uncertainty he felt as he left his hometown, not knowing where his life would take him next.
As the song progresses, the lyrics take on a more bittersweet tone, as the singer remembers saying goodbye to his loved ones and the weight of their parting. The chorus repeats the refrain that life is comprised of moments in time, and that the most important ones are the ones that we often only appreciate in retrospect.
One of the most striking aspects of "Stay With" is the simplicity and elegance of the lyrics. They capture the beauty and fragility of life with remarkable clarity, and the refrain of "that stay with you, that stay with you" is a haunting reminder of the importance of cherishing the moments that truly matter.
Line by Line Meaning
July we sat on the rooftop
Remembering a summer night spent sitting on a rooftop with someone special
Watching the city lights
Enjoying the view of the bright lights and the city skyline
School days and heartbreaks racing to each finish line
Reflecting on the struggles and challenges of growing up, including heartbreaks
The first time I kissed her
Recalling a special moment in a romantic relationship
Surprised that she kissed me back
Feeling grateful and happy that the romantic feelings were mutual
Goodbyes
Saying farewell to loved ones
They put on their bravest faces and waved as I went
Noticing how the people he was leaving behind tried to be strong for him
I left so unsure, not knowing where I would go next
Feeling uncertain about the future and what comes next after leaving home
The looks on their faces I kept, to remind me of home
Holding on to memories of loved ones to mentally transport him back home when he feels lonely
I think of my life
Reflecting on his past experiences and memories
As moments in time
Viewing those experiences as single instances in time
The ones you don't catch
Realizing that some experiences can be overlooked
Unless you look back
The importance of hindsight in fully appreciating life's experiences
Are the moments that you keep your whole life through
The special moments are the ones that stay with you and shape your memories of your past
That stay with you
Those special moments that stay with you forever
She said, I love you but I just can't stay
Recalling a difficult conversation about a loved one having to leave
I remember her hand and its weight
Remembering a small moment of physical touch that feels significant in hindsight
On my arm as she said it's okay
Feeling comforted by her touch and reassurance despite the difficult conversation
She was right all along
Realizing in hindsight that she was right about how things would turn out
It's not about the money
Affirming that money is not what matters most in life
It's not about regret
Acknowledging that dwelling on regrets is not productive for moving forward
And it's not about the things that you wanted
Material possessions are not what ultimately bring fulfillment in life
That you never seem to get
Understanding that wanting more and more won't necessarily lead to happiness
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: STEPHEN JOHN ANDERSON, KYLIE ANN MINOGUE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind