2019 has been quite the year for Los Angeles singer-songwriter and ex-teen pop heartthrob Ryan Beatty. 2018 saw him completely move on from the sugary sounds of his adolescence in lieu of a more mature and honest display of his creative character with the acclaimed and wildly expressive debut LP Boy In Jeans. Whereas this year, we see Beatty continue to evolve and flourish, finding an artistic freedom with the melancholic and darker shades of alternative pop.
Earlier this year, Beatty shared the warped and wonderful downtempo single "Dark Circles," which typifies this evolution in his sound with a sparse, atypical production and emotive pitched vocal work. In addition, he's collaborated on the works of a whole host of artists attuned with this new direction, complimenting the likes of Brockhampton's GINGER and Tyler, The Creator's Igor, to name a couple.
Beatty's artistic freedom continues with the visual for his recent single, the beautifully crafted "Patchwork." Equally finessing the same energy as the previous single, yet ripe with a new sonic identity, Beatty has another hit on his hands. The track is paired perfectly to visuals of Beatty performing the single in equally as sparse settings, echoing the mood of the song with a remarkable finesse.
"The video represents longing for something out of your control, and the idea of 'life imitates art'," Beatty said in regard to the release. "Also – always wanted to see someone pole dance to a song of mine." No doubt whetting appetites for his 2020 project, Ryan Beatty is definitely one to watch.