“I should have loved myself more and taken better care.” With that single, vulnerable admission, RYLAI introduces himself to the world as a storyteller grounded in honesty and strength. June 6th marks the official debut of the Seoul-born singer-songwriter with his soul-searching single Without You, a track that threads together regret and the incredible power of healing.

As an artist, RYLAI stands at the intersection of vulnerability and control. A self-producing vocalist with a reverence for storytelling, he draws inspiration from the technical virtuosity of Naul and the explosive intensity of Ado. What makes him special is his courage to face the truth and to share it, no matter how hard it is to say. With a sound palette shaped in Seoul and Los Angeles, RYLAI brings a sensibility to a personal narrative, making us, the listeners, experience it in our own way.

Without You is the beginning of a much larger story, one that RYLAI is determined to tell on his own terms. We sat down with RYLAI to talk about the emotional core of his debut, the collaborative process behind its sound, and the vision driving his journey as an artist.

View of the Arts: RYLAI, you have just debuted with Without You is such a wonderful track. What was the first spark that led you to write it?

RYLAI: Thank you so much! For me, almost every song starts with a vocal melody. Melodies often come to me unexpectedly, and since I don’t usually write them down or record them, some stick with me, but many slip away.

After the main melodies of Without You sparked in me, the next step was to shape the sound direction around them and reflect on what I wanted to express through that melody.
Since the song also carries a specific role in the album’s narrative, I put a lot of thought into the lyrics. I’m really glad to hear you think it’s wonderful.

VOA: The song balances both regret and gratitude. Was there a specific moment in your life that inspired this duality?

R: I look back on my childhood, and I carry a lot of regrets. Some memories make me wonder: what if I had acted differently? Pressure is a frightening force; it can suppress individuality and even convince someone that it’s normal or deserved. With this song, I wanted to express my gratitude to music for being a refuge during those times. The regret I feel comes from not having taken better care of myself, from wishing I had valued who I was more.

VOA: You mentioned the lyrics were written with intentional ambiguity. Who did you imagine you were singing to when you recorded it?

R: I was singing to potential listeners, especially the ones who didn’t come from happy or harmonious homes. Everyone grows up with different experiences and knowledge. These shape who we are and form the core of our individuality. And it’s natural to want the people we love to reflect parts of ourselves.

But out of frustration, that desire can sometimes turn into an urge to impose our ways on others. This often happens in family relationships, where daily interactions are constant. That frequency can make family members especially vulnerable, and once personal boundaries begin to be crossed, it becomes easier for them to be crossed again and again.

Looking back on my childhood, I realize that many of the conflicts and tensions in my family stemmed from this dynamic. But this kind of behavior is a case of losing sight of what truly matters, a misguided outcome for anyone who, deep down, is simply seeking happiness. We should pursue happiness on a foundation of mutual respect and understanding. I hope this song can be a source of comfort and refuge for anyone who has experienced, or is currently going through, something similar to what I did.

VOA: As someone who handles so much of the creative process yourself, from writing to playing instruments, what does that level of control mean to you as an artist?

R: First of all, I need to give a huge shoutout to Dylan Buzz Gold for bringing the song’s aesthetic to life! Yes, Dylan laid the foundation of the instrumental, and from there, I added more arrangement layers and refined the sonic color to better shape the overall sound.

As an artist working in auditory arts, I believe having an understanding of the many facets of music production is incredibly valuable. It not only allows you to go beyond the limits of commercial music but also empowers you to create something that truly reflects your artistic vision.

There’s also a practical side to this. In this industry, not being able to take the lead in completing your work can become a leverage point others may use to exploit you. When you’re able to take creative responsibility for your work, it gives you more room to protect your vision and your boundaries. I encourage all artists to learn about production and take an active role in it. It’s through this that we can continue to expand the boundaries of the listening experience.

VOA: You’ve cited music as a kind of “sanctuary” in your life. Do you remember the first time you felt that escape through sound?

R: Yes. Good music has a mysterious power; it captures us in the moment and draws our full attention. Catchy melodies slip into our brains through our ears and, quite literally, refuse to leave. And when the instrumentals and vocals are emotionally charged, they stir something deep inside us.

When I was young, I remember secretly getting a CD of a popular song at the time and listening to it for hours on end late at night, so long that I’d lose all sense of time. I played it quietly on the CD player in my room, making sure my mom wouldn’t hear. I had hidden the CD somewhere in my room, but one day I noticed it was gone; my mom had gone through my things and taken it. A few days later, I searched the house and eventually found it. She had hidden it away, and I quietly took it back.

VOA: Without You gives that beautiful R&B feel to it. What drew you to the genre?

R: When I was in middle school, a friend and I became obsessed with Brown Eyed Soul. We’d spend hours at karaoke, practicing countless songs by Brown Eyed Soul and Naul together. Those days probably had a huge influence on my deep attachment to R&B.

But beyond that, when you think about the qualities of R&B vocals, there’s no reason not to bring them more deeply into vocal production today. The expressiveness, virtuosity, bending, groove, and harmonies of R&B vocals can elevate the listening experience when integrated into modern production. If artists study these strengths, I truly believe there’s no reason why even pop singers shouldn’t incorporate R&B into their vocal styles!

