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‘Cool is the enemy!’ Eurovision hero Sam Ryder on how he ditched his ego and found his joy

From Essex wedding singer to the face of British pop, it’s been a wild ride for Sam Ryder. He talks about the hard graft behind his meteoric rise

D id Sam Ryder have any idea, when he got ready for his Eurovision performance , that he might be about to reverse the nation’s doldrums, the super-low scores that have dogged us for this entire century? Did he have a clue that he might come second?

“I had inklings,” Ryder says, sitting in Langham’s, a fancy hotel in central London, where he and his girlfriend, Lois Gaskin-Barber, have been holed up since they came back from Turin on Sunday. “It seemed like it was from the universe.” The 32-year-old, with a hat-trick of Jesus-like qualities (long hair, beard, good at carpentry), leans forward to paint the scene: “I was backstage, with clips in my hair, I looked like a little terrier. The atmosphere is like a school play, times a million. Everyone’s getting ready, fixing loose stitches, putting pearls back on with a glue gun, rollers in their hair, flapping.” When he stepped on stage to perform Space Man, an anthemic, Queen-tinged riot of a song, he had just been awarded Eurovision’s Press award for best song of the year. “The UK has never won that. So that gave me a real boost, a lot of adrenaline.”

He is still wearing the same splashy jumper with the psychedelic flowers in which he arrived home, to cheering fans who had spontaneously gathered at the airport. He’s also still grinning ear to ear, but his TikTok army – a following of 13 million, mostly built up over lockdown – will know that that’s not unusual, and it’s not even necessarily because of Eurovision .

Sam Ryder is a genuine one-off, perpetually emanating good feelings. He reckons you can tell what someone will be like from listening to their music, and I ask what, then, his music tells us about him. “I get ‘golden retriever energy’. And I accept that 100%. I love golden retrievers.” He makes no stab at all at a detached, rock star exterior, and hates cynicism, but not as much as he hates cool. “Cool is the enemy. Cool is the reason that so many people don’t live authentically. And it’s the reason that a lot of dreams end up on the scrapheap, dreams that could have easily been fulfilled otherwise. Cool is something that is imposed on people by someone else whose journey it isn’t.” “That’s cool,” I say, reflexively. “Dammit,” he replies, beaming.

He now has a European tour, one in South Korea, a summer full of festivals and enough songs written to cut an album in the autumn. “More than enough – I had a hundred songs. Not all of them good. A lot of them are shite. But that’s songwriting.”

So obviously, like any normal person, I want to find Ryder’s dark side: his life may look pretty golden (retriever) today, but the road to Eurovision was paved with things that didn’t quite work out. He decided he wanted to be a singer when he was 11 (endearingly, he still goes by the school year and describes his age as “year 7”); he saw a Canadian band called Sum 41 live and that was it. His musical tastes tend towards energy and showmanship – he loves Queen; Earth, Wind & Fire; Stevie Wonder. On TikTok he pays homage to Britney Spears with a joyful cover of …Baby One More Time.

He grew up in Chelmsford, in Essex, and his parents – his mother a dental assistant, his father a carpenter – were very encouraging. “They weren’t musical, but they did whatever they could to give me more of a shot.” But they weren’t pinning any hopes of glory on him. “They just wanted me to realise enough of my goals that I could see if it was for me. Because a lot of the time, especially when we’re young, we think we want things that we don’t necessarily. All the people that used to play music in my school, we all had those same dreams, of being a rock star one day. None of them do it any more. And they’re happy. Thank God.”

By the time he was 19, a few different bands he had been in at school had coalesced into one, the Morning After , which released two studio albums in the late 00s. They were not what you would call an overnight sensation, or even an underground hit. “I’ve been playing music for a long time, mostly to empty rooms,” says Ryder. “That’s not me getting the violin out. That’s the reality for so many people. Absolutely grafting, carrying on regardless with a sort of blind ambition, believing that you’ll make it one day and it might not be tomorrow.”

He warms to this theme, basking in the not-success years. “You know, no one could stop me because I loved it. I didn’t need validation because music is so amazing. When you’re connected to it, when you’re singing, you feel all that fulfilment and joy. It gives you everything, so to ask anything more of it, to ask for success as well, feels almost greedy, takes the magic out of it.” He circles round and says this another way, in case I didn’t believe him. “If music is your whole life, if it’s the reason you have that spark inside you, your cup’s full, essentially.” But I did believe him.

He is very keen not to leave any false impressions about the Morning After. “If we played to 30 people, we thought we were kings of the world. It wasn’t as if every week there were breadcrumbs of hope – like ‘You got played on the radio today’, or ‘You’ve been asked to go on a support tour’. The rewards were few, far between, and when they came, absolutely meagre.” Very occasionally, he would have a dark night of the soul, but snap out of it as soon as he got some good news. “But that would be an email from Radio Essex, saying: ‘We’re going to play your song on Tuesday.’ It was absolutely not the keys to the city. No disrespect to Radio Essex. So what is it that keeps you going? It has to be love. What else could it be?”

The Morning After parted ways in 2010, and after that Ryder went to Canada to play guitar for a glam metal band, Blessed By a Broken Heart. Two years in, he was their lead vocalist, and the album they recorded made it on to a Billboard newcomers’ chart, before the band split in 2013 and he joined the American band Close Your Eyes, which I only mention in order to use the phrase “Texas melodic hardcore”.

His smart move, Ryder says, was that he always tried to make a living from work besides music. “A lot of people want to be perceived as artists, sustaining themselves fully and sovereignly through their art. I know so many people that did that who aren’t doing anything any more. The reason is, you put too much pressure on the work, and then you begin to resent the work.”

