New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ Atlantic Records) - Atlantic recording artist
Serena Ryder has made a stunning chart entrance with her full-length label debut, "is it o.k." The acclaimed album - which includes the hit singles, "Little Bit of Red" and "
All For Love" - premiered at No 1 on Billboard's "Heatseekers Albums" chart, marking the week's top-selling album by a new or developing artist. "is it o.k.," has already received gold certification from the CRIA (Canadian Recording
Industry Association) in Ryder's native Canada, where it has earned reams of critical acclaim as well as the 2009 Juno Award for "Adult Alternative Album of the Year." In the U.S., "Little Bit of Red" proved a Top 10 sensation at Triple A radio earlier this year. The track's popularity placed Ryder alongside Grammy Award-nominees
Adele and
Duffy as one of only three female artists to chart Top 10 at the format in the past year.
"All For Love," the latest single from "is it o.k.," has just shipped to Hot AC radio outlets nationwide. The track's companion video premiered last month as part of MySpace Music's new "Introducing..." program, which champions new artists through a series of specially tailored online and offline promotional opportunities. "All For Love" has since proven a popular clip, with total plays now approaching 125,000. In addition, Serena's official MySpace Video channel features a wide array of original webisodes, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive live performances, such as her stirring cover rendition of Bruce Springsteen's classic "Racing In The Street." "All For Love" was also recently featured as a "Discovery Download" on the iTunes main page and became one of the highest non-holiday download promotions of the year with over 160,000 giveaways.
Produced by Grammy Award-winner John Alagia (Jason Mraz, John Mayer, Dave Matthews Band), "is it o.k." has earned vociferous critical acclaim from all corners. The Washington Post hailed the album, noting that "what sets Ryder's songs apart are the emotionally charged, intelligent lyrics sung with the passion of a woman who knows the emotional intimacies about which she sings." "is it o.k." "exemplifies Ryder's love for eclecticism," decreed Paste, "highlighting her passionate pipes against a myriad of instrumental backdrops." "(She) attacks a lyric like a young Melissa Etheridge," affirmed O, The Oprah Magazine, while USA Today celebrated "Little Bit of Red" for its "driving urgency" and Ryder's "fervid singing."
A charismatic, show-stopping performer, Ryder has spent much of the past year on the road, including recent tours alongside the Wallflowers and her Atlantic Records labelmates NEEDTOBREATHE. With countless tours in her native Canada, as well as the U.S., France, and Australia, Serena has shared stages with such artists as Eric Hutchinson, Paolo Nutini, Marc Broussard, and Xavier Rudd, not to mention performances at such festivals as Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, and Denver's Mile High Music Festival. For up-to-the-minute news and information, visit www.serenaryder.com or www.myspace.com/serenaryder.
