Alternative musician Ry Jacque released his second EP GHOSTS on January 1, 2024, an independent project featuring heartfelt lyrics and upbeat electric sounds. This is his first album to be featured on all platforms; his acoustic EP dystopia as well as singles “burning bridges” and “good girl” are available on his Bandcamp page. Local to Bellingham, Washington, Jacque began performing live at Washington venues in 2023, and has started making a name for himself through his unique energy and talent. Always creating, one can expect a lot more music from Ry Jacque soon.

Please tell me a bit about yourself, and how long you’ve been making music. 

RY JACQUE: My name is Ry. I’m a big fan of penguins and dinosaurs. I love music, it’s always been my one constant joy in the world. I’ve been singing since before I can remember and wrote my first song when I was about twelve.

Who and what are your inspirations creatively?

RJ: Currently, my biggest inspirations are Noah Kahan and Elliott Smith. I’ve also gotten inspiration from other musicians/bands I’ve met through performing, including one of my favourite bands Eel Sallad.

Congratulations on the new EP! How did you decide on ghosts as a central theme? 

RJ: The theme of ghosts came up in several of the songs I wrote in the span of about four months or so. I’ve always liked ghosts and associated myself with them, so the theme felt fitting. 

What is your favorite song on this EP?

RJ: I don’t think I could pick a favourite honestly, they all hold something special to me. SwimmingGhosts is probably the one I’m most proud of; it’s one of the more upbeat songs I recorded and the first one where I dabbled with a different sound. 

Can you talk a bit about your typical songwriting process? 

RJ: It depends. I get ideas in many different settings, sometimes when I’m home, sometimes at work, often when I’m on the verge of falling asleep and have to wake up to write it down. A lot of times I’ll write a line or two and play through, others I’ll write all the lyrics and later put music to it. Every once in a while I’ll find a tune first and then write the lyrics. I generally tend to write them on a notes app in my phone, then once I get more of a solid idea for a song, I’ll write in my notebook.

What were the rewards and challenges from mixing and mastering this EP independently?

RJ: Mixing the EP myself, I learned a lot about my own sound. It was a big learning experience for me and also showed me a lot of what I don’t know, which is both a reward and a challenge.

GHOSTS was released less than a year after your first EP dystopia, and they have very different sounds. What parts of making this EP felt similar to dystopia, and what were some key differences?

RJ: I definitely tried to add a little more noise to GHOSTS. dystopia was a quiet, acoustic album. I still have a few songs on GHOSTS where you can hear the connections in the sound, but overall I think it hits a little harder.

The cover art for GHOSTS is super creative and cool, how did the idea come to be? 

RJ: It actually took me a really long time to come up with any ideas for the cover; I brainstormed and asked for collaborations for weeks after the album was recorded. I searched through images for a while before coming across the tv screen and the idea came to me instantly.

You started playing live last year, what has that been like? 

RJ: It’s been great. The community is wonderful, I’ve been able to get out of my shell a bit, as someone who’s not naturally a performer, and met lots of really awesome people who also have a deep love and passion for music. It’s also really great to be able to play alongside my partner Hazel Rain. I couldn’t do it without them.

What are some of your upcoming music goals? Is there anything you’re working on currently?

RJ: I have a plan for a full album at some point called Bridge Over Water. This one might take me awhile (especially since I’m trying to teach myself a whole new instrument before I even record). In the meantime, I have a few singles set to release soon, one of them being the song “downfall”. I played it live with Hazel’s accompaniment at our most recent show at Garden Palace, a venue in Bellingham. I will also continue to perform when the opportunities arise.

Interview: Hazel Rain

Photography: Hazel Rain & KimberlyD fineArt Photography