New England native Stephanie Ryann can do it all, from being a fire fighter and a fashion model, to being a versatile country music artist. She released her first album in 2018, and she used the industry’s down time during COVID to stage live-streamed concerts and learn to play guitar. She’s got more than 500,000 streams across various platforms, and she’s shared the stage with quite a few artists. She’s been featured on CMT, NY’s Country 94.7, and the British Country Music Awards. Our own platform rt66countrymusic.com awarded her the 2020 Song of the Year.
Stephanie’s latest song "About Me" addresses gossip, the kind of bullying adults deal with. ”People are always going to have something to say about you, for better or worse, true or false, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve really come to understand that those who try to bring you down are the ones who have the problem,” Stephanie says.
The song opens with slide guitar and banjo, and her powerful vocals have just enough echo at the end of the lines to give the lyrics a greater impact. When she sings about rumors and gossip, you can’t help but listen. Then the chorus kicks in with a rocking beat, and you’re dancing in your seat as she sings.
You say I’m a two faced, drama lover
Tear ya down type, nothing but trouble
The lies you spread are hard to believe
They say a lot about you, not a thing about me
The second verse reminds us that news travels fast, and talk is cheap, and the chorus repeats. This time, she’s added some new lyrics, admitting that she’s made mistakes but, “I’ll outshine that shade you cast.”
There’s a toe tapping electric guitar solo, and afterward, she adds more effects on her vocals to give a pop style to the song. The electric guitar remains steady through the third chorus, but each time she sings the chorus, it’s changed. Like rumors and gossip, the chorus sounds slightly different when it gets repeated. She’s got a grownup perspective knowing that the person who spreads the lies is the one with the problem, not the person the lies are about. She knows that the lies don’t say anything “About Me.”
Click here to listen to “About Me”
Song Credits:
Writers: Stephanie Ryann, Andrew King, and Joey Cirillo
Musicians: Billy Justineau, Miles McPherson, Andy Ellison, and Luis Espaillat
Producer: Andrew King
Engineer: Skyler Taylor
Recorded at Vibe King Studio in Nashville
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