Instead, he worked in construction; he helped his father with the carpentry (“I think I was probably more of a hindrance than a help to my lovely dad”); and in 2017, he opened a vegan cafe with Gaskin-Barber. They have been together 10-and-a-half years (something dead romantic about his mentioning the “half”, as if it was very important to him not to round down). She is watchful and self-possessed, not wild about attention but nor is she not enjoying the mayhem. She is a jewellery designer now, and she made all those colourful bead necklaces that interrupt his knitwear. They are both still vegan; it’s really good for your voice, apparently, not eating dairy.

At around the same time as Ryder opened the cafe, his parents suggested that he get into playing weddings on the side. “They said: ‘You live in Essex; it’s the wedding capital of England.’ So I’ve played loads of them.” All over the south-east, there’ll be couples with a video of dancing their first dance to the near-winner of Eurovision. “It was amazing – and definitely not cool. If you’re trying to form your own music career, it’s almost got a stigma. ‘You’re a wedding singer now. You’ll never get out of it.’ Other people’s perception would be that that’s the thing that you do when you’ve exhausted the pursuit of your dream.”

This, he says, gave him his 10,000 hours (amazingly tenacious, that Malcolm Gladwell principle , which says that’s how long it takes for someone to become an expert in their field), singing Stevie Wonder and Whitney Houston covers, looking after his vocal cords with juiced vegetables. It takes quite a lot of physical discipline to be able to sing three weddings a week, at two hours a pop. “You don’t get that practice when you’re focused on being an artist. You’ll probably tour a few times a year, doing half-hour sets to crowds that you haven’t got to win over, because they’re already stoked. So weddings are fantastic.”

The experience also provided something more important than practice. “I remember the first wedding I played, on stage, with my eyes closed, thinking: ‘Yeah, I really nailed that little section. They’ll like that.’ Opening my eyes and no one cared. They were there with their friends and family, having the best day of their lives. I was there to provide the atmosphere. The band is so far from the centre of attention – if anyone’s the star of the show, it’s the caterers.” So it was good for his ego. “I realised, my joy’s meant to come from within, not from an external source. That, for me, changed my entire life, changed my path and where I get my happiness from. It’s not from a full room.”

The cafe work continued: “I’d come home from a wedding around three in the morning, and I’d be passing the juice bar and think: ‘I may as well just go in – I need to be there in three hours anyway.’ So I’d be there in my suit, with an apron on, cutting watermelons, waving at the milkman. You do what you’ve got to do to make it work.” His descriptions are often quite cinematic, visual and pacy. When lockdown brought weddings to an abrupt end and he started posting his TikTok videos, they looked really spontaneous and lo-fi. He’s just a guy, standing in front of a lamp and a venetian blind, with a great big beard, singing his heart out for (usually) 15 seconds.

There’s a lot of power in his voice, a lot of wit and charm in his asides; he has a huge range, and you can tell his mum works in dentistry since his teeth are positively American; but there’s something more going on, a sense of visual connection. These aren’t just showstoppers – Queen, the Greatest Showman soundtrack, Taylor Swift – expertly rendered. They are enough to make you want to sing yourself, and jump about. Once you’ve seen one video, you want to see another every morning. It’s like karaoke Wordle.

“They were just silly, fun videos,” he says. “There’s a difference between taking something seriously and treating it with respect. No one can say to me that I don’t have respect for the music or put my heart into it, but I can still mess around and try and sing Britney Spears as high as I can go.”

In 2019, UK Eurovision changed tack; instead of putting the song-entry choice to a public vote, the BBC and a music management company (formerly BMG, now TaP) would decide. This turned out to be smart, because some decisions are too important for democracy. Ryder wrote Space Man a year and a half ago. “I never meant for this song to go to Eurovision,” he says. “I’ve always been a fan of Eurovision but that wasn’t my dream – I never thought I’d love to do it. Making a career for yourself in music is a mountain to climb, and the wind’s against you. Dreaming of Eurovision on top of that – you’re basically saying: I want to be the 1% of the 1%. But when the opportunity came along, my heart leapt at it.” Now, if Space Man reaches No 1 this Friday, he will become the first British artist since Gina G in 1996 to top the UK charts with a Eurovision entry.

Ryder was blown away when he heard Ukraine’s entry at the contest: “One of the proudest moments of my life was standing in the arena with my friends and team, watching them win, and witnessing love being radiated from the entire room, standing in solidarity and shining a light into darkness.” But he hadn’t listened to any of the entries before. “As soon as you do that, you’re thinking, ‘I’m in a battle of the bands. This is a contest.’ I didn’t want to do that. I mean, what are you doing, if you’re from the UK and you’re preparing for battle? Seems a bit silly.”

Do not, whatever you do, mistake this for pessimism about the UK’s chances in future. “We almost put ourselves in a victim mentality when it comes to Eurovision. I don’t subscribe to that stigma and cynicism that Europe hates the UK, that Eurovision is a waste of time. That hasn’t been my experience. We travelled around Europe, did radio and TV, all manner of press, singing on street corners, and the only thing we ever felt was love and welcome. There was no weirdness. We weren’t ostracised in the lunch hall. Everyone was buzzing, everyone was stoked, everyone was kind, everyone was loving.”

• Eurovision 2022
• Pop and rock

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Sam Ryder: “Eurovision was the perfect point in my journey to throw all the chips on the table”

Following a triumphant showing at Eurovision – and now a Number One album – the Essex-born musician has undeniably had 2022’s feel-good breakthrough

S am Ryder has just cemented a genuinely stellar 2022 by storming to number one with his debut album ‘There’s Nothing But Space, Man!’ . For the 33-year-old from Maldon in Essex, this chart-topping success must have felt even sweeter following a couple of near misses earlier in the year. After finishing second Eurovision in May with his Elton -esque pop gem ‘Space Man’ – the UK’s best result since 1998 – he was narrowly held off number one by Harry Styles’ ubiquitous ‘As It Was’. So finally, Ryder is getting his moment as the indisputable top dog.

