After one listen, it would be easy to assume Ryan Woods fell from the heavens and landed smack dab in the middle of modern pop music and culture. He defies genres and eras with an otherworldly je ne sais quoi unlike anything you’ve heard. Flaunting a sky-high range and head-turning fashion sense, he exudes a swaggering gusto befitting of your favorite seventies rock star (take your pick), yet he opens up with a level of candor decidedly intrinsic to Gen Z. He can belt like nobody’s business, but he empathizes with a distinct sensitivity at the same time. Musically, he laces D.I.Y. pop with psychedelic experimentation and existential ruminations that are both provocative and profoundly catchy. Amassing tens of millions of streams and earning critical acclaim, he formally introduces himself on his Fearless Records debut LP, Godboy.

“I’m a lover and a fighter with an emphasis on ‘AND’,” he observes. “For much of my life, I was very passive, and I’d shutdown and run away from challenges and confrontations. I’ve learned if you don’t take control of your life and pursue what you’re passionate about, you’re always going to live in quiet regret. In 2024, I made it my mission to overcome that. I’m going to be bold enough to get what I want this year. So what do I want? I want to keep living life, learning, and creating art. I’m fighting for a better purpose from a place of love.”