60 Seconds with Singer Ryan Paris

Interview by Karen Beishuizen

My next guest for 60 Seconds for RSR is with Italian singer Ryan Paris.

We all know him from his huge 1983 hit “Dolce Vita “which was number 1 that year in most European countries for several weeks. Even now, almost 40 years later, the song is loved by many. Ryan is still doing the 80s festivals around the continent and the crowds are singing along.

KB: We know you of course from the song ” Dolce Vita ” which was a huge hit all over Europe in 1983: How did you write such a big hit and what gave you the inspiration?

I am the singer of Dolce Vita and I helped with the lyrics. The song was written by Pierluigi Giombini. I contacted him because I had a rock band.

My keyboarder was leaving for the soldier service, and I was looking for a new keyboarder. Mr. Giombini loved my voice and we started to work together on one of my songs and one day he presented me a song that he wrote for me. The song was Dolce Vita.

KB: After Dolce Vita you worked with the producers of Snap, Enigma and Culture Beat: Did you produce and write songs for these acts or was it for your own songs?

I lived in Germany from 1993 and Frankfurt was the capital of music in Germany and Snap, Culture Beat were there. I was working with Snap for one song of mine.

With Enigma (Frank Peterson) in Hamburg we worked together to produce my song “I wanna love you once again”. This song that brought me back to notoriety in 2010 and I coproduced with Eddy Mi Ami.

KB: In 2010 you made a comeback with new songs you wrote and composed and from that moment on you are a regular on radio stations specialized in 80s music: How does that make you feel?

It really made me feel really really good because they are songs written by me, so I had success as singer, composer and coproducer.

KB: In 2017 you sang ” Dolce Vita ” in Catalan language for the charity La Marato: What made you work with the charity?

To work for making money to help the study of illnesses is a great goal. We made 11 million Euro that year to help the study of cancer. It is fantastic. I am very proud that I could help.

KB: In 2021 you were chosen as the face for the fashion company Drycorn: How did this happen?

Drykorn is making clothes a for young people. They just contacted my agent in Germany and their video troupe went to Rome to shoot a great video.

Probably they choose the song Dolce vita because it is a song full of life and happiness and they knew also that I had worked as an actor in the 70ies and 80ies.

KB: Dolce Vita is now used for a 2021 Mercedes GLA publicity ad: How did this happen?

Same thing happened for Mercedes, but they contacted the owner of the master of Dolce vita

KB: In 2022 you have a new album coming out: What is it called, and you want to tell me more about it?

The name of the LP will be “First “: Because actually it will my real first LP produced by me with all songs written by me and some duets with a U.S. Indie artist and a female singer.

KB: We had several lock downs during the pandemic and Italy was one of the first countries badly hit: What did you do in lock down to pass the time? Did you write new songs or something else?

I made a double cd with 31 songs of the 80ies redone in 80 and modern style. With my partner Johann Perrier we made some of these songs and they went very high in the chart in France. Especially Tarzan Boy number 2 for 8 weeks in the most important chart in France. I was at work with friends and compose songs and I tried to be very active. Before the beginning of the lockdown, I was part of the concert Best of 80 with Samantha Fox, Spagna, Ottawan and 11 others great French stars of the 80ies. In April we will be back on the road in all France.

Check out Ryan Paris’ website.

You can also find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.