Actually, since Eurovision made him an instant national hero – three weeks later, he sang ‘Space Man’ at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Concert – it’s become common to see Ryder described as ‘puppyish’. It’s a convenient shorthand, perhaps, for the infectious energy he brings to everything he does. When NME asks about his pre-fame career as co-owner of a vegan café, he raves: “Man, I made some of the best cold-pressed juice I’ve ever had!” Endless Summer, a zesty blend of orange, carrot and ginger, was apparently an especially strong seller.

But soon after Ryder arrives at his NME shoot and greets everyone in the room with a bear hug, it becomes clear that “puppyish” isn’t quite right. Puppies have a tendency to apply their energy indiscriminately, whereas Ryder has the purposeful focus of a seasoned pro. He reckons he’s only had five days off all year, but with a number one album in his eyeline, he isn’t about to slow down now. Five days later, when he achieves his goal, he makes sure to emphasise that it was a true team effort “that couldn’t have been done without so many fabulous, amazing, optimistic legends.”

Because he’s been working like a dog, the Christmas break is a particularly big deal for Ryder this year. He certainly throws himself into NME ‘s festive-themed shoot with all the enthusiasm and exuberance he displayed during his Eurovision campaign, gamely draping tinsel around his neck and flashing beaming smiles that almost seem to compete with the fairy lights. At one point, he apologises for accidentally striking “a David Brent pose” – don’t worry Sam, that one won’t make the cut. And throughout the interview, he’s positive and unselfconsciously friendly without ever being saccharine. “My uncle passed away a few years ago and my favourite thing about Christmas was always trying to annoy him as much as possible,” he says in a rare melancholy moment. “But we’ve got two new nephews in the family now, and that creates a new kind of magic…”

R yder’s huge 2022 breakthrough has been propelled by his infectious energy and fundamental niceness – come on, who doesn’t like Sam Ryder? – but it’s also the result of a lengthy and varied musical apprenticeship. ‘There’s Nothing But Space, Man!’ is an album of big-hearted pop-rock anthems – “ If butterflies can use their wings to turn the wind to hurricanes, ” he sings on ‘Tiny Riot’, “ you and I can break the chains ” – but Ryder started out as a proper metalhead. He can remember singing S Club 7’s ‘Reach’ at a school assembly when he was seven and “getting absolutely rinsed for it”, but his musical journey began in earnest when he picked up a guitar as a teenager.

By this point, he wasn’t just listening to the “prestigious legacy artists” his parents raised him on – Queen , Stevie Wonder and Earth Wind & Fire – but also going to Sum 41 gigs. In what sounds almost comically like an act of God, he got into Iron Maiden after finding one of their CDs on the floor of a bus. “What’s even weirder,” he recalls, “is that I went to Catholic school and I was on a school trip to a nunnery when I found it!” Track four on that discarded CD, ‘The Evil That Men Do’, remains one of his favourite Maiden songs to this day.

When he was 16, Ryder’s first proper band The Morning After began to establish a presence on the local music scene. He describes their sound as “Iron Maiden wannabe… not as good”, before pivoting to a more characteristic positive. “It was really fun,” he continues. “I have such fond memories of, like, thinking I was writing these songs that were going to change the world but [which] really weren’t. But that’s an important part of being in a band. I think when you’re that young, you’ve got to have that belief that you’re doing something good.”

Actually, The Morning After did well enough to play Download Festival , albeit “on the smallest stage [and] right at the start of the day”. But this proved to be their high watermark and as band members came and went, Ryder also drifted into “playing in other bands”. He spent two or three years as a member of Canadian rock band Blessed by a Broken Heart, but describes his subsequent stint as frontman of Texan outfit Close Your Eyes as more formative. “I was a singer, songwriter [and] really part of those guys,” he says. “And it was a hardcore punk band, which was something totally new for me.”

“I’m not interested in trying to impress anyone with my journey”

So, how on earth did Sam Ryder end up fronting a hardcore punk band from Texas? “I heard they needed a singer so I sent them a clip of me singing,” he says matter-of-factly. “In that scene, there are so many singers who are really great at screaming – you know, the hardcore punk vocals. I wasn’t necessarily great at that, but I was good at clean singing.” And that made you stand out? “Yeah, because there weren’t as many strong clean singers on the scene. And I just thought, ‘I’ll deal with the screaming thing as and when it comes!'”

In a way, this is classic Sam Ryder: funny and self-effacing, but tenacious at the same time. After all, less ambitious singers would have balked at the idea of “constantly going back and forth between Essex and Texas” to make it work. Ryder released one album with the band, 2013’s ‘Line In The Sand’, but his abiding memory of Close Your Eyes is playing the Vans Warped Tour in 2014. While cross-crossing North America with dozens of other bands including Less Than Jake , Enter Shikari and Bowling for Soup , Ryder stood out not just for his “clean singing”.

“I was the only person on that tour who managed to shower every single day,” he says proudly, pointing out that being “the freshest kid on the Warped Tour” involved plenty of ingenuity. “The showers on that tour – they’re the grossest thing on earth, you don’t want to go near them,” he says. “So instead, I’d walk the perimeter of the stadium [we were playing at] and try to find a little faucet or a tap. I’d be rooting up the sprinkler system if I had to!”

Ryder shares this story with a beaming smile on his face, but also admits that he was “a bit like a golden retriever” during this era “and lost with it”. Now, eight years later, having reinvented himself as the solo artist who ended the UK’s Eurovision woes, he believes he’s just as “excitable and enthusiastic”, but also “a much calmer person”. What changed?

“Eurovision is about so much more than that three minutes on stage”

“I’m older,” he says quickly before pausing for thought. “And I understand now that the perception other people have of you isn’t really important. It’s how you go about life and carry yourself [that matters]”. This point was impressed on Ryder when he sang ‘Somebody To Love’ with Queen and Foo Fighters at September’s Taylor Hawkins tribute concert at Wembley Stadium “Those guys are all rock legends,” he says, “but they were all so lovely and generous with their time and energy”.

