Music Existence Because of Music, We Exist
The underground scene has been producing some really exciting talent this year, and among the brightest stars that I’ve had the pleasure of taking a look at lately is none other than Bryn Ryan-Van Dyke, the sultry singer/songwriter whose charismatic tone has won the hearts of critics and fans across the country and beyond. 2023 sees Ryan-Van Dyke returning to the spotlight once more with the release of her brand new single, the endearingly personal “It’s My Movie,” as well as the shockingly well-rounded lyric video made in support of its release. I got the opportunity to give “It’s My Movie” a listen ahead of its premiere recently and to say that I was impressed with what I heard would be putting it very mildly.
Every component of this track and its video is used to stimulate the mood created by the harmony between Ryan-Van Dyke and the foundational guitar parts that are beneath her in the mix. From the crumbling bricks that we see on our screen to the supple recoiling of the percussion as the melodic wallop of the other instruments comes crashing through the silence during the chorus of the song, there’s nothing unnecessary or nonfunctional in this recording, and that’s not something that I can say about most of the pop singles that have landed on my desk this month. It’s obvious that some serious work went into making “It’s My Movie” the masterfully produced video that it is, and I’m not surprised in the least that it’s been garnering the critical praise that it has been this October.
It might be interesting to hear a duet from this singer/songwriter sometime soon, perhaps with a player outside of her genre who might be able to accentuate some of the bolder depth in her vocal style beyond what we’re hearing in this instance. There’s a fire burning in this player’s heart that seems to want to come undone so badly in this performance, and yet she resists just enough to leave us guessing what might be coming around the next bend.
Her lack of interest in developing standard pop catharsis is both experimental and quite mature given her status in the underground, but if coupled with a partner who would be able to get a slightly different angle out of her performance, we might see a side of her that could be all the more charming than what we’re already dealing with (if such a thing is possible without coming across as saccharine).
If this song is a fair representation of what we can expect to hear out of Bryn Ryan-Van Dyke’s discography in 2024 then I can’t wait to get ahold of more. “It’s My Movie” is overwhelmingly multifaceted, and though some listeners might find it to be a bit cerebral when juxtaposed with the singles that have been gracing the top slots on the Billboard charts lately, I think that’s exactly what makes it such a uniquely fetching listen. Ryan-Van Dyke’s got my attention, and I doubt that I’m the only music journalist saying as much right now.
Kate Churchill
