Another stellar slice of talent from the Ireland’s budding electronic scene, Dublin producer Ryan Ennis has a big smile on his face when I meet him at Universal’s city centre office – for good reason.

He’s recently signed to the major label for a second time, evident by an Instagram post depicting the young beatmaker à la Deadline Day, alongside the contract and a bottle of champers.

“It was lighter than last time,” he says of post-signatural festivities. “I've matured a little. The first time it went on for a couple of days and I played at a festival two days later, so it rolled on. This year was definitely more relaxed.”

 

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Before any partying came pandemic induced boredom, something which Ryan attributes to helping spark his musical career.

“During COVID, I was studying law and had nothing to do,” he says. “I ended up getting down and making music. Initially, it was just sampling, then I started putting my own spin on things and it went from there.

“It was weird, I was just doing it for fun,” he continues. “All of a sudden you start getting emails. I did some digging and talked with people in the industry to know they were serious. Three years on I'm signing for the second time and couldn't be happier.”

Helping steer him through these early tangles with the industry was someone who Ryan cites as an important influence, his older brother, who's also a DJ around Dublin.

“He's definitely put me on the right track, without him, I wouldn't have really known anything,” Ryan shares. “I would have been watching what he was doing and that has had a strong impact on what I wanted to do.”

Inspiring him in equal measure is a diverse docket of musical icons – with Ryan’s end of year Spotify report boasting names like Aretha Franklin, Julio Iglesias and Elvis. Citing David Foster and Quincy Jones as his favourite producers, the young songsmith professes the importance of “taking what you can get from everything and putting it all into one.”

Ryan Ennis by Hannah Bocian.

His broad palette of sonic stimuli has culminated in his latest single, ‘Let Them Know’,  a pulsating anthem bearing an uplifting sentiment – the importance of expressing love.

“It all happened so quickly,” says Ryan. “I was in Pirate Studios, and towards the end of the session I played this vocal I said 'Wow'. It was just so raw. I came up with the piano chords pretty quickly and there was such a feel behind it, like it was something big.”

Featuring on the track are some musical heavyweights in the form of Ariana Grande and Dua Lipa writer Tayla Parx, as well as renowned producer James Newman.

“They speak for themselves,” says Ryan of his collaborators. “The songs that they've written are huge.”

While it’s all well and good cooking in the studio, dance music, as the title suggests, is ultimately about making people move. Having enjoyed sets at Ireland’s biggest festivals, including Electric Picnic, Longitude and Indiependence, how does Ryan describe the responsibility of getting punters to strut their stuff?

“I think I'd be jumping more than they do,” he cracks. “It's a bit mad in the moment, it only really hits you afterwards, but it's unbelievable. I could see my friends on people's shoulders, trying to get me to notice them. I can't wait to do it all again this year.”

A regular in the Ibiza and Magaluf party scene, it’s no surprise that Ryan’s eager to get back on the road. He’s also been making waves further afield. Previous single 'Remember My Name' topped the iTunes charts in Hong Kong, enjoyed radio play in Ecuador, Malta and Taiwan and amassed over 4 million views on TikTok.

“It's mad that your music can reach all these places in the world,” he reflects. “You don't think it ever leaves your house.

“It's all just down to how it sounds. I always say that it doesn't matter who does the song, if it sounds good, people will like it.”

Often snapped alongside the budding producer during his escapades is a posse of close friends, who, according to Ryan, provide a vital support net.

“My friends are the best,” he beams. "They're supportive. They've been everywhere, as soon as I announce something, they say 'Yeah, it's booked, we're done’.

“I flew away to London with Belters Only last year, and I think there was about 30 of us that went on the plane. I was a bit shocked when I got to the airport and realised how many people were actually there.”

Having brought them up, what does Ryan think of what is possibly the hottest dance music act in the country at the moment?

“I'm close with the lads, I’ve been away with them quite a lot,” he shares. “They're massive and they're great. I love everything that they're doing.

“I'm always amazed to see how many new acts are popping up,” he continues,  discussing the thriving local scene as a whole. “There are a lot of inspirations. How could you not be inspired by Jazzy? She’s a superstar, and an amazingly nice person to go with it.

"Then there's the likes of Dec Pierce, seeing what he came from back from is an inspiration in itself.”

'Let Them Know' is out now. Listen to the track on Spotify below.