When he looks back at his younger self, Ryder believes he was too caught up in making career choices that would “look cool” and “impress people”. “But now,” he says, “I’m not interested in trying to impress anyone with my journey. I’d rather use my energy to encourage people that aren’t where they want to be on their journey.”

R yder’s own journey hit a road bump in 2014 when he left Close Your Eyes after realising he was “more comfortable being a fan of heavy metal and punk music than making it”. He returned to the UK and worked for a short time in construction with his dad. Ryder is probably the only person alive who can claim to have helped build the new Wembley Stadium – “in the loosest sense, I hung a couple of doors!” – and then performed there. “It was one of the proudest moments of my life,” he says of sharing such an iconic stage with his heroes.

Construction didn’t really suit Ryder, so his next step was to open a vegan café with his girlfriend while building a new career as a wedding singer. It must have felt like a step back for a musician who had performed at Download and on the Vans Warped Tour, but in typical Ryder fashion, he puts a positive spin on it. “I’d play a wedding, finish at two in the morning, then go to the café to make the juice for the day,” he recalls. “The wedding business was going really well and I was enjoying it.”

Ryder hadn’t given up on making his own music – he was still writing songs – but at this stage, wedding gigs were his only live work. The turning point came at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 when he cannily identified TikTok’s potential as a music-sharing platform. As @samhairwolfryder , he began sharing cover versions recorded in his garden shed and built a massive fanbase – he now more than 14 million followers.

In May 2020, Sia shared Ryder’s cover of her song ‘Elastic Heart’ after being sent it by Justin Bieber . Soon afterwards, Ryder signed a major label record deal with Parlophone, home to Coldplay and Gorillaz . “It’s funny,” he says today, “because I was singing with the same ability as I had been two or three years earlier. And the songs I’d been writing [in those two or three years] were just as good. But when one person with a platform gets on board – like Sia – it changes the temperature. All of a sudden I was ‘someone to look out for’. It’s a really fickle thing.”

“Performing with Queen and Foo Fighters? Those guys are all rock legends”

The temperature changed so much that in January of this year, Ryder was scouted for Eurovision by TaP Music, the global management company behind Lana Del Rey and London Grammar . The BBC had brought TaP on board to reverse the UK’s fortunes at the contest after an abominable run culminating in two consecutive last-place finishes. Ryder’s gut instinct was to say yes because he’s a massive Eurovision fan: watching Finnish heavy metal band Lordi win in 2006 is a cherished memory. But though his “heart was all-in”, he still had to ask himself the obvious question: “What if I come last as well?”

Ryder pushed aside these doubts by telling himself that he had nothing to lose. “The more I thought about it, the more I realised I was at the perfect point in my journey to throw all my chips on the table,” he says today. Because he felt as though the music industry was “only just letting me in the door”, he wasn’t about to “start tiptoeing around on eggshells – I had to go for it”.

At the same time, Ryder was becoming acutely aware that TikTok’s potential to level up his career was slowly ebbing away – mainly because every up-and-coming artist was now using it as a launchpad. “So it was either I keep doing [TikTok] or I go for this big open goal that everyone’s too scared to aim for,” he says. “And I just figured that if it all went wrong [at Eurovision], I was happy doing weddings before and I could literally go back and smash it again.”

Ryder knew he had a fantastic song in ‘Space Man’, a soaring, ’70s-style ballad that shows off his awesome vocal range – he had co-written it around 18 months earlier with Ed Sheeran collaborator Amy Wadge. However, he points out that today smashing Eurovision is about “so much more than that three minutes on stage”. “It’s about respecting this institution,” he says earnestly. “It’s been around for longer than anything else on television and the viewership speaks for itself.”

“I understand now that the perception other people have of you isn’t really important.”

That’s a very fair point: this year’s Grand Final was watched by 161 million people worldwide including nine million in the UK. “How have we come to a point where we actually have the audacity to say that this thing is naff and cheesy?” he says with a sigh. “It might be bombastic and a bit barmy sometimes, but to not see the opportunity in it is actively disrespectful. If Eurovision is uncool, I’ll hold my hands up and say I’m the uncoolest guy in music because I love it.”

Ryder’s superb second-place finish behind Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra, the overwhelming sentimental favourites for obvious reasons, wasn’t just a game-changer for his own career. “He did more than fly the flag, he changed attitudes,” says Daniel Rosney, who covers Eurovision for BBC News. “Time and time again he refused to buy into the negative narrative that the UK always does badly. He proved with a great song and fantastic staging people will vote for us. It’s exciting to see, because of him, what artists will consider being involved in the future – that otherwise would have dismissed it.”

Having handled one long-running institution with care, the BBC has entrusted Ryder with another: its big New Year’s Eve show. He has already taped Sam Ryder’s All Star New Year’s Eve to air either side of midnight in two 30-minute instalments. When Ryder says his show is “inspired by the way Queen approached Live Aid”, it sounds uncharacteristically grandiose, but it turns out that actually, he’s just understood the assignment. Again. “They were the only band on the [Live Aid] lineup who weren’t trying to promote something,” he says. “It was about fan service, not self-service, and bringing everyone together for a moment in time that transcended them and their catalogue.”

To that end, Ryder has packed his NYE party with covers of “songs that span generations and demographics” – expect everything from Elton John to Beyoncé – and crowd-pleasing duets. He’ll sing ‘I Believe In A Thing Called Love’ with The Darkness’ Justin Hawkins and channel Bryan Adams by joining Melanie C for ‘When You’re Gone’. “It doesn’t matter who you are,” he says, “you’ll find something in this show to enjoy.”

It’s an approach that says a lot about Sam Ryder. Having stormed through the door at Eurovision after spending more than 15 years trying to prize it open, he isn’t about to mess anything up. When NME asks what he wants people to think when they hear his name, Ryder makes himself the butt of the joke – “Golden retriever? Massive mouth?” – before getting serious. “I actually think it would be dangerously arrogant for me to try and answer that, because I’d be trying to control something that’s out of my control. All I can do is focus on doing my best work.” He may have taken us to space, man, but Sam Ryder’s feet remain firmly on the ground.