VOA: You’re debuting at a time when K-pop and Korean R&B are expanding globally. Where would you like to see yourself within the Korean music scene?

R: The rise of K-pop has indeed globally improved perceptions of Korean popular culture.
But so much has happened over the past 10 years.

I’m from Hongdae, Seoul. I’ve interacted with people in the K-pop industry as well as various musicians based here. While K-pop has undoubtedly achieved global success, what I see in Hongdae is a different kind of potential, one that remains largely unexplored. Some of my friends regularly fly to Japan to take part in events like M3 and Comiket, where they sell their music. They create work that steps outside the mainstream, forging new paths by composing soundtracks for rhythm games and indie titles on Steam.

And a few of my friends living in the U.S. have introduced me to indie rock artists based in Hongdae, artists I hadn’t even heard of myself. Thanks to their recommendations, I’ve discovered new sounds from my city and been deeply impressed by their artistry. All of these are musical assets my city has to offer. I consider myself part of this movement, working to push musical artistry beyond traditional settings. Maybe one day I’ll have the chance to collaborate with some of these artists and help introduce their work to a wider audience. I look forward to that day.

VOA: There’s a strength in debuting with such a personal track. Was there any fear in exposing that vulnerability?

R: When I was around second grade, my mom started cutting my hair at home with clippers. She wasn’t professionally trained, but she reasoned that, since she had gone to art school, she had a good eye. She believed most barbers didn’t put in much effort anyway, so she could do a better job herself. And to be fair, the haircut usually looked nice, but each session took over three hours. I still remember something she said during one of those long haircut sessions: “If you go out and speak badly about our family, it’s like spitting toward the sky. In the end, it’ll all come back down on you.” That line stuck with me for a long time. It kept me trapped. But in recent years, I’ve had chances to talk with close friends about what I went through growing up. They didn’t judge me, they listened, they offered comfort, and through those conversations, I came to realise that what my mother said wasn’t true. It was a lie. I don’t live with my parents anymore, but looking back, I think bottling everything up and suffering in silence did more harm than good.

I’m still reluctant to open up completely about the most personal parts of my story, but sometimes, when you talk to someone and share what you’ve been carrying, you finally feel a sense of release. Like stepping out of a prison you didn’t even realise you were in. And if you can look back and try to understand why things happened the way they did, why people acted the way they did, thought the way they thought, said what they said, then that pain can begin to shift. It can become a source of strength. And it can help you grow into a better version of yourself.

VOA: Many solo artists describe the debut experience as both thrilling and terrifying. What has surprised you the most so far?

R: Shout out to Patrick Ermlich at Compass Method Consulting and our amazing team! Thanks to their support, we’ve been able to begin this incredible journey, and for the first time in a long time, I finally feel like I’m stepping out of a very long tunnel. One of the most surprising and touching parts of this debut is that Patrick saw something in my music and vision from across the Pacific Ocean and the North American continent, and still reached out with an open hand.

There were many ups and downs before I met Patrick. In the music industry, there’s often pressure to fit into a certain mold, to align with whatever trends are currently in demand. During a period full of setbacks, Patrick heard my demos from halfway across the world and chose to believe in me. That led to two production trips last year and ultimately brought us to where we are today.

Working with so many incredible visual artists and musicians in the U.S. has been such a warm and affirming experience. The love and support they’ve shown me, and how deeply grateful I feel, are honestly hard to put into words. These days, I’m genuinely happy to be creating meaningful art with such good people. We’re going to make something truly miraculous together!

VOA: You’ve spoken about Kendrick Lamar’s storytelling as a major influence. How do you approach a narrative through your own music?

R: Kendrick Lamar’s lyricism is like a compass to me. Whenever I feel stuck while writing, I turn to his words, flipping through his lines like a cheat sheet and asking myself, “How did Kendrick do it?” His work helps guide my own. The way he weaves narrative across nearly all of his albums is rich and masterful. But if I had to choose the one that’s influenced me the most, it would be good kid, m.A.A.d city.

Here’s how I approach narrative in my songwriting: By the time I’ve written the melody, the number of syllables I can use, along with the rhythm and phrasing, is already set. So I begin from those constraints and build the lyrics around them. Then I think about where the song sits within the album’s arc. What part of the story does this track need to tell? What words or expressions will both fit the melody and convey the meaning I want to express? It’s a bit like piecing together a puzzle, finding the exact parts that lock into place to complete the bigger picture.

VOA: Without You was recorded in both Seoul and Los Angeles. How did those different environments influence the final sound?

R: It was Dylan who ultimately took the demo I made in Seoul a step further and solidified the song’s sonic aesthetic. During the instrumental production stage, he suggested moving in a more modern R&B direction, and I trusted his vision. That choice gave shape to the rhythmic backbone of Without You. The texture of the drums and the bass in this track isn’t something I could’ve imagined or created on my own back in Seoul.

I remember thinking during the production that the guitar tone in the outro and the hand drum in the verse had a distinctly tropical feel. That tropicality might just be Dylan’s LA sensibility coming through. To me, LA has always felt like an exotic, tropical place, with cloudless blue skies and palm trees lining the streets.

