| Ryan MacGrath | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Halifax, Nova Scotia |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Associated acts | The Missing City Starlight, Chantal Kreviazuk |
Ryan MacGrath is a Canadian singer-songwriter, whose folk-pop style is frequently compared to Rufus Wainwright and Hawksley Workman.[1] Born in Antigonish, Nova Scotia[2] and raised in Guysborough County, he is currently based in Halifax, Nova Scotia.[1]
MacGrath first moved to Halifax to study painting at NSCAD.[2] 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.[3]
MacGrath subsequently released a solo EP, In My Own Company, in 2009,[1] and the full-length album Cooper Hatch Paris in 2010.[4]
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.[4] 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.[4]