Sam Ryder’s debut album ‘There’s Nothing But Space, Man!’ is out now

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Culture | Music

Sam Ryder on Eurovision, TikTok and why he won’t let fear rule his decisions

Call it what you will — uninspiring song choices, strong competition, the curse of Brexit — but the United Kingdom is suffering from a severe case of Eurovision hoodoo.

Finishing dead bottom for the past two editions, with poor old James Newman struck down by the ignominy of the nul points in 2021, these isles haven’t produced a top 10 finisher since Jade Ewen hit the heady heights of fifth back in 2009. So how did Sam Ryder — the social media sensation whose TikToks helped win him a major label contract during the pandemic — feel when the call came asking him to try and reverse the UK’s fortunes at this year’s Eurovision?

“My gut reaction was as a fan, like: that’s amazing, what an incredible opportunity,” the 32-year-old remembers. “Then, after that immediate blinding of the lights, you get the fear, and the overthinking kicks in. What if you get so-and-so points? What if you come here on the leaderboard?

“But then, I had to keep reminding myself that that has nothing to do with anything in my power, and to base your decision on any of those things is to base your decision on fear. And I never want to have a relationship where I’m choosing not to sing because I’m scared or fearful.”

It’s a grounded approach for a musician whose past couple of years have been anything but. The announcement that Ryder would be heading to Turin for the Eurovision final in May “opened the floodgates” in terms of diary commitments — our interview is being squeezed in between a weekend trip to Madrid and a flight to Germany for a run of gigs — but it’s just the latest injection of rocket fuel for Ryder’s ascent.

Essex-raised, he grew up “in a house where there was always music ”; duetting with Freddie Mercury’s solo records in the back of the car as a child is among his earliest memories of singing. Later on, inspired by artists on the heavier end of the spectrum, such as Iron Maiden, Ryder flitted between bands “like a flea on a dog”, he says, both playing instruments and singing. “As soon as a member of a band left and someone needed someone, it was me that hopped in. I’d be in the band for like, a year or something, and then get kicked out — or the band would finish, actually… that’s what usually happened.

“I was like the Black Death,” he says with a laugh. “Once I turned up, you knew the days were numbered.”

In the few years before the pandemic, Ryder focused on trying to launch a solo career, but soon became stuck in that “cycle of overthinking things”, spending weeks on projects before binning it all, doomed to repeat the process.

Enter, the first Covid lockdown. “It gave me a really good opportunity to clean the slate,” says Ryder. He resolved to “tackle the way my relationship works with music. That was the question, and to get over that procrastination, I just pulled my phone out and sang straight into it.”

Within weeks, Ryder became one of TikTok ’s most viral musicians. His videos, in which Ryder would cover pop songs to showcase his ground-quaking vocals (and glorious hair), were little more than 30-second snippets, but they drew millions of viewers — some famous admirers among them. “Justin Bieber DM’d me to say that he texted my video singing Elastic Heart by Sia to Sia,” Ryder recalls. “And then Sia posted it on her Instagram with this amazing, encouraging caption. That was a huge milestone.”

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Ryder’s digital fame continued to balloon — he’s got 12.3m TikTok followers and more than 100m likes on the platform — and before long, the big record labels began to circle, even though Covid rules meant that any fancy dinners with company execs were swapped for “coffees in alleyways”, Ryder says.

“There was a lot of interest around for a while, but it’s not just a done deal, like, ‘Hey, we’ve seen you’ve got this many followers on TikTok so we want to sign you’, because it’s immediately apparent that’s foolish. It doesn’t happen like that. It was actually Space Man that got me signed to [current label] Parlophone.”

Ryder’s referring to the song he’ll sing at Eurovision, a track that “hit the launch button on everything”. Written alongside Amy Wadge — a Grammy winner for her role in penning the Ed Sheeran hit Thinking Out Loud — and songwriter Max Wolfgang, it was first released in February this year.

A punchy pop ballad highlighting Ryder’s dynamic, powerful voice, it proved a hit during a sell-out run of UK shows earlier this year. It was during the tour that Ryder realised Space Man had also caught the ears of the BBC, who wanted it for Eurovision.

“I took three days to make my decision, even though I knew my decision, because I knew as soon as you say yes, everything starts,” Ryder says. “I was on my first ever UK tour, and I really wanted to just be in that moment, and enjoy that moment, and not let myself be overwhelmed by this other huge force that is Eurovision coming in too soon before I could handle it. To be honest, I was worried that it would just be too much on my plate, mentally.”

An avid Eurovision viewer since childhood, who names Finnish horror-rockers Lordi as his all-time favourite entry, Ryder seems well aware of the surreal pressure of now competing himself, but he’s determined to savour the moment in May.

“Those three minutes on a stage in Turin will go past in the blink of an eye,” he says. “And if you’re fearful about your decision, or where you come on a leaderboard, it goes by even quicker. It’s so important for me to try and stay calm, focused and centred through the whole thing because I want to enjoy it.”

And even though the UK doesn’t have much by way of recent pedigree, there is cautious optimism: some bookies have placed Ryder among the favourites. It’s nice to feel “encouragement that, hopefully, that there’s an air of positivity at home”, Ryder says, but he’s also made a conscious decision not to get too wrapped up in it. “I just want to step away from Eurovision, walk off that stage and know that I did the best job I possibly could.”

The Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest will air on BBC One, iPlayer, Radio 2 and BBC Sounds from 8pm on May 14

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Home Music Music Features

30 November 2022 11:53 AM

Sam Ryder on Eurovision, 2022 and releasing his debut album

As 2022 nears its close, eurovision hero sam ryder tells rolling stone uk how he became one of the year's defining stars.

