The first signs were already there on RIAN´s debut single “Belong to You”. RIAN is a musician who has everything he needs to make it to the top. So we can look forward to the young songwriter’s first work. Will he be able to maintain the quality of the single over a whole record? He can. What RIAN delivers on his self-titled debut album, which was released on “Wohnzimmer Records”, is a collection of powerful pop songs, all of which are potential radio hits.
While listening to this debut, one thing is immediately clear: This is someone who is ambitious, knows what he wants, and is shooting for the top. RIAN, the stage name of musician Florian Gruber, has delivered a remarkable songwriting performance on his debut album. The 22-year-old, who has already opened for the German singer and songwriter Max Giesinger, found just the right tone that is both captivating and international. If you didn’t know that you were dealing with an Austrian artist, you would be inclined to mistake him for an Anglo-Saxon act. But the man comes from Carinthia and has set out from there to conquer the pop world.
Here to stay
The songs, created with the help of Stefan Deisenberger (formerly Naked Lunch), are a wonderfully fresh sounding, multi-layered pop. They are perfectly balanced between catchy melodies and sing-along choruses in a style somewhere between feel-good music, dream-pop, and large-format stadium rock. The young multi-instrumentalist also lets influences from hip-hop sound through, which gives the whole story an exciting new twist. The great thing about this album is that the songs unfold in a very diverse way and there are no repetitions. Each number sets its own accent and begins with a different, unique groove, which keeps the album fresh all the way through.
With his strong debut album RIAN has proven that he is here to stay. His songs are strong, with a quality that pop fans appreciate so much. The young songwriter from Carinthia is definitely on his best way to attract more attention.
Michael Ternai (translated from the German article by David Dempsey)
RIAN live:
27.11. Support Tour Lions Head, Frankfurt, Zoom Club
28.11. Support Tour Lions Head, Hannover, MusikZentrum Hannover
30.11. Support Tour Lions Head, Köln, Club Bahnhof Ehrenfeld
02.11. Support Tour Lions Head, Hamburg, Uebel und Gefährlich
03.11. Support Tour Lions Head, Berlin, Musik & Frieden
04.11. Support Tour Lions Head, Leipzig, Täubchenthal
05.11. Support Tour Lions Head, Nürnberg, Der Hirsch
07.11. Support Tour Lions Head, München, STROM
08.11. Support Tour Lions Head, Stuttgart, Im Wizemann