Ryan MacGrath

Who is Ryan MacGrath?

Ryan MacGrath is a Canadian singer-songwriter, whose folk-pop style is frequently compared to Rufus Wainwright and Hawksley Workman. Born in Antigonish, Nova Scotia and raised in Guysborough County, he has been an active member of the Halifax music scene. He is currently based in Innsbruck, Austria.

MacGrath first moved to Halifax to study painting at NSCAD. After buying a guitar, he began performing with the band, Ryan MacGrath and the woodenhouse, which released a self-titled EP in 2006 before changing its name to The Missing City Starlight.

MacGrath subsequently released a solo EP, In My Own Company, in 2009, and the full-length album Cooper Hatch Paris in 2010.

MacGrath continues to exhibit his painting. While he was preparing Cooper Hatch Paris, pop singer Chantal Kreviazuk saw and liked one of his gallery pieces; MacGrath arranged a trade in which he gave the painting to Kreviazuk in exchange for a guest contribution to the album. He also funded the album in part by auctioning his services as a songwriter, offering to write a romantic Valentine's Day song for the winning bidder and their partner.

In 2011, Cooper Hatch Paris was awarded Music Nova Scotia's award for Alternative Recording of the Year. In addition to this, the recording was nominated for a number of East Coast Music Awards, including Alternative Recording of the Year, Male Solo Recording of the Year and Rising Star Recording of the Year.