By Nick Reilly

Few artists have managed to put their musical stamp on 2022 quite like Sam Ryder . When the year began, he was the TikTok sensation who garnered a massive audience during lockdown when his covers of Justin Bieber and Alicia Keys showed off those pipes and attracted millions of views.

But as the year ends, Ryder has defined 2022 by becoming the UK’s highest-scoring Eurovision entry in years. He may have been pipped to victory by Ukraine, but the country’s ongoing war with Russia means that the contest, at long last, will be hosted in the UK next year thanks to Ryder’s impressive second place.

With an anticipated debut album set for release at the start of December, we caught up with Ryder as he reflects on his achievements.

How’s it been hitting the road for your first post-Eurovision tour?

It’s been so good. They’re countries I’ve visited before and played to no one. I’ve done the transit van slogs with bands that I’ve been in. It’s been wild to play some of the same venues that have previously been empty, but it’s just exciting to see crowds there. I’ve been in situations before where I can hear people cashing up the till or the squeak of the mop, but I can’t now! That’s been nice.

How much has life changed since Eurovision? Have you been able to stop and take stock?

Yeah, definitely. There’s been a semblance of checking in regularly. Ultimately, it comes down to gratitude for the new milestones I get to experience. They’re things I wouldn’t have dared to dream about, like playing with Queen and Dave Grohl [at Wembley’s Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert] because that’s a pipe dream, really. But then you’ve just got to be thankful.

I’ve always been into music — it’s been the one thing I’ve wanted to make a career out of. I was singing at weddings before this, and I was happy with that. I felt fulfilled, I had a purpose, which meant that when I was announced for Eurovision, I knew I wouldn’t be looking for happiness and validation because I already had it. It safeguards you from the pitfalls that we know all too well can happen in this industry.

What are your memories of Eurovision 2022 like? Did it become a blur as your score kept going up?

I was surrounded by my pals and that was the biggest thing for me. I could have had the same experience but if I was surrounded by people that were new in my life from the label and industry, it wouldn’t have been the same. I love them dearly in my life, but it wouldn’t have held nearly as much importance. I was sitting with my partner and my friend Kaz, we’ve known each other for nearly 10 years and he’s the tour manager now. All of us just sat together and enjoyed this thing. The disbelief of seeing us climb up that scoreboard, we were just sat there and none of us could believe it. Nothing else mattered, I was with my friends and it was just good to be there.

So you’ve kept a quite close-knit circle around you?

Yeah, because you want it to change your work life, but you can’t let it change your actual life. Work can become way busier and exciting, but the goal is to keep real life as boring and delightfully mundane as it was before. I just love hanging out with my family and eating a curry on a Saturday night. Or walking my dog along the sea wall where I live. Ultimately, you have to remember you’re just a guest in this new world where doors have opened to you. I’m 33 years old, man! I’ve lived a long life before this and I know what makes me happy: it’s sitting down with a sandwich and watching Formula 1.

Still, your performance of ‘Somebody to Love’ with Dave Grohl and Queen felt like a special moment.

It was so cool meeting those guys, they’ve climbed to the top of the music mountain and put a flag in the peak. To see how normal and lovely they are, having done all that, was amazing. I was sitting there beforehand and someone came along and put their hand on my back because they wanted to grab me for a minute. It was Dave Grohl! He didn’t have to say hello to me, but to make someone who isn’t in that circle and at the beginning of their journey, which I am, feel so welcome, was just incredible. That was pure kindness and it was even cooler to see how they still hang around looking at each other’s guitars and guitar pedals. It felt like nothing had changed from their first ever band practice with their mates as teenagers. It was the same energy! Everyone was looking at Brian May’s midi switchboard and I just loved that. It showed me that we don’t have to become rock stars to find the pure joy in music. You have it from the very beginning and that’s what they’re still doing.

Did they give you any advice?

They were so encouraging, but Freddie Mercury has always been one of my heroes. He’s the first person I ever remember singing along to as a toddler in the car. The ‘Living on My Own’ remix had just came out and I was doing the “ dee do de de ” bit. There’s been a lot of Freddie influence in my life.

Your debut album, There’s Nothing but Space, Man! , arrives on December 9. What does it say about you as an artist?

It’s a debut typically in the sense that there’s a lot going on, you’re drawing on an excitement and enthusiasm because you haven’t been in the industry long enough to become jaded. But I think it focuses on the idea of retaining hope and faith and that’s been a massive part of my journey. You’ve found this thing that you love, which is performing and singing for me. How many people do you know out there who don’t love what they’re doing? They haven’t found that thing that lights them up. The album is about the idea of once you’ve found that thing, never ceasing to grab onto it, never giving up and following that journey and path.

For you, where does that enthusiasm come from? You seem relentlessly positive.

I’ve been through the whole spectrum of emotions, like many other humans, and found this is the best way to live. You’re not always in that state and the last few days on this tour have been  incredibly trying because I’ve had no sleep and it can be tough, but you’re still in the game! I’ve worked so many years in construction dreaming of being in the spot that I am now, so you understand that the moments where things are a bit tough are the tax you pay for the thing you love doing.

Next year sees Liverpool host Eurovision because Ukraine, sadly, is unable to.

It’s going to be incredibly collaborative, but if you’re looking for a hotel it’s going to suck for you! It’s in the tens of thousands if you’re hoping to stay for a few nights! But seriously, it’s going to celebrate Ukrainian culture, while also celebrating UK music, too. We’re in Liverpool, it’s literally the birthplace of pop music through The Beatles, you could argue. It’s going to be an amazing meeting of two countries that want to celebrate this amazing thing.

TaP Music are involved in picking the act again, which bodes well after your success .

