Roxann Yus | 28/10/2022
So, if anyone’s like me, you’ve also been awaiting a new Royal & the Serpent single every week this month.
IM FINE was released on the 23rd of September, and since then, Ryan has embarked on a mission to transform her relationship with music curation and streaming. Instead of working towards an album, she announced in September that a new single would be released every Friday for five weeks. Naturally, that is going to create an EP, so it’s not completely unfamiliar to what we scroll through on Spotify or see in HMV, but she’s made her ‘final release’ a five-week-long journey with instant reward for her fans.
With technology taking control over the way we perceive reality; our shorter attention spans also want real life to hurry up. Therefore, this genius tactic of Royal & the Serpent serves the demand and hunger we have for instant gratification, whilst also experimenting stylistically in a short space of time without the boundaries of fitting within the vibe of one project.
Now, on the 28th of October, we have all five of Royal & the Serpent’s planned releases, altogether forming Happiness is an Inside Job. In true Ryan fashion, this experiment has arrived just in time for the spookiest time of year, the season that most definitely suits them best. However, these releases are completely disassociated from Halloween and Autumn; instead, they have been created in a natural and organic flow, independent of algorithms and deadlines. It’s just a brilliant coincidence that it’s out now, rather than a month prior or later.
Overall, this year Ryan has been extremely active in making sure we all know and remember Royal & the Serpent. Their releases this month come shortly after her iconic tour dates and blossoming friendship with Demi Lovato, as well as many other releases from earlier this year. And during all of this, they’ve been such a style guru for grungy, punky folk all over the world.
I’m super excited to see what’s next for Royal & the Serpent. Stream Happiness is an Inside Job on Spotify now!
Edited by: Roxann Yus
Cover image: Happiness is an Inside Job EP cover via Apple Music.