RY X

Ry Cuming (born 6 May 1988), better known by his stage name RY X, is an Australian singer, musician, songwriter, and record producer. He was the first artist signed to the Stockholm-based label Dumont Dumont.

Early life Ry Cuming was born on 6 May 1988 on Woodford Island, where he became a surfer. He now resides in California.

Career Cuming has cited Pearl Jam and Jeff Buckley as his greatest influences; he started writing music at the age of 16 after hearing Buckley's 1994 album Grace. He briefly toured with Maroon 5, becoming their opening act in select venues. In 2012, he collaborated with Frank Wiedemann to release "Howling" on the German record label Innervisions, including a remix by Âme. was made available as 12" vinyl and digital. The title track charted in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

In 2014, Cuming became the lead singer of the band The Acid, which he formed with Adam Freeland and Steve Nalepa. The trio released an album titled Liminal, in July 2014. Together with Wiedemann he formed the band Howling and released a full-length album, Sacred Ground, on Ninja Tune and Monkeytown Records. Cuming's single "Howling" was featured in the movie Everything, Everything. The remix by Âme was featured in the movie Taken 3.

In May 2016, Cuming released his second album Dawn through Infectious Records and Loma Vista Records. The album charted at number 34 in the UK Album Charts as well as charting in Germany, France, Canada, and Australia. It gained favourable reception from the media, with a New York Times review saying, "His voice is a pearly, androgynous tenor, a vessel for liquid melancholy that blurs words at the edges. He stretches pop structures with repetition that grows devotional, obsessive, hypnotic."

Cuming's third studio album, Unfurl, was released in February 2019 via Infectious Music. The single "Untold" was released from the album in October 2018, which coincided with the beginning of his global tour.

“Cuming has previously appeared on tracks by Diplo, ODESZA, Duke Dumont, and Black Coffee, and was commissioned to remix Rihanna’s “Love on the Brain”.”

Blood Moon, Cuming's fourth album, was released in June 2022 via BMG. The album was recorded, produced and engineered almost entirely by Cuming at his home studio in Topanga. Blood Moon was released on the same day as Drake's album Honestly, Nevermind. "It was a dual celebration for RY X, who co-wrote and co-produced the Honestly, Nevermind track “Sticky”.” The project also took Cuming to Iceland to collaborate with Imre and Marne Van Opstal and nature photographer Benjamin Hardman for the official videos of "Your Love" and "Come Back". Blood Moon Remixes was released the following year, in June 2023.

Moths was released in September 2023 with its debut on Youtube with the official video, shot in the Sahara desert.

Live Performances Cuming, performing as RY X, has played non-traditional venues throughout his career, including a Cercle livestreamed show from Brazil's Lençóis Maranhenses National Park. In 2021, Cuming performed a livestream show produced by Driift from Vibiana Cathedral. In September 2023, Cuming performed at London's St. Paul's Cathedral with the London Contemporary Orchestra. It was said that this show sold out so quickly, the waitlist consisted of over 4000 people.

Orchestral Shows

Discography Albums Title Album details Peak chart positions BEL(FL) FRA GER NLD SWI Ry Cuming Released: 20 July 2010 Label: Jive Format: Digital download, CD — — — — — Dawn Released: 6 May 2016 Label: Loma Vista, Infectious Format: Digital download, CD 41 114 87 57 52 Unfurl Released: 15 February 2019 Label: Infectious Format: Digital download, CD 11 184 38 54 31 Blood Moon Released: 17 June 2022 Label: Infectious Format: Digital download, CD 151 — — — 68

Extended plays Title Details Certification Berlin Released: 2013 Label: Infectious Music UK Format: Digital download, 12" vinyl ARIA: Gold

Singles Year Title Peak chart positions Album UK BEL(FL)Tip FRA GER 2013 "Berlin" 38 — 42* 15 46 Berlin EP 2014 "Love Like This" — — — — — 2016 "Sweat (Dusk Sessions)" — — — — — Dawn "Howling" — — — — — Dawn 2017 "Bad Love" — — — — — 2018 "Untold" — 9* — — — Unfurl "YaYaYa" — 19* — — — 2019 "Thunder" — — — — — Did not appear in the official Belgian Ultratop 50 charts, but rather in the bubbling under Ultratip charts.

Awards & Accolades

Grammy Awards As the only peer-recognized music award, the GRAMMY is the music industry’s highest honor

Australian Music Prize The Australian Music Prize has provided a mouthpiece to the best albums in Australian contemporary music. Now in its 19th year, the prize is widely recognised as the most prestigious award for Australian recording artists

Music Week Awards The Music Week Awards are the UK's only music awards that recognise labels, publishing, live, retail, A&R, radio, marketing and PR.

Dolphin Awards The NCEIA Dolphin Music Awards are an annual iconic local music event, organised by the North Coast Entertainment Industry Association (NCEIA).

Other appearances "Destiny" For You - EP (King Henry, 2017)