The most important thing to take away from this is that there was never a stigma against the UK in Eurovision. That was something we invented in our heads, so the coolest thing to take away is a fresh attitude. You asked about optimism and part of that for me is getting rid of habitual thought patterns, like putting yourself down. That was what we wanted to do with Eurovision and it’s a massive team effort. Eurovision is going to be incredibly interesting; we’re stepping into a new musical landscape with TikTok and people working out of their bedrooms that have an online support network. If you want to get involved, you’ll need to put your best foot forward.

It feels like TikTok is going to be huge for musical diversity. People doing music on the most DIY terms can finally break through — just like you did.

Yes! And Eurovision needs to reflect the plethora of musical talent in the UK. Eurovision has been an open goal for years, but a lot of people also believe it’s a poisoned chalice, so you haven’t been getting them in droves wanting to do Eurovision. I think that’s going to change and that’s what I’m excited about: we really get to celebrate the vast range of diverse talent in the UK. It’s someone else’s journey now and I just hope that they’re a fan of Eurovision, because they won’t get hung up on the scoreboard. I want them to be able to soak up all the amazing stuff and have the same experience that we did.

Sam Ryder’s debut album There’s Nothing But Space, Man! is released on December 9.

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Who Is Sam Ryder? Introducing The UK’s Eurovision Contender

After finding fame on TikTok with his superb cover versions, Sam Ryder’s Eurovision entry, Space Man, is set to ensure his star keeps rising.

While stuck in lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, singer Sam Ryder started uploading TikTok videos of himself singing songs to stave off the boredom. Against all odds, he’s since become a social-media sensation and has now been chosen to represent the United Kingdom in the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest . In case you somehow managed to avoid hopping aboard Ryder’s TikTok train, allow us to introduce him to you – this is the story of how Sam Ryder went from hopeful TikTokker to Eurovision contender.

Listen to our TikTok Trends playlist here .

Who is sam ryder.

C’mon, surely you’ve seen his videos all over social media by now? They’re everywhere! Sam Ryder is a 32-year-old viral TikTok singer from Essex, with a spectacular voice that has set tongues wagging the world over. Having played as a session musician in multiple bands throughout the years, Ryder started posting videos of himself singing other people’s songs on TikTok during the first COVID-19 lockdown, in early 2020, and ended up closing the year as the most-followed UK music artist on the platform. Not bad for a lad from Essex, right?

In 2021, Sam signed with Parlophone Records and began working on his own music; after pairing up with Rag’n’Bone Man producer Jamie Hartman, he became one of the musicians to look out for in 2022 . In fact, in March, it was revealed that Ryder will be heading to Turin, Italy, to represent the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest. Will he be following in the footsteps of Sandie Shaw, Lulu, Brotherhood Of Man, Buck’s Fizz and Katrina And The Waves? Watch this space!

How did Sam Ryder get famous?

It’s all about that incredible voice – that’s exactly what sent Sam Ryder viral in the first place. Thanks to his jaw-dropping cover versions of songs by Adele, Lady Gaga and Sia, Ryder has built a solid fanbase of over 12.1 million TikTok followers, and his impeccable rendition of If I Ain’t Got You impressed the song’s writer, Alicia Keys, so much that she even performed an impromptu duet with the man himself. And then there’s Ryder’s likeable and friendly personality to take into account – he’s attracted a huge amount of social-media support, and his followers are all rooting for him to become a massive success.

With his TikTok videos racking up a whopping 98.5 million likes, Ryder’s newfound fame no doubt helped him get extra exposure when sharing short snippets of his own material. Proving that he has musical ambitions beyond TikTok thumb-stoppers, he now has his eye on the UK singles chart. He is currently repped by Tap Music, the management agency whose roster of artists includes Dua Lipa , Lana Del Rey, Ellie Goulding and Dermot Kennedy. Yes, that’s the sort of company he’ll be keeping now. But let’s get Eurovision out of the way first, shall we?

What songs has Sam Ryder released?

Aside from flooding TikTok with powerhouse cover versions – from The Lazy Song, by Bruno Mars, to 4 Non Blondes’ classic rocker What’s Up? – Sam Ryder has wasted no time at all in establishing a songwriting career of his own. Since releasing his debut single, Whirlwind, in February 2021, he’s turned out an EP, The Sun’s Gonna Rise , and amassed over a million YouTube views for his charmingly optimistic song More.

Working with songwriter Jonathan Quarmby (Tom Walker, James Arthur) can be taken as a clear sign that that the TikTok superstar is currently looking for a breakthrough hit to rival Lewis Capaldi’s Someone Like You. There’s little doubt he’ll find it. With a voice like that, it won’t be long before the tastemakers at BBC Radio 1 reach out to him.

What is Sam Ryder’s Eurovision song?

After being officially announced as the singer for the UK’s 2022 Eurovision entry, Ryder unveiled the song Space Man, a sci-fi-tinged pop ballad that lets his far-reaching voice soar within touching distance of a far-off nebula. Co-written with Ed Sheeran ’s songwriting partners Amy Wadge and Max Wolfgang, Space Man is a strong Eurovision contender which sits comfortably along a UK pop lineage that includes traces of Sam Smith and the odd hint of 90s Britpop .

“I hope to sing my head off in a way the United Kingdom can be proud of,” Ryder told Eurovision.tv, “and to showcase a song I wrote with my friends last summer makes the whole experience even more special.” Whatever happens in Eurovision, Ryder’s stratospheric rise seems set to continue.

Did Sam Ryder Win Eurovision 2022?

Sam Ryder came in second place at the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest, losing out to Ukraine’s entry, Stefania, by Kalush Orchestra. Though he didn’t win, the TikTok superstar made the UK immensely proud, with Space Man scoring 466 points as it skyrocketed up the leader board – a vast improvement on the UK’s 2021 effort, which scored nil points. Ryder dazzled on the night with his astronomical vocal range and his flamboyant pearly co-ord, and the Eurovision judges actually placed the UK in first place for much of the evening; it wasn’t until the televotes were counted that Ukraine pipped Ryder to the post and ran away with the victory.

