.

.

Interview with
RUFF

(8th May, 2021)

Interviewer – Dave Bruce

.

.

How would you describe your sound? Why do you think people resonate with your music?
I would describe my sound as dance music meets pop music with an emphasis on emotion. As human beings we feel all sorts of emotions all the time and whatever I’m feeling in the moment when I am creating is what I want the listener to feel; from the lyrics to the production, every step of the way.

Which artist’s music and/or performance, past or present, inspires you today?
I can pinpoint the exact performance and moment when I decided I wanted to pursue a career as a music producer/Dance Music artist… I was a sophomore in high school and tuned into the Chainsmokers Ultra 2016 live-stream while in English class, about 5 minutes in they played “Kuala” by Pierce Fulton and the crowd’s energy was unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. Right then and there I decided “Yeah I definitely need to do this!”

Your latest single ‘Reasons’ has been a huge success! Describe its origin and evolution. 
Thank you! At the start of 2020, songwriting became a huge priority and focus for myself and one of my goals has always been to write a duet told from two sides of the same story. I had a rough instrumental of just some piano and guitar and connected with Robbie over Zoom where we wrote the entire song in under an hour. Then I hopped back into the session and finished up the instrumental, adding all the electronic elements that are in the version you know and love!

.

.

Any tours or events coming up soon? What are you looking forward to and what can fans expect?
With COVID precautions still in place, everything on the near horizon for myself and the Ruff brand will be mostly virtual but nonetheless as jam-packed as ever! Expect a TON of activity on Youtube with more track breakdowns and tutorials as well as live-streamed DJ sets.  I’ve been working on incorporating live instruments into my sets and will be unveiling that slowly through live-streamed sets into the return of live shows. 

If you could perform with any music artist, Alive or Dead, who would you choose? And why? 
Performing alongside Freddie Mercury would be an experience like no other, the ability he had to control any and every crowd is unparalleled and it’d make for one heck of a unique show for sure!

Do you have any long-term aspirations as music artists? 
Oh 1000%! My long-term goals are to continue to do what I love, making music and inspiring as many people as I can with my records and performances. I’d absolutely love to play Ultra and all the other major festivals down the road of course too!

.

.

What is the best thing about performing to a live audience? What’s been the career highlight so far?
Easily that feeling you get right as you start your set and the adrenaline is pumping, all eyes are on you and the crowd’s night is about to be dictated solely by you. My favorite show highlight thus far was in 2019 when I was playing out at a club in New York City and mid-set I dropped this Bohemian Rhapsody edit I’d been holding onto for a few weeks; once it dropped the crowd absolutely lost their minds and I was living for it!

Finally, a few questions for some quick answers –
FAVOURITE:
Album – Pharmacy by Galantis
Artist – The Chainsmokers
Movie – Remember the Titans
Place to visit – Aruba
Venue to play – Anywhere outdoors!
Food –  Bagels
Drink – Seltzer
Person in History –  Abraham Lincoln

.

.

Follow RUFF
INSTAGRAM – FACEBOOK  – WEBSITE

.

Press Release 5th May 2021 below

RUFF
reimagines hit single
‘REASONS’
with acoustic version

OUT NOW VIA THE DAWG HOUSE

.

.

21 year old Nick Ruffalo, better known as Ruff, has been breezing through career milestones at break-neck speed with a string of globally adored releases behind him. Following the March-release of his hit single ‘Reasons’ alongside American Idol finalist Robbie Rosen and Mercedes, the New Jersey native reimagines the cut as a stripped-back ballad with his highly anticipated acoustic version – out now via The Dawg House.

STREAM/PURCHASE: ‘REASONS’ [ACOUSTIC VERSION]

The track’s narrative paints a picture of a struggling relationship coming to an end; a relatable love story for fans all over the world. The once buoyant love anthem with its fiery uptempo motive and crisp percussive elements has now been stripped down to its balladic foundations, replacing electronica with flawless instrumentation. Robbie Rosen and Mercedes’ heartfelt vocal lines bounce off of one another, offering the lyrical story of both perspectives. The single’s new mellowed makeover presents the track in a new light and with an abundance of cinematic charm, showcasing the production talents of a versatile artist with untethered creative scope.

“I wanted to show an untapped side of my production where I can let the true, organic side of myself reign free through this version of Reasons” – Ruff

Ruff kicked off his catalogue in July 2020 with ‘Self Sabotage‘ alongside MIKEY C & Lila McKenna, which proved to be a hugely successful debut, achieving well over 300,000 streams on Spotify alone and staunch support from the likes of Will Sparks. The track was quickly followed by ‘Without It’; Ruff’s first collaborative effort with Robbie Rosen. In addition to ‘Reasons’, 2021 saw the release of an energetic dance flip of the Justin Bieber classic ‘Love Yourself’, which gained support from industry titan R3HAB; testament to the rising star’s studio prowess. Drawing inspiration from the likes of The Chainsmokers, Lost Kings , Gryffin, NOTD, & Martin Garrix, Ruff possesses an innate talent for radio-ready cuts, with his growing discography having already attracted over 50,000 monthly Spotify listeners and 2.5 million combined streams since his 2020 debut. Effortlessly combining the uplifting sensibilities of electronic music with his unique flair of emotive pop, Ruff’s ever-evolving orchestral dance-pop crossover sound has already touched fans around the world, setting him in perfect stead to cultivate an adoring global fanbase.

.

.

AMNPLIFY – DB