There is something undeniably magnetic about Emily Ryan's newest single, "Not With Me." It's raw, it's bruising, and it has the authority of someone who has finally accepted that everything is not okay. Drawing influence from the angst and confidence of early 2000s pop-rock, Ryan serves us a candid, unfiltered perspective on heartbreak, served with the poise of someone who has finally admitted defeat.
And by matching the jagged edges of alternative rock with the sugary hooks of indie pop, "Not With Me" plays like the equivalent of slamming a door and walking away for good with your head held high. The song begins on a smoldering note, yet quickly spikes into an infectious, guitar-heavy anthem, ready to be blasted with the windows wide open. It's modern and reflective, a nifty trick Ryan performs with ease.
Emily Ryan, who grew up in Novi, Mich., a suburb of Detroit, is used to the spotlight. Music is in her blood from belting out show tunes in school musicals to crafting life-altering love affairs with live shows, such as the storied history of the Detroit area's DTE Music Theatre in live performances. Giving up on the faculty of music in favor of the regular college experience was never going to happen, not when you hear the clarity and conviction in her voice.
Part of what makes "Not With Me" so appealing is its intimate sound. Her songwriting begins with one emotional spark, a lyric, a line, a feeling, and blooms into something that feels both universal and intimate at the same time. She tends to her melodies with care, and yet it's the honesty in her lyrics that cuts the deepest. Emily Ryan has the sort of artistic intuition that cannot be taught. With "Not With Me," she's giving the green light to show off and stop apologizing for standing tall. It's alt-pop with a spine and a heart, and it's a bright step forward in the journey of an artist who's only just begun but already knows who she is.
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