As Billboard recently noted in its rave review of Ryan Cabrera’s new single “Say” from his album out next week The Moon Under Water, the young but rapidly maturing pop-rock auteur is “putting his money where his mouth is.” And the signs that his bet is paying off are already evident as the million-selling singer, songwriter and guitarist gears up to make his next definitive mark in music.
Cabrera is enjoying high profile media exposure such as appearing as a guest last week on “A
merican Top 40” and upcoming appearances on “
Good Morning America” (May 15) and “
The View” in a special “
Behind The Scenes” segment (airing twice on May 26 & 30). His bold decision to leave behind his major label deal and start his own independent Frolic Room Records to release The Moon Under Water also landed Cabrera an April 28 interview on Fox’s “Real World with Neil Cavuto” — the top business show on TV — to talk about his entrepreneurial artistic venture. He will also be featured soon on Motor Trend’s website (www.motortrend.com) talking about another facet of his life: cool cars.
Meanwhile “Say” — which was the most-added song on Top 40 the week it was released and Billboard declares “the catchiest, coolest most immediate release of the year” and a “summer smash” — is significantly driving sales in markets like Orlando/Daytona, FL and Providence, RI where it is receiving strong airplay, confirming the consumer appeal of his latest music. And after celebrating the May 13 release of The Moon Under Water with a show this Friday (May 9) at the Key Club in Los Angeles, Cabrera embarks again on a national radio tour with his band to play station concerts and follow up on his previous and well-received solo national radio trek earlier this year (dates below).
In financing his new album and now its promotion from the success he had with his two major label albums and hits like “True” and “On The Way Down,” Cabrera is trusting that his talents will out when it comes to getting his new and more mature music heard, enjoyed and bought by the public. If there’s a touchstone for his artistic aspirations and the lasting impact he hopes to forge, it can be found on his right forearm, where the image of the four Beatles crossing Abbey Road is tattooed.
But when Cabrera found he was seated next to Paul McCartney at last fall’s Led Zeppelin reunion concert in London, he was too much in awe and respectful of his musical icon to even introduce himself. “Hell no. I wish. I couldn’t,” he confesses. “I was too busy rolling my sleeve down to cover my arm up so he didn’t see my tattoo. I just sat there and looked.”
After all, Cabrera doesn’t just revere McCartney but also knows how celebrity — from his time in the gossip columns and on reality TV — can impinge on the joys of private life like just being a rock’n’roll fan at a historic concert. “He seemed really nice and was really cool. He was taking pictures and video of the show with his iPhone. It’s weird to see him as a fan of somebody else,” Cabrera says.
And the “life changing” Led Zeppelin show also helped stoke his fire to get back out on the road and perform for people, which what he enjoys most about his musical career. “They were so good that it was almost unreal,” he reports. “I think they came back just to show people what was up — okay, this is what a live show really is.”
Tour dates are as follows:
05/09 - Los Angeles, CAÂ Key Club
05/10 - San Antonio, TXÂ KXXM Radio Show
05/11 - Dallas, TXÂ The Loft
05/12 - Houston, TXÂ Warehouse Live
05/26 - Colorado Springs, COÂ KKMG Radio Show
06/07 - Albany, NYÂ WFLY Radio Show
06/12 - Pittsburgh, PAÂ Rex Theatre
06/14 - Kansas City, KSÂ KMXV Radio Show
06/15 - Syracuse, NYÂ WNTQ Radio Show
06/21 - Green Bay, WIÂ Â WKSZ Radio Show
07/03 - Orlando, FLÂ WXXL Radio Show