Serena Ryder

Canadian artist Serena Lauren Ryder's latest R&B inflected pop single "Stompa" was nominated for Single of the Year at the Junos last year. At its peak, the song was number 8 on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100. "Stompa" features a gnarly, distorted guitar riff on loop, with tinkling piano keys and a crooning Ryder delighting in the therapeutic qualities of music and movement.

Ryder explains, "Stompa is the most fun I've ever had on stage. People always get up and stomp and clap and sing with me. I love it."

Much like her personal style (motorcycle boots often matched with a romantic dress and vintage jacket), Serena Ryder's latest album Harmony reflects the diverse layers of her personality, songwriting and performance styles. The album, appropriately titled, showcases Ryder's powerful range of vocals and musical stylings. Accustomed to seeing Ryder perform with guitar in hand, fans will be treated to a few new tracks that see her setting the guitar aside. Many of the new songs are rich with melody, and with Ryder having recorded many of the harmonies herself, she said she'll be relying on pre-recorded tracks during the tour for just a few of the songs.

While Ryder has built an incredibly strong following in Canada with her three previous major label albums, earning two Canadian gold records, three Juno Awards (2008 New Artist of the Year, 2009 Adult Alternative Album of the Year, 2010 Video of the Year), it wasn't until she recorded Harmony that she caught the attention she so deserved.

"I feel this record is a lot more diverse because I realized that it was always me trying to define myself in some sort of consistent genre," she said. "In hindsight I found that totally limiting."

Deviating from the rock roots expectation of fans, critics and herself, with Harmony Serena Ryder has found her voice. Every layer of it.

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