He may not have emerged triumphant, but Ryder did a stellar job in turning around the UK’s Eurovision fortunes, leaving left no one in any doubt of his innate star power.

Looking for more? Find out the best songs of 2022 .

Original article: 12 May 2022

Updated: 16 May 2022.

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Eurovision Song Contest 2022: Sam Ryder's journey from Essex Chronicle paperboy to Eurovision favourite

The Maldon-based singer-songwriter will be representing the UK this weekend

• 10:00, 10 MAY 2022

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Sam Ryder is the name on every Eurovision fan's lips. In a welcome twist, after years of diminishing returns from the contest, the latest odds places the United Kingdom as the likely runner up among the 40 countries competing.

Hailing from right here in Essex , Sam is hoping his soaring track Space Man will be enough to bag the UK the elusive Eurovision trophy. In the midst of a busy rehearsal schedule, Sam found time to speak to EssexLive on his day off, whilst travelling to a remote Italian lake for a dip.

Sam told us: "It's funny, I used to deliver your paper [ The Essex Chronicle ] for my very first job when I was a kid, all around my little village. Representing Maldon , Essex and the UK is so cool."

READ MORE: Eurovision Song Contest 2022 schedule and how to watch on TV

He added: "Eurovision has been a bonkers experience, it's everything you'd hope for. I keep saying, it's like the biggest school talent show anyone's ever been a part of, but in the best possible way - it's just such an honour and a privilege."

On his inspirations growing up, Sam says he listened to many UK legends which led him to pursue music. Artists such as Elton John, Queen and David Bowie, which Sam cites as inspiration, are definitely reflected in his Eurovision performance - which Essex Live managed to get a sneak peek of during rehearsals. He said: "When I was growing up and learning guitar, I just had those dreams that I kept chasing and those heavyweights of the industry kept me going."

Could the UK finally win Eurovision again?

After the UK's infamous nil points in 2021, a lot of people feel disillusioned with the competition, and Sam acknowledges this: "It hurts to lose. But, in my experience, since saying yes to Eurovision, we've been travelling all over Europe and everywhere we've been there's nothing but kindness and support."

"Any kind of story or idea that the whole of Europe dislikes the UK in Eurovision, I just can't agree with. Our attitude is the key, let's shift the narrative ourselves and look at the competition."

He went on to encourage the UK to simply enjoy this year's competition: "Let's just enjoy each other's company and appreciate just how wacky this show is. It's all about encouraging expression, individuality, and most of all, music."

To keep up to date with the latest news from this year's Eurovision Song Contest, subscribe to our newsletter.

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🇬🇧 Sam Ryder releases his new single “Somebody”

After giving the UK its best result at the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest, Sam Ryder has been busy. From touring in the UK and beyond, and even performing the national anthem at Silverstone , Sam has now released his new single “Somebody”, the follow-up to his 2nd placing Eurovision entry “SPACE MAN” from his debut album “There’s Nothing But Space, Man”

View this post on Instagram A post shared by SAM RYDER (@samhairwolfryder)

Listen to “Somebody” on streaming platforms

You are now able to listen to Sam’s latest single on the following streaming platforms:

Apple Music

The official music video for “Somebody” will be released at 12PMBST on the 19th of August.

Sam Ryder’s Eurovision Journey

In 2022, the UK was represented by Sam Ryder with his song “SPACE MAN”. The performance managed to impress juries and televoters, and the UK finished in second place with 466 points, their best placing since 1998.

What do you think of Sam’s latest single? Do you think his success will carry on? Are you excited to hear his debut album? As always, let us know what you think by commenting below. Also, be sure to follow “That Eurovision Site” on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter for all things Eurovision!

News Source: Parlophone

Photo Credit: Parlophone

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[…] album contains tracks both new and released. Prior releases on the album include “Somebody“, “All the Way Over” and his collaboration with Sigla and David Guetta […]

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A Minute With: Singer-songwriter Sam Ryder on riders, hair care and his hero

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This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

FILE PHOTO: British singer Sam Ryder performs at Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee concert in front of Buckingham Palace, London, Britain June 4, 2022. Picture taken June 4, 2022.

Kerry Davies/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

LONDON, United Kingdom – British singer-songwriter Sam Ryder is riding a wave of success with his song “Fought & Lost” for Apple TV+ hit show Ted Lasso .

The single is nominated for an Emmy award in the Outstanding Original Music And Lyrics – 2023 category. 

The 34-year-old Eurovision 2022 runner-up spoke with Reuters about how “Fought & Lost” echoed his own journey in the music industry, collaborating with his hero Brian May and his hair care routine. He also revealed what’s on Ryder’s rider.

Q. What was it like working with Queen’s Brian May?

Ryder: “The song is about never giving up and chasing your dreams … I was a kid rushing off the school bus to run upstairs and put my guitar on and practise Queen songs. Fifteen years later, I’m getting a phone call from Brian May, playing guitar on one of my songs to be used in a show that’s now nominated for an Emmy Award.

“He’s like my hero, not just as a guitar player and a songwriter, but as a human being. What he advocates and how kind he is.”

Q. Tell me the secrets to your hair care routine?

Ryder: “My hair care routine is going to kind of be quite controversial. I wash it and I go to bed with it completely just fresh, wet out the shower. I literally go to bed, tuck it up behind my pillow and go to sleep.”

Q. What’s on Sam Ryder’s rider?

Ryder: “On my rider is lots of fruit and vegetables, lots of ginger shots, and also loads of vegan chocolate. Vegan chocolate isn’t great, I’m going to be honest with you.”

“Every country we go to we want to try the best vegan chocolate they can find. And we’ve got a little scoresheet that we’re keeping amongst the crew of our favourites.”

– Rappler.com

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More on the man who made the ace on no 16: sam ryder’s journey exemplifies hard work.

Sam Ryder of the United States reacts to his hole-in-one on the 16th hole during the third round of the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale on February 12, 2022 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)

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