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.
The Face
RyanDan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Vagrant on a path to life
Everyday feels a little closer
To where it is that you're headed for
Given to a hope of so much more
[Chorus]
There'll be a soul to guide your journey
But if you choose to turn away
There in the mirror
You'll see my face
You'll see my face
Think you're on this road alone
Looking for a truth untold
Many times you've been close to breaking
Giving up and letting go
Something inside says it's not over
[Chorus]
And when the world crowds your space
Remember days when noise was silent
Now empty vows, loveless displays
Just a sense of knowing
You'd see my face
You'd see my face
The Face by RyanDan tells the story of a traveler who is on a journey to find meaning and purpose in their life. The lyrics describe this journey as one where the traveler is often alone and struggling, but is determined to keep moving forward. The chorus speaks to the idea that even in the darkest moments, there is someone who will always be there to guide and support the traveler. The imagery of seeing "my face" in the mirror reinforces the idea that the traveler is never truly alone and that there will always be a part of themselves that is connected to a greater purpose.
The song also touches on the idea that the world can be a noisy and chaotic place, but that it's important to remember those moments of stillness and clarity. The lines "Remember days when noise was silent / Now empty vows, loveless displays" suggest that as the traveler moves through life, they may encounter people and situations that are empty and meaningless, but that they can find solace and direction by remembering the times when they felt truly connected and purposeful.
Overall, The Face is a song that speaks to the universal human experience of feeling lost and alone at times, but also to the idea that there is always hope and a sense of purpose to be found. It encourages the listener to keep moving forward, even when the path seems uncertain, and to look for the guidance and support of others along the way.
Line by Line Meaning
Traveler of the great divides
A person who wanders through different worldly barriers
Vagrant on a path to life
Living a nomadic lifestyle in search of the purpose of existence
Everyday feels a little closer
Each day feels like getting closer to the intended goal
To where it is that you're headed for
The place or goal for which one is working towards
Given to a hope of so much more
Having a belief or desire for something more substantial
For every time you fall apart
Whenever one breaks down or encounters a failure
There'll be a soul to guide your journey
A mentor or guide to help and direct the path
But if you choose to turn away
If one decides to ignore the help or guidance
There in the mirror
Reflective surface showing one's own image
You'll see my face
An indication of assistance and support from another person
Think you're on this road alone
Feeling isolated on the path of life
Looking for a truth untold
Searching for answers and knowledge beyond what is known
Many times you've been close to breaking
Having to face difficult situations and almost losing hope
Giving up and letting go
Deciding not to continue on the chosen path and giving up instead
Something inside says it's not over
An inner voice that encourages to keep going and not to quit
And when the world crowds your space
When the world's demands become too much to handle
Remember days when noise was silent
Recalling peaceful times when there was no chaos
Now empty vows, loveless displays
False promises and relationships that lack sincerity or love
Just a sense of knowing
A feeling of having a deep understanding of something
You'd see my face
Another person who can provide comfort and support
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: MARK JOSEPH SALIBA MASRI, STEPHAN RICHARD MOCCIO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind