Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Ryan Argast from American Idol Season 20

American Idol returns to ABC on Sunday, Feb. 27. Here’s more about Ryan.

* He’s a singer-songwriter and front man for the alternative pop band Marina City, based in Chicago.

* His most recent release was the excellent “Empty Chair,” a song he wrote after his grandfather died. Writes Ryan: “I often talk to myself hoping he’s listening and hearing about all of the family’s accomplishments. This song is an intimate conversation I’m having with him. I’ve never been this vulnerable, but I hope this song brings you comfort the way it does for me.” Check out the music video below.

* It’s one of a number of songs Ryan said he wrote during the pandemic that seemed “too personal for me to release under a band name and hide behind my bandmates.” So he’s releasing them as a solo artist. Another is “Vows,” which he and his wife used as the first dance at their wedding about a year ago.

* With Marina City, Ryan has released a pair of EPs — “Terminal” and “The Crush” — and a series of singles since “The Crush” landed in 2020. Two of the band’s songs — “Addicted” and “Man in the Mirror” — have been streamed more than 1 million times on Spotify.

* That second EP, “The Crush,” landed just before the pandemic shut down live performances, squelching Marina City’s plans to promote the project through live shows.

* But they returned to the road in June 2021. In August, they performed at Wrigley Field, opening for Green Day, Fall Out Boy and Weezer. And in January they played a benefit show for Special Olympics Chicago.

* The band also completed a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2021, raising more than $35,000 to help fund its next release.

* Ryan attended Columbia College in Chicago. In 2014, he told the campus newspaper he was a solo artist prior to college in the vein of a Justin Bieber, “but I wasn’t really into that kind of music. The solo thing was fun. But at about 18 is when I decided I really liked collaborating with … my five best friends in the band and having that persona of Marina City.”

Ryan on social media:
Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube
Marina City podcast

Keep checking back …

I’ll be posting profiles of about 50 top contestants who auditioned for American Idol Season 20. Profiles of the singers listed below will be coming soon. More names might be added. The links take you to the profiles already published.

Allegra Miles
Ashley Blaire
Ava Maybee
Betty Maxwell
Cadence Baker
Carly Mickeal
Christian Guardino
Ciasia Nicole
Cole Wesley Ritter
Corey Curtis

Dakota Hayden
Douglas Mills, Jr.
Elli Rowe
Elliot Greer
Fritz Hager
Hunter Girl
Jacob Moran
Jay Copeland
Joedi Silvers
Jordan Chase Torrez

Jourdan Blue
Katyrah Love
Kaylin Roberson
Kelsie Dolin
Kendra Checketts
Kenedi Anderson
Kevin Gullage
Kezia Istonia (a.k.a. Lady K.)
Kirk Richmond
Leah Marlene

Lexi Weege
Max Embers
Mike Parker
Nicolina Bozzo
Olivia Faye
Paige Fish
Ryan Argast
Ryleigh Madison
Sage
Sam Moss

Scarlet Ayliz
Sir Blayke
Tobias Hill
Tristen Gressett
Tyler Allen
Valerie Marie
Wennely Quezada
Yoli Mayor