Music entered Ryan Trey’s world long before he ever stepped into a studio. Growing up in a home where his dad played “all the rap you could think of” and his mom kept R&B on repeat, he was surrounded by sound. His grandfather was a drummer, and long car rides with his family was where nostalgic hits would accompany them. From Whitney Houston to Brandy, classic male R&B groups to the biggest names in rap, those early influences shaped his ear and, eventually, defined his artistry today.
Like many Gen Z’ers, Trey began sharing songs online in high school and soon released his debut mixtape, Eight24in 2017. The 26-year-old gained attention with his breakout single, “Mutual Butterflies,” in 2018, and then released his debut album, Augustwhich catapulted him into the music scene and included a collaboration with Bryson Tiller. Still, though he was making strides in the industry, he realized he wanted to make a change, so he did. In this new era of his sophomore album, the singer-songwriter is taking a leap, shifting to faith-based music. In a candid conversation with EBONY, Trey talks about what caused this change, toxic rhetoric in R&B and what’s next for his new sound.
EBONY: What inspired your transition from mainstream music to faith-based music, and how has your personal journey influenced this decision?
Ryan Trey: I think just lifestyle changes, I’ve been in the music industry for a little while now, and the things that just come with being in this type of industry, like just all the clubs and the drinking, smoking, faking, and unhealthy relationships. I just started to read the Bible and realized you don’t need these things to be successful. When I got into the industry at a young age, I thought that I needed to be in these circles and in these groups to feel accepted or to feel like my music was good enough and I learned over time that’s not the case.
Can you share some specific experiences or moments that solidified your faith and led you to embrace this new musical direction?
I went through a major breakup with someone I was with for a long time, and I just was not a good boyfriend. That was one of the main things I pulled from just reading scripture, was [reading] how to be a better man. I wasn’t loyal, and all the stuff you hear these R& B artists write about, just embracing that, that toxic trend that’s going on right now, and that’s not how my mama raised me. The album I was coming off of (Streets Say You Miss Me) was just kind of pointing a finger and deflecting the whole situation, and I didn’t really take any accountability. I knew going into my next project, even before I realized it was going to be a faith-based one, that I didn’t want to make another project like that.
Why do you think the “toxic rhetoric” of R&B has become so popular, and how did you know this wasn’t where you shone the best?
I feel like there are two parts to it. I feel like it’s men who are really that terrible [laughs]and then I feel like it’s men who actually aren’t like that, but they either want to be like that because all their favorite artists are like that, or it’s their pride. My music changed, like, when I first came into the game, it was like puppy love music. I was coming out of high school, and I was 18. I’m 26 now, and then it changed.
How do you approach songwriting differently when creating faith-based music compared to your previous work?
None of it’s by my own doing, God has had his hand on me, and it’s really changed every aspect of my life. He’s showing me, I gave you a gift, but I intended for you to use it for me, not for all these crazy stories you’re talking about. I got an album coming out in the spring. When I put it out, it’s still Ryan Trey’s sound, but the message I’m giving is just thanking God for saving me. I think that’s where what’s going to separate me in this space is that this album is really going to bridge the gap.
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What challenges have you faced during this transition, and how have they shaped your artistic identity?
I always talk about how Christian music has this cliche or it’s corny. I’m not gonna lie, a lot of it is corny, like, when I first got into it, I’m not gonna lie. I couldn’t figure it out. I’m like, how do you get closer to God and less creative? I see a lot of artists sacrifice just their creativity to get a certain message across. That’s what I went in with my team. I was like, Hey, we got to find a way to still make this cool, but the message is dope.
What would you say are the common misconceptions of faith-based music, and how are you trying to debunk them without losing the soul of the music?
I’m not saying that a lot of that music doesn’t, but I just feel like some of the Christian artists are scared. You could still be creative, and as far as building out your own brand as an artist, it’s like a lot of stuff is missing: where are the huge Christian festivals, where are the DJs at? Why can’t we have those here? So, it’s bigger than music to me there are a lot of ways I want to branch out and give people a safe place.
How excited are you with this album, and what was the creative process like making this project?
I’m super excited. I feel like a kid again, and my friends and my grandmother have heard the album, and they’re like, ‘This is hard.’ It’s a sense of innocence I’m getting back because I’ve never been able to play my grandmother my music. This project is clean, but it’s still fire.
If you could give this new era a title, what would you call it?
Faithful, I feel like what I’m about to do in this space I haven’t seen done. There’s no example or blueprint; it’s literally just me relying on the Lord to guide me in this thing. There’s nobody I can look at and go, Okay, I want to do it this way,’ like I know what I’m doing with this project, it’s the first time it’s been done this way.