Serena Ryder is working hard, slinging albums off the stage like a kid at her first gig. All in an effort to crack the nut that is the American music market. Successful or not, it sounds like a lot of fun.
“It [Harmony] has been pretty phenomenal in Canada,” says Ryder, on the phone from Colorado. “For me, it is all starting again out here. Right now, I’m literally just starting my career over again.”
Ryder has been touring in support of hot American band One Republic. But she’s just one of a long string of openers. A place she hasn’t been for years — at least in Canada, where she’s used to selling out shows and headlining. Tonight, for example, she headlines her first show at the venerable Massey Hall as part of the Canada’s Walk of Fame Festival.
“I’ve been on tour a month now so far. It is really interesting,” she continues. “It is funny because I’ve had a lot of success in Canada and I’m at the very beginning again, wondering how it will be received.”
But based on her first single, she’s not going to have to wonder very long. “Stompa,” already a massive hit in Canada, spent a number of weeks at number one on the Billboard Triple A chart. It’s helped that her catchy tune has worked its way onto American television, including Grey’s Anatomy and a Cadillac commercial.
“‘Stompa” has been on many TV shows, reality TV, different things a lot of the teenagers have been noticing,” she says. “As soon as I play it, there is this exciting high school energy that happens. It is really exciting for me. I haven’t experienced that for a really long time.”
Not that winning Juno Awards and cranking out gold records in the homeland is any great burden. But Ryder does seem to be developing a renewed sense of purpose, and she’s having a good time while she’s at it. “Before this, my biggest market has been Mobile, Alabama,” she says. “I’m having more fun meeting fans after shows than I’ve had in ages.”
Meanwhile, back in the hinterland, Ryder was nominated for Casby Awards in every category (except new artist) — a first in the history of the awards that honour radio-friendly rock music played on stations such as the Edge in Toronto. It’s a big deal, and it speaks to Ryder’s unique ability to hit many different genres with her music.
“It’s pretty amazing,” says Ryder, who found out about the nominations from yours truly. “I never really thought that I would be played on the Edge, let alone be nominated in all the categories. That’s a huge deal and a big shock. I’m more of a CBC Radio girl.”
Personal accolades aside, Ryder, who has been very open about her long battle with depression leading up to the release of her latest album, Harmony, is all about keeping it real.
“Success can waver, up and down. It’s about how you feel in your life, not the numbers of CDs sold or the number in your bank account,” she says. “Success has to do with the lightness of the load on your back. I’ve always strived to feel satisfied inside myself, to be true and honest to myself.”
