Today is the day! Central-Victorian artist Ryan Gay has launched his original music career with his debut single release “Down”. Ryan is no stranger to the stages, pubs, & clubs of the Australian live music scene. After more than a decade performing solo acoustic gigs under his established stage moniker “Knot”.

Ryan has a sincere yet soulful vocal style and has always had a penchant for interesting and unique rhythms. With a sound that has been described as sitting somewhere between Indie and Pop, with a splash of R&B influence thrown in for good measure.

Available on Spotify and Apple Music.

We chat with Ryan about his new release and this is what he had to say. But first, enjoy” “Down” on his YouTube channel.

What emotions were you going through in writing this song? It feels almost like a full-on heartache, f#ck-you-I’m-fine song whilst driving away.
Haha great question! I feel I’ve had more than my fair share of ups and downs throughout my relationships over the years so I made a conscious decision to take my time before rushing into my next relationship. I ended up dating a backpacker and we both agreed that we would only see each other temporarily because she wasn’t planning to stay here in Australia, but despite our best intentions our feelings grew pretty quickly and it led to some pretty dark times for both of us towards the end. I think Down encompasses those feelings in-between relationships such as longing and loneliness, but also covers the excitement of a new relationship, while still being extremely uncertain about what’s to come.

What do you see then and now in your rearview mirror?
I’ve done a bit of growing up in the last few years I feel. My opinions on things are constantly evolving, but one thing I’m certain about is that music is all I want to do. I’m surrounded by an amazingly supportive group of friends and family and I feel very fortunate for that. But I’ve travelled, studied, explored a few different career options, loved, lost, and learnt all the while. I’m always looking forward to the future and my mantra these days is to try and make sure that every single year that passes is the new best year of my life.

Will we hear more ‘break-up/reflection’ songs about relationships and how you are moving forward?
I think relationships are a major part of all our lives, they teach you a lot about yourself and a hell of a lot about others too. I think as long as I continue to play music my relationships and their many effects on me will continue to find their way into my songwriting. I’ve got a few songs ready for the studio that centre around my relationship experiences, so you’ll be hearing more of them very shortly!

Will Knot Music transition to Ryan Gay?
I’ll be releasing all of my original music under Ryan Gay. It makes it much easier for me to connect and share my music with fans and those that want to be involved in my journey as a songwriter and artist. I’ll absolutely continue to play shows under the Knot brand but it will be taking a backseat to my original art and touring as planned. I’ve always got a few projects on the go!