Ryland James releases heartwarming gay ballad

The JUNO award nominee and platinum selling artist proudly shares his new single, “3 Purple Hearts,” via Universal Music Canada and Republic Records. 

Written and recorded by Ryland James and Connor Seidel, the honest ballad vulnerably reveals the true story of Ryland’s first love. Watch the accompanying lyric video here.

“3 Purple Hearts” is the most personal song I’ve ever written,” says Ryland. “Early last year, my boyfriend-to-be commented three purple heart emojis on one of my Instagram pictures. I noticed it and somehow immediately knew he was someone special. We fell in love quickly and spent the summer together. When he had to move back home due to the pandemic, we had to do long-distance. It was one of the most difficult growth periods of my life, but through that growth I learned more than I ever have about myself, and most importantly learned to be proud of who I am.”

That long-distance separation drove Ryland’s decision to come out as queer.

“I’d never shared that part of myself with my fans or even a lot of my family before. It was the most honest I’d ever been with myself and the people in my life. That time was scary for me, but that was the most rewarding decision I’ve ever made. This song is a manifestation of that entire time period. It’s about my first love and the freedom to be myself that I continue to feel from it every day.” 

The Ontario native continues to be an artist to watch, most recently being nominated for two JUNO Awards for Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Pop Album of the Year. James’ smash hit single In My Head from his debut self-titled EP reached platinum certification in Canada, while his catalogue has garnered over 70 million global streams in just a short amount of time.

Listen to “3 Purple Hearts” here.

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