RyanDan
Background information
Born (1979-12-05) December 5, 1979
Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.[1]
OriginToronto, Ontario, Canada
GenresOperatic Pop
Years active2006–present
LabelsUniversal Classics and Jazz
MembersRyan Kowarsky
Dan Kowarsky

RyanDan (born December 5, 1979) is a Canadian musical, songwriting and producing duo, consisting of identical twins Ryan and Dan Kowarsky, whose music is a mix of pop, opera, and classical.

They were originally part of the boy band b4-4 that also included Ohad Einbinder. B4-4 was renamed Before Four for later European releases. The Kowarsky brothers worked later on as a vocal duo known as RyanDan. They have also produced for a number of mainly Canadian artists including Blake McGrath, Danny Fernandes, Tyler Medeiros, Mia Martina, Massari and others. They have also appeared as background vocals for Shania Twain in concert.

Career

Career beginnings

Identical twins Ryan and Dan Kowarsky were born December 5, 1979, in Cincinnati, Ohio. The youngest of five children in a Jewish family, they grew up in the Thornhill neighbourhood north of Toronto. Their father, Paul, a South African who attended King David Linksfield (a Jewish day school in Johannesburg, South Africa), is an operatic singer who frequently sang as a cantor in synagogues both in South Africa and after immigrating to Canada. Their mother Adele Gould was also instrumental in encouraging them. She was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2004. In high school, Ryan and Dan shared the lead role in their school's production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.[2]

In b4-4 / Before Four

At age 16, they presented themselves at the offices of Sony Music Canada, and attracted the attention of record company executives when they sang "Show Me the Way to Go Home" in the reception area.[3] They were signed to a record contract soon after forming a boy band called b4-4 along with their friend Ohad Einbinder. They received a Juno Award nomination in 2001 for Best New Group, but lost to Nickelback. They also enjoyed some success in Germany as Before Four.

As RyanDan

They eventually wanted to cultivate a more adult sound and fan base, and in 2006, they moved to London. They recorded their album RyanDan with producer Steve Anderson, who has worked with Kylie Minogue and Paul McCartney. They cite opera singer Mario Lanza as a strong influence on their music.[3]

Their debut self-titled album received critical acclaim including "The Face", which was co-penned by Stephan Moccio and for "Tears of an Angel" written by the duo in memory of their late niece, Tal, who died from a brain tumour at age four while they were recording the album on which it appears.[4]

Their scheduled follow-up album in 2010 entitled Silence Speaks was postponed and never released. The album was renamed Imagine but also failed to be released on schedule in 2011 and then in 2012. One song, "Is Love Enough (To Save the World)" has been released on Canadian radio with an accompanying music video.[5]

Ryan and Dan performed with Shania Twain during her Still The One show at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas which ended in December 2014. They have also performed with her at the Calgary Stampede and at Founders Week in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, on August 30, 2014.

Music production

Ryan and Dan Kowarsky have also devoted their talents to production. Their experience includes songwriting efforts for several tracks on Blake McGrath's Time to Move, including "Relax",[6] Mia Martina's "Latin Moon" and "Stereo Love",[7] "Automatic" by Danny Fernandes,[8] and a number of tracks for Tyler Medeiros.[9]

RyanDan's "Tears of an Angel", written for their niece diagnosed with cancer,[4] was used in a group dance routine by dancers during episode 12 of season 10 of So You Think You Can Dance.[10] The dance was designed by choreographer Bonnie Story who used the piece in an "anti-bullying" dance subject based on an actual bullying incident experienced by a friend of hers.

In 2007, they also appeared on the BBC daytime TV cooking reality show Ready Steady Cook as assistant chefs.

Personal life

Ryan and Dan own a dog boarding camp just north of Toronto called Camp Cookstown.[11]

Discography

Albums

List of albums, with selected details, chart positions and certifications
Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
(sales threshold)
CAN
[12]		 AUS
[13]		 BEL
(Wa)
[14]		 NED
[15]		 SWE
[16]		 UK
[17]		 US
Class.
RyanDan 8 60 60 28 47 7 18
Imagine
  • Released: March 18, 2014 (Canada)
  • Label: Universal Music Canada
  • Format: CD, digital download
 — — — — — — —

Guest albums

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions
Title Year Peak Album
UK
[17]
"Like the Sun" 2007 69 RyanDan
"The Face" —
"High / O Holy Night" —
"Is Love Enough (To Save the World)" 2009 — Non-album singles
"Open Arms" —
"Tears of an Angel" 2010 —

Songwriting and production credits

References

  1. ↑ RyanDan Grew Up B4-4 Experiences Regina Leader-Post
  2. ↑ Lester, Paul (29 June 2007). "New band of the day: RyanDan". Guardian Unlimited. Retrieved 13 October 2007.
  3. 1 2 Renzetti, Elizabeth (13 October 2007). "Twins Peak". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 5 February 2008. Retrieved 13 October 2007.
  4. 1 2 "RyanDan are certainly two of a kind". The Journal. 24 July 2007. p. 35.
  5. ↑ Music video for RyanDan's "Is Love Enough (To Save the World)" Their sophormore album "Imagine" was released on March 18th, 2014.
  6. ↑ "INTERVIEW: Blake McGrath". 21 January 2011.
  7. ↑ http://www.bestfan.com/blog/tag/ryandan/
  8. ↑ “http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=8345011
  9. ↑ "SALXCO".
  10. ↑ Grate, Rachel (September 3, 2014). "Why 'So You Think You Can Dance' Matters More Than You Think". HelloGiggles. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
  11. ↑ Camp Cooktown Official website
  12. ↑ "RyanDan Diary.com: RyanDan still in 8# on Soundscan Charts". ryandandiary.blogspot.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-08.
  13. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 241.
  14. ↑ Ultratop Belgium RyanDan discography (Belgium)
  15. ↑ DutchCharts.nl RyanDan discography (Netherlands)
  16. ↑ SwedishCharts.com RyanDan discography (Sweden)
  17. 1 2 "RyanDan | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  18. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – RyanDan – RyanDan". Music Canada. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
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