Singer-songwriter Wryn is currently out on the road with another out and proud artist, Ani DiFranco, as part of the Unprecedented Sh!t tour. Their debut album Shapes is on DiFranco’s label, Righteous Babe Records, and produced by Bella Blasko.
The record is deeply personal and filled with powerful anthems. Wryn uses they/them pronouns and identifies as both trans non-binary and queer.
Wryn talked candidly backstage before day two of the sold-out Chicago shows held at Thalia Hall.
Windy City Times: I remember when I interviewed Ani back in 2012 and she told me the fans can be wild. How has the tour been so far?
Wryn: Oh, it’s been so wonderful and people have been reaching out to me after my set. They sometimes direct message me on social media and share their stories.
WCT: How did you wind up on Ani’s Righteous Babe Records label?
Wryn: I started recording my album Shape in 2021 with my producer Bella Blasko, who had done some work with Righteous Babe before. She is an engineer with The National and was showing my album around to people, which led me to Righteous Babe Records.
WCT: How has the label been to work with?
Wryn: I have just been so well supported through Righteous Babe and they are all about artistic autonomy. The company lifts up community-based musicians and still maintains an indie feel compared to other label setups.
I was looking to find somebody with whom I could vibe with musically and it made sense to pair us together. I manifested this after years and years of work.
WCT: How does it feel to be in an openly queer environment professionally?
Wryn: I feel like the word queer is not only my identity, but a way of living in community and a political statement as well. I shared a song about a young trans person’s life seeking healthcare and NPR did a feature on it. It was powerful talking about trans experiences on a large platform.
Someone just came up to me at last night’s show and said that being around a bunch of cis people from the Midwest cheering to protect trans kids’ rights meant so much to them.
WCT: That must feel rewarding to you.
Wryn: I’m feeling pretty emotional about it today, because there’s a Canadian musician named Bells Larson who canceled his tour here in the United States over anti-trans visa requirements. I cried in my dressing room when I heard that.
It is a privilege to be able to play on stage and to have a connection with other queer people, which means a lot to me.
WCT: Did you ever think about being in the closet in your career?
Wryn: No, it was not an option. For me, it’s the whole point of writing music and having this form of self-expression. Staying in the closet would have ruined my values as an artist.
WCT: What did International Transgender Day of Visibility mean to you?
Wryn: It was a bit of a bummer because visibility doesn’t equal safety. Some people think it’s a day to take care of yourself as a trans person, but I feel that way every day. It’s a complicated day for a lot of people.
There was a young trans kid in our family and I was doing research to help them, which in turn made me realize I was trans. That journey was an interesting one.
WCT: You are based in California?
Wryn: I’m based in a small town in California called Lompoc and Santa Barbara is south of it. There’s a mix of different people there and it’s a farm town. It’s by an air force base and there are rockets going off all the time where I live.
WCT: Your album Shapes is out on vinyl now?
Wryn: Yes, but I wasn’t originally going to do that. When I was out on tour, I realized I had to get it done. It’s my first vinyl and it has a big picture of my face on it! [laughs]
WCT: Do you own a record player?
Wryn: I do. It’s wonky, so I had to fix the wires in the back of it!
My compact discs are hip with the kids. My almost eighteen-year-old asked me to buy a Jeff Buckley CD the other day.
WCT: Give the readers a behind-the-scenes look at making Shapes.
Wryn: Bella Blasko was the first person I wanted to work with, but she was busy with The National. In 2021, when musicians weren’t touring yet, I reached out to her. She was down for it and we started recording in a little studio in Los Olivos owned by my friend Grey Bear Erickson. Bella and I did guitars and vocals, then added other things, including people. Now we are here!
WCT: The track “Steady” is about a condition you have?
Wryn: Well, it has turned into that. My music constantly grows with me. To write my songs, I am not just reaching into my past; it’s also about me now. In 2020, I was dealing with complex PTSD and being a parent while taking care of myself. Then a new disability came along, which is an AVM, an arteriovenous malformation. It’s a rare neurological disease that gives me seizures. I need to get it out of my head so it doesn’t hemorrhage at some point. I am getting the procedure done in June.
WCT: Well, there goes your Pride month.
Wryn: Yes, it’s a gamma knife surgery, so very heavy radiation and may not even work. We will see. Fun fact, I had a few seizures before you arrived.
WCT: Oh, we don’t have to do this interview right now.
Wryn: No, this is good for me. I only have partials, so it takes a moment of my time and I get a little sleepy. Doing this tour and trusting myself enough to do what I love is very healing for me.
WCT: Let me know if you are not feeling well and we can stop. This is really important to educate people about, though, so I appreciate you sharing.
Wryn: I didn’t know about it before all of this. Many people don’t find out about it until it’s already hemorrhaged and had a stroke. I am one of the lucky ones who found out early.
WCT: Your voice has a chanting quality to it. Would you like to perform on soundtracks?
Wryn: I would love to and even just score something, even just a short film would be great.
WCT: Do you have a favorite movie?
Wryn: I Saw the TV Glow was great and one of the last movies that really got me.
WCT: I had a nice interview with the director of the movie, Jane Schoenbrun. How were the acoustics in Thalia Hall for you to perform a song like “Snake?”
Wryn: It was incredible. During last night’s show, I had one moment where I blanked on a song, but it was okay because everyone was supportive. One thing I have learned at these large shows is that I am good at bantering. I can be awkward, funny and charming!
WCT: It’s a skill that people can learn.
Wryn: I have my nights. I used to have bar gigs where I was onstage for four hours and it was tough.
WCT: I bet you could take a heckler if you needed to.
Wryn: Oh, I am ready for it!
WCT: Do you have a favorite queer singer?
Wryn: Hand Habits and is a project from Meg Duffy, who is non-binary. I also like queer singer Caroline Rose and will listen to their music over and over. It hits so good!
WCT: What do you want to tell people about yourself as an artist?
Wryn: If we go back to values, I am pretty raw and I think that can be refreshing. I like connecting with an audience and allowing them to know who I am. My whole schtick is not having a schtick. Getting to know someone in a concert setting is a powerful thing!
Visit wryn.com for more on this talented musician traveling the world.