Ryan Hicks is an alt-pop, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer from Regina,

Saskatchewan. He has over 20 years of experience in music performance, and holds both a

Bachelor's and Master’s degree in Music Education. Throughout his career he has released

three full length albums, and is set to release his fourth record, Experience, on March 24th,

2023. Hicks has been featured on SiriusXM and CBC radio, and has charted on campus radio

across Canada. He has toured extensively throughout Western Canada, and has showcased at

notable festivals including Breakout West and Gateway Music Festival.
 

Hicks adopted an early interest in music, which was heavily encouraged by his parents. He

particularly recalls his dad’s vinyl collection far surpassing the demarcated shelves. As a

teenager, Hicks learned to read music and played trombone with his school band. He borrowed

his dad’s Beatles sheet music, and taught himself every song he could on guitar, bass, and

drums. At the University of Regina he studied classical music, where he took voice lessons and

learned composition. He sang tenor with the university’s chamber choir, winning the title of

“Chamber Choir of the World” in 1997, and spent 17 years performing with a Celtic Pop group.

Hicks’ forthcoming release, Experience, was recorded over a five day span with Jonathan

Anderson at Protection Island in Vancouver, BC. Jonathan also engineered the record, and was

a co-producer with Hicks. Experience is a deeply personal and cinematic record that reflects the

ups and downs of three years throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Hicks’ songwriting captures

stark emotions that he exemplifies through visceral storytelling layered over spirited, twangy,

melodies. He cites his primary influences as Fleet Foxes, Brian Wilson, and Paul McCartney. In

speaking to the process, he elaborates,

“During the pandemic, while I had time to write music, I did not write anything for over a year. As

much as I wanted to, I just did not have it in me. I spent that time connecting with nature and

myself. I felt I needed to seek counseling, and that changed me. Soon after, it was like a great

river opening up of creativity. I began writing songs again - songs that ended up on this new

album.

​

The ten track record was written entirely by Hicks and features both himself and engineer

Jonathan Anderson as multi-instrumentalists, with features from BC based drummer Tristan

Helgason and Regina vocalist Cynthia Peyson-Wahl. Hicks will be touring his new record

throughout Western Canada in the summer of 2023, with dates in Winnipeg, Edmonton, Regina,

Saskatoon, and Calgary. The album and video premiere of the self-titled single (Experience) will

be held at Rebellion Brewery in Regina, Saskatchewan, on March 24th, 2023.