Mists rise from the crater at Mt Fuji’s peak as Ryan Rostrom gazes down into the looming abyss. It’s tranquil yet terrifying standing on the top edge of a volcano but this sees to be exactly where Ryan belongs. With the explosiveness of a raging volcano and the cool composition of evening mountain air, Ryan Rostrom is becoming recognized internationally as the next big thing in music: the new generation guitar hero.
The guitar hero. For decades they dominated the music scene with solos and riffs that defined pop culture. Each brought their own style but they all had one thing in common: they inspired us with the sound of their axe. After decades of fizzling out of mainstream music, fans are eager to have them back. But where do you find one? Who will answer the call?
In a small mountain town in Utah, we may have found the answer in Ryan Rostrom. Working from a music studio and currently producing his second album, Ryan is already starting to explode onto the international scene. Having already performed with over 50 different singers across 4 continents, Ryan knows what it takes to succeed. Since starting his solo project three years ago, he has already won numerous awards and recognitions and has performed for tens of thousands of people.
“Ryan has brilliantly fused together technical virtuosity and chocolaty rich tones into melodies that take you places that your heart and your ears have longed for. I would recommend seeing him live.” -Ronda Nielsen (founder of R Jeans Entertainment)
His rapid success is no coincidence. Anyone who has seen him perform can attest to his supremacy of the live stage. One booking agent cried the first time she heard him play. She described him as having, “the tone and technique of Eric Johnson and the smile and confidence of Donny Osmond wrapped up in a package.”
Ryan grew up traveling the world, spending a majority of his childhood in Tokyo, Japan. “I grew up in Japan. It’s a part of me. I love their focus on zen and harmony,” says Ryan.
Ryan brought the zen with him everywhere he moved and naturally found himself surrounded by top-notch people. He found world-class musicians to perform with in multiple cities. And excelled in the business world. He found no shortage of attention from the ladies as he dated the likes of cheerleaders, athletes, and even an international runway model. He also carried on his family tradition of playing tennis tournaments and was ranked by USTA as one of the top 20 players in Utah for his high school age bracket. Having climbed to the top of so many different mountains and obstacles already, it’s no surprise that he’s quickly rising the ranks as a powerhouse musician.
“I was diagnosed with insomnia in 7th grade in Japan. It was rough. There were nights when I’d lay in bed until the sun came up. The western doctors didn’t offer much help so I went to an oriental witch doctor named Dr. Wakita or Waki for short. After going through some massages and aromatherapy, he prescribed me with a bonsai headband to wear at night to increase blood flow to the brain. It actually helped quite a bit. I no longer fight the sleepless nights but rather use them to listen to music and soak in inspiration.”
Ryan has been involved with music forever. After starting piano lessons at a young age, he later joined bands as a keyboard player, drummer, bassist and finally guitarist.
“I’ve always loved music but I didn’t seriously consider it as something that I could make a career out of until just a few years ago. I remember sitting backstage before a show one day and I sunk into the couch, eyes closed, and just felt the energy of the show. The crowd was blaring, the opening acts were amazing and I could really feel the power of the music. It was absolutely electric. I could feel in a very real way that music is something worth committing a lifetime of work to.
“At the announcement of my name, I walked onto the stage and improvised a guitar solo that would win me 2nd place in a national competition sponsored by Elton John’s guitarist. There was electricity pulsing between the crowd and me and I just fed off of their passion. It was amazing.”
Ryan brings a genuine vitality and otherworldly mystique to the stage and it creates an emotional journey for the audience. It’s been rumored that his music conjures ghosts from the Far East. There have been claims of sightings of Japanese aurei at his concerts.
Ryan is currently focusing on playing corporate events and school assemblies in addition to regular public shows. He is also writing new music for his highly anticipated upcoming album “Six String Symphony.” He is also planning a Scandinavian tour set for June 2018 after the after the release of the new album.