Back in Seoul, I started thinking about how to further elevate the aesthetic Dylan had shaped. I added string arrangements and synth layers, and recorded extra harmonies to heighten the emotional climax in the bridge. I carefully refined the color and tightened the groove in the finer details.

And I can’t forget to mention Colby Lapolla, our vocal producer, whose tastefully placed vocal effects added just the right ear candy, and Jeremie Inhaber, who brought our intended aesthetic and emotion to life through his mix. Both Colby and Jeremie are also based in LA.

VOA: Your vocal influences include Naul and Ado, both known for powerful delivery. How have they shaped your voice and technique?

R: When I was in middle school, I deeply admired and looked up to Naul’s vocal expressiveness and virtuosity. In the early days of learning to sing, I struggled to hit high notes, trying to imitate him would leave my voice hoarse and me completely frustrated.

Naul’s vocals are undeniably ornate and technically impressive, but as I continued studying voice, I came to recognise how he moves beyond traditional belting. He focuses on creating a tone that’s simply beautiful to the ear, across all ranges of notes and expression. His voice became a turning point for me. It made me think more deeply about why we listen to music and what truly makes a sound beautiful.

Ado, in contrast, unleashes a powerful vocal force, using bold belting to deliver a fierce, almost metal-like intensity I hadn’t heard before. Even within that sharp and aggressive range, she brings an extreme, dazzling expressiveness that’s entirely her own.

I still remember the chills I got the first time I heard her voice in Usseewa, especially on the “haaaa—” line. Her sound is so magnetic to me, and now she’s become someone I aspire to be like.

It’s Thursday night as I write this — my laundry night. While the machine runs, I usually stop by karaoke to practice. Tonight, as usual, I sang a few of their songs. They’re such phenomenal vocalists that I still feel like I’ve got a long road ahead of me.

VOA: You’re starting your career with a concept that promises a larger narrative across future releases. What can listeners expect from the next chapter?

R: Yes, Without You is part of a larger project I’m currently working on. Naturally, our next single ties into the same project, but since we are so early in our rollout, we can’t share the details just yet.

What I can promise, though, is this: We won’t let you down.

VOA: As a young artist entering a complex industry, how do you stay connected to your original reason for making music?

R: It’s the state of the world where even entry-level candidates are expected to have experience. Well, in that sense, I’m entering the industry very prepared. There are definitely a lot of people who try to impose their will using their fame or money these days. But I have too much music within me to get swept up in all of that.

We’re living in a time when humanity’s auditory arts are more advanced than ever, both technically and academically. In this era, we have the resources and the power to keep pushing the boundaries by combining creativity with the knowledge available to us. Wouldn’t it be a deep shame if, despite having the ability to carry out this mission, we chose to turn away from it in pursuit of short-term gains?

Right now, I’m renting a small music studio from a K-pop producer. But if things go well, I hope to eventually have a studio of my own. Ideally, I’d like to have three or four extra rooms and lend them to people who need a better environment to make music, at least until they’re financially able to stand on their own two feet.

Some good friends of mine have already helped me along this journey. They bring passion and brilliant ideas, but the reality is, we live in a world where the resources don’t always go to the people who could truly turn them into gold. These experiences I’ve had and the things I’ve witnessed, I think they are what keep me connected to my original reason for making music.

VOA: If you could say one thing to your younger self, the one first discovering melodies on that old digital piano, what would it be?

R: Be careful, we might create a time paradox! [laugh]. Even so, if there were something essential that my younger self needed to hear, it would be this: “the society we live in is a place where countless wills collide, where people have different thoughts and experiences, and because of that, what you’re trying to do won’t come easily or smoothly.” Looking back, I think I was just a clueless kid – living in a small world, seeing everything through a narrow lens, and thinking the world would work the way I wanted it to.

Given the environment I grew up in, the most realistically helpful thing I could have done would have been to gain access to a computer, whether by begging, insisting, or finding some other way. Not having access to a computer at that time was a huge loss. It not only cut me off from free access to information, but also kept me from learning music production. And someone really should have taken me to a sound museum at least once, to show me the many reasons why people listen to music, and how we perceive sonic beauty.

But in the end, maybe things happened the way they were meant to. They happened, and they shaped who we are today. I do wish I’d had the chance to debut much earlier, but it would have made so many things different. I might have cared much less about production or sound, and been far more indifferent to the social dynamics that connect us, or to my fellow musicians.

And in the end, all we can do is our best within the circumstances we’re given.

I hope all the readers and listeners are staying safe! Thank you for having me in this interview, and thank you so much for reading!

Written and interviewed Maggie Gogler

Featured images courtesy of RYLAI

_{View of the Arts is an online publication dedicated to films, music, and the arts, with a strong focus on the Asian entertainment industry. With rich content already available to our readers, we aim to expand our reach and grow alongside our audience by delving deeper into emerging platforms such as K-pop and Asian music more broadly. At the same time, we remain committed to exploring the vibrant and ever-evolving global landscape of film, music, and the arts, celebrating the immense talent and creativity that define these industries worldwide.}