A Quick Chat with Liam Keates-Ryley

Congrats on releasing ‘RUNNIN’’! Can you tell us a bit about the track?

​​Thank you so much! It feels like such a relief to finally have it out to the world. RUNNIN' is the first full song I've written since 2019. Over the past few years, I'd spent so much time playing instruments for other incredibly talented artists that I lost sight of my true passion, which is making music for myself and you! It not only refers to themes about commitment issues within forming relationships, but also commitment issues within life as a whole. Sometimes, you just wanna run away from a sticky situation and that's what this record attempts to encapsulate.

There was also a period of time in 2022 when meeting new people (whether in relationships or just friends) where I was always wondering, "Are these people just hanging out with me cause I was on TV one time or do they actually enjoy my company?". This song takes inspiration from that and running away from some of those not-so-trustworthy people.

This single is your debut studio release aside from a live performance from The Voice Australia. How different is the experience of recording and sharing a live track to something you’ve had more artistic control over?   

I loved my time on ‘The Voice’ but in saying that, most of us had little to no creative freedom over arrangements, song choices or image. So after that experience, I had a long hard think about who Liam Keates-Ryley was as an artist. It’s really refreshing and rewarding to be able to create my own image and style in a way that’s totally authentic to me and I hope that’s something that can be reflected into my music.

What comes to you first in your songwriting process? Do you sit down with the intention to write a song or do ideas find you most when you’re not looking?

I’ve found that the most creative ideas come when I’m least expecting it. Better yet, most happen by accident! Occasionally, I’ll sit down with the intention to write but usually that just ends up psyching me out and puts so much pressure on the process. My songwriting process always starts with the music. I’ll sit down at my computer and play with one simple idea or chop up a small sample to use that as a starting point, and usually, by the end of the song, the track that initially sparked inspiration isn't even there anymore. I’ve always found writing lyrics challenging but I’m really lucky to have a great team of musicians around me who are extremely talented in that field. I’ve been writing a lot recently with Toby Hobart, Charlie Pittman, Will Baker and Julian Munyard.

When did you decide to pursue music, and how has your musical background shaped your artistic choices and style?

Straight out of highschool, where I equally balanced my life between sport and music, I went to the Queensland Conservatorium of Music and studied a jazz degree. Having gained a reasonably high understanding of music theory from this really affected my style and artistic choices as an artist.

What has been your favourite live show to be a part of so far?

My favourite original show that I was lucky enough to be a part of was probably opening for my good friend Lachie Gill at his Brisbane show in 2023. The live and intimate show brought a quiet yet attentive energy to it and I really enjoyed the challenge of arranging a lot of my faster and instrumentally complex songs in order to accommodate for that intimate setting.

Is ‘RUNNIN’ going to be a part of a larger project or are you dedicated to the early stages of forming an identity and direction emerging artist?

Although I have so much love for RUNNIN’, it will not be part of a larger project. As I’m just starting out in the industry, I’m really excited to discover my sound and identity as an artist. I spent the past few years not releasing any music and just honing in on my craft and figuring out what kind of artist I want to be. It’s going to always be ever-changing, but I can happily say I'm proud of the music I’m making, and I’m lucky enough to have found an amazing team of people to do it with, whether that’s the creating side or the business side of the job.