Change is inevitable and with each new generation a teen star is born. Meet O'Ryan. Already a staple in piles of entertainment magazines, this teenage heartthrob-the younger brother of both Marques Houston (lead singer of IMx, former star of TV's Sister, Sister and co-star of You Got Served) and Omari (former lead singer of B2K and co-star You Got Served), O'Ryan's ready to serve up hits.
Although he has observed show business from the sidelines most of his life, it wasn't until O'Ryan turned 12 that he even contemplated a career in the music industry, preferring to pursue other goals. "It's funny because when I was younger, I was determined not to do the same things as my brothers despite my love of music. When I was growing up, Omari would be in the front room singing and dancing and I would be in the back reading a book."
O'Ryan resisted his urge to display his talents to the public until he was talked into appearing in a local theatrical production in his hometown of Los Angeles. He landed the role as a young Michael Jackson, and got thoroughly caught up in the superstar's persona, singing and dancing to old familiar Jackson Five songs. "Because it was so much fun, I started spending more time with Omari and the other guys of B2K. He traveled on the road with the group as an observer until he became comfortable enough to perform in front of B2K's huge audience full of screaming young girls.
Needless to say, O'Ryan soon became as hooked on a career in show business as his fans became hooked on him. Often mobbed and sometimes mistaken for older brother Omari, O'Ryan signed with T.U.G Entertainment (the company responsible for IMx, B2K and various other artists), at which point T.U.G's CEO Chris Stokes put O'Ryan to work.
"I took my time on this album, partially because I am still in school and also I wanted people to understand that just because I am Omari's little brother there is a difference between me and B2K. I'm a balladeer. I don't reveal my body and I feel like an old soul when I sing. I listen to gospel artists like Kim Burrell every day and oh, don't let me forget about Brandy. I am inspired by and a big fan of traditional R&B artists like Switch and Steve Wonder.
Wise beyond his 16-tender years and a true ladies' man, O'Ryan's goal is to put a new spin on a familiar story. "I am the artist that will do what others are afraid to do. I love a challenge, which is why I preferred to work with a lot of new producers as opposed to established ones. I wanted to work with people who could really bring out my sound."
O'Ryan's self-titled debut CD reflects the life of a teenage man from beginning to end with his intro --"Introducing," featuring fellow T.U.G label mate and mentor Young Rome to the final cut, "Smellz Like A Party," featuring Rufus Blaq from the You Got Served soundtrack.
O'Ryan's first single, "Take It Slow," shows his maturity both as a singer and as a young man who refuses to rush into an intimate relationship with a female. "Just because you like a girl doesn't mean you have to do this or that," he sagely remarks.
The bass heavy "Bad Situation," the flirtatious, "45 Minutes" and the club-banger, "Shorty" featuring rapper J Kwon were written and/or produced by big brother Marques Houston, who lends brotherly guidance to the labor of love.
Full of party sounds, titillating bump n grind tracks and ballads where he displays unabashed affection for the opposite sex, O'Ryan is an ear-pleasing collection of hits and O'Ryan himself is this generations' teen "singsation."
