'just right'

He is a singer, songwriter and producer. He will be 31 in September of this year. He graduated from Harvard University at the age of 19 and has so far had over 14 million hits on You Tube.

His first major breakthrough was with the song, “Me & U” by singer Cassie which he wrote, produced, and recorded in his living room. It became number three on the American billboard charts and also topped the charts in the U.K, getting lots of airplay and growing to be one of the biggest singles of 2005.

Even though Ryan Leslie has produced and written songs for many famous artists including Britney Spears, Beyoncé and Snoop Dogg, the Harlem based singer has yet to reach the masses in this country. However that is all about to change because this RnB sensation has finally made his mark, in a big way.

His self-titled debut album, which was released in February this year, is already a hit in America, so much so that the Virgin Megastore in New York ran out of copies seven minutes after it went on sale.

After years of having only You Tube as a source of his music, I am honoured to finally review his first album, and it is safe to say that it is by no means a disappointment. In fact it has taken the position as one of my favourite albums, and that is no mean feat. Leslie shares the smooth tone of John Legend and the soul of Robin Thicke, as a producer he has also been compared to The Neptunes. But it is unfair to compare him because in some ways he is in a league of his own. With strong lyrics and original beats, his sound is like no other artist around at the moment.

There are 12 songs on his album and each one shows off his skills as a gifted artist that up to now has been criminally under-rated. He has something to offer most people with hints of soul and a little rap to accompany his RnB sound. The second track on his album, Addiction, features Cassie and rapper Fabolous and has become a big hit with many fans posting re-makes of their own versions on You Tube. Other songs on the album have a softer sound such as Just Right, which was the first Ryan Leslie song that I heard a good few years ago and was ultimately what made me fall in love with him.

His work is unique and stands out as real talent, for when others sing over a generic pop, Leslie does everything himself even down to playing the instruments.  

Next time you’re online check out his work on www.ryanleslie.com where you can listen to his album.