Carter Ryan in Conversation with FAULT Magazine
Carter Ryan
Carter Ryan is a 17-year-old singer-songwriter already making waves as an independent musician. With millions of likes on TikTok, Carter’s honesty, vulnerability and creative ability helps him connect with a growing fanbase of fellow teens who relate to his type of musical catharsis. Where some might take the plaudits and move on, the success of Carter’s first single release, ‘Wishes’, was a watershed moment for the young songwriter. Seeing how much the song resonated with those experiencing mental health issues, Carter embraced the responsibility that comes with being an internet personality. He decided to reply personally to every message he received from those suffering with depression, a decision that eventually led to the creation of The Persevere Project, a mental health non-profit organisation.
We spoke to Carter Ryan about his new single, ‘Talk to You’, the positive impact of music on mental health, and more…
FAULT: We heard you started playing the guitar at 7 years old! How and when did you decide to make music your career?
Carter Ryan: Ever since I can remember I have had a passion for creating music. As a young child I learned how to play instruments by ear which eventually led me to creating my own songs. As a kid I was just having fun and messing around with different chord progressions. After the pandemic struck I began creating videos of my singing on the internet as a way to cope with my anxiety and stress. This was the moment that I began to take music very seriously.
‘Talk to You’ is about wishing you could talk to someone after they’ve gone. Obviously loss is always personal but it can also be very relatable. As a songwriter, where do you draw the line between telling your own stories vs. tapping into common archetypes?
It is very important to me that I create music that resonates with my listeners. I believe that being vulnerable when writing is the only way to create something that many people can connect to. Most of the time I am creating a song that relates to a very specific situation in my life. As long as it is genuine I am able to create music that feels emotional and specific while also resonating with listeners.
The themes in ‘Talk to You’ and your previous single, ‘Wishes’ resonate very strongly with the goals of your other passion (alongside music), The Persevere Project. How important is that synergy for you?
The Persevere Project was created when I began making videos online and noticed comments relating to mental health. This was just after the pandemic had struck and many teenagers felt like they were alone and needed someone to listen. When creating songs I feel that I utilize singing and writing as an outlet in my life for stress and anxiety.
The Persevere Project is incredibly important to me because my goal with creating a song is to have a large impact and help people to feel as if they are not alone. I want my listeners to feel connected to the fact that there are others out there experiencing the same struggles as them.
Name some of your key inspirations, musical and/or otherwise?
My key inspirations for my sound are artists like Shawn Mendes, Vance Joy and Jeremy Zucker. I listened to them growing up and have admired their work. I hope that my sound can feel similar and resonate with others the way that they have with me.
You’re still only 17 and you’re right at the start of your journey, but what would you say has been the highlight of your career so far?
The highlight of my career so far was my recent release of ‘Wishes.’ This song meant so much to me and I feel that I was very vulnerable when writing and sang with a lot of emotion. A lot of my new music is similar to this and I have expressed a lot of emotions through my lyrics and singing.
Who would you most like to collaborate with and why?
Some day I would love to collaborate with Khalid, Dean Lewis and Lewis Capaldi. All of these artists I am a huge fan of and have looked up to since I was a little kid.
If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
If I wasn’t creating music I would most likely be an athlete. Most of the time I spend when I am not working on music I am at the gym or playing tennis with my brother. However I truly can’t imagine my life without music. It is all I have done since I can remember and it is all that I love to do.
What can we expect from you in the near future? Anything you’re particularly looking forward to?
In the near future I will be releasing a lot of music and continuing to work alongside my brother with the Persevere Project. Along with this I am also going to be performing live for my listeners and I can’t wait to meet and share the connection of music with everyone.
What is your FAULT?
My fault is that I am very sensitive. I always end up carrying the burdens of others when
in reality I should be dealing with my own.