Melbourne-based Buddy Ryan presents a collection of soul-tinged musings in his sophomore EP, 'May Eleven'.
'May Eleven' showcases the Connecticut-born lyricist's ability to consistently craft smooth grooves bolstered by his deft lyricism and sheer honesty. His penchant for rap, soul and R&B shines through with the project ruminating on a range of topics including life experiences, social commentary, karma, reflections and cautionary tales.
On the title, Buddy states: 'May 11 is a date, but there's so much involved with those numbers. It's more of a spirit. A mood from start to finish.
"Making a body of work for me has always been about the overall feel. It should play back like a movie. The best pieces of art take you outside of yourself."
Here, he shares five of his favourite books.
1: 'Outliers' by Malcolm Gladwell
I love every one of Gladwell’s books, but this one is special not only for the content but because it was the first book of his that I read. The book is about how, as a society, we have this idea that successful people somehow do it on their own, but the reality is nothing great is every achieved by one person alone. Great read with a message we seem to easily forget about.
2: 'The Alchemist' by Paulo Coelho
I usually re-read this book once a year. I’ve gone through it front to back at least four times now. 'The Alchemist' is one of those books that ignite you. As an artist that’s really important and I look for it constantly. I’d recommend this book to anyone and ask that they look for similarities in their life as they read. Forever a classic.
3: 'The Power Of Now' by Eckhart Tolle
This would probably be the book that has changed me the most. Before this book, I didn’t have an understanding of what was my mind and what it meant to operate outside of it. This is another one I’ve re-read a number of times just to stay sharp. This is definitely a book I think everyone should at least try to read.
4: 'Milk And Honey' by Rupi Kaur
This book is pure beauty in words. It’s a book of short poems. This book totally gave me a deeper insight to the depth of female energy and emotions, and really helped me see things from a women’s perspective. A perspective I don’t think we’ve ever highlighted enough as a society.
5: 'Beyond Good And Evil' by Fredrich Nietzsche
Most people probably don’t know this, but I have my bachelor's degree in Philosophy. In college, we covered more philosophers and their theories than I can remember but once I came across Nietzsche I was hooked. I don’t agree with everything he says, but his perspective and way of writing seemed to grab me more than others. He was a madman lol. People always look at me funny when I mention he’s my favourite philosopher (shrugs).
'May Eleven' EP is available now.
