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 Prayer
RyanDan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And help us to be wise, in times when we don't know
Let this be our prayer, as we go our way
Lead us to a place, guide us with your grace
To a place where we'll be safe...
La luce che tu dai
I pray we'll find your light
And hold it in our hearts
A ricordarci che
When stars go out each night
L'eterna stella sei
Nella mia preghiera
Let this be our prayer
Quanta fede c'è
When shadows fill our day
Lead us to a place
Guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we'll be safe
Sognamo un mondo senza più violenza
Un mondo di giustizia e di speranza
Ognuno di la mano al suo vicino
Simbolo di pace e di fraternità
La forza che ci dai
We ask that life be kind
E' il desiderio che
And watch us from above
Ognuno trovi amor
We hope each soul will find
Intorno e dentro a sé
Another soul to love
Let this be our prayer
Let this be our prayer
Just like every child
Just like every child
Needs to find a place, guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we'll be safe
E' la fede che
Hai acceso in noi
Sento che ci salverà
The lyrics to RyanDan's song The Prayer are touching and inspiring, appealing to a higher power to provide guidance and safety in uncertain times. The first verse asks for the listener to be led to safety by a higher power in times of uncertainty, hoping that this prayer will be heard and acted upon. The second verse references the light that the higher power provides, asking for it to be found and held in the heart even during the darkest times. The chorus of the song is a powerful plea for a world without violence and filled with justice, hope, and unity. It is a reminder to all to take each other's hands and work towards peace and love.
The song is emotional and moving, as it addresses the struggles of everyday life and asks for help from a higher power. It is a call to action for people to find unity and bring love to the world around them. The use of words such as "grace" and "faith" make the lyrics feel spiritual and universal, while the message of peace and acceptance is relevant to people of all cultures and faiths.
Line by Line Meaning
I pray you'll be our eyes, and watch us where we go,
I pray that you will give us guidance and keep an eye on us as we journey through life
And help us to be wise, in times when we don't know
Assist us in making wise decisions and choices when we are unsure
Let this be our prayer, as we go our way
Let this be our humbled request to you as we proceed on our journey
Lead us to a place, guide us with your grace
Please show us the way and help us with your divine grace
To a place where we'll be safe...
Direct us to a place where we will be secure
La luce che tu dai
The light that you provide
I pray we'll find your light
My prayer is that we will discover and embrace your light
Nel cuore resterà
It will remain in our hearts
And hold it in our hearts
And we will treasure it in the depths of our souls
A ricordarci che
A reminder to ourselves that
When stars go out each night
As the stars fade every night
L'eterna stella sei
You are the eternal star
Nella mia preghiera
In my prayer
Let this be our prayer
Let this be our earnest supplication
Quanta fede c'è
How much faith there is
When shadows fill our day
When darkness looms over our days
Lead us to a place
Guide us to a safe haven
Guide us with your grace
Help us with your divine favor and mercy
Give us faith so we'll be safe
Grant us the faith to overcome any danger or challenge and emerge unscathed
Sognamo un mondo senza più violenza
We dream of a world without violence
Un mondo di giustizia e di speranza
A world of justice and hope
Ognuno di la mano al suo vicino
Where everyone holds each other close
Simbolo di pace e di fraternità
A symbol of peace and brotherhood
La forza che ci dai
The strength that you give us
We ask that life be kind
We pray that life treats us with kindness
E' il desiderio che
It is our earnest hope that
And watch us from above
And watch over us from the heavens
Ognuno trovi amor
Everyone will find love
We hope each soul will find
We hope every individual finds
Intorno e dentro a sé
Inside and around themselves
Another soul to love
Another person to love
Just like every child
Like every child
Needs to find a place, guide us with your grace
Requires a place to belong, please lead us with your merciful guidance
E' la fede che
It is the faith that
Hai acceso in noi
You have instilled within us
Sento che ci salverà
I sense that it will save us
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Carole Bayer Sager, David Foster
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind