Biography
Who is Rykka?
Early life and name
Born Christina Maria Rieder in Vancouver, British Columbia, the artist began their musical path by taking guitar lessons at age fifteen. During their formative years, they performed at various community festivals to build experience. They also enrolled in a two-year program at Vancouver Community College where they studied vocal techniques under the instruction of Paula Kremer.
While developing their sound in Vancouver, they spent time busking around the city's Granville Island area. Eventually, the performer adopted the stage name Rykka to distinguish their musical identity. This name change became official during the release of their 2012 album, transitioning away from the name Christina Maria used on earlier projects.
Music career and albums
In 2009, the artist relocated to Toronto to record their third independent album, titled Straight Line. Several Canadian producers contributed to this project, including Ryan Guldemond of the band Mother Mother, David Baxter, and Russel Broom. The record was later released in Switzerland in 2010 through Little Jig Records, which led to promotional performances in both Switzerland and Germany, such as an appearance on the television program Sat.1 Frühstücksfernsehen.
The follow-up album, Kodiak, marked a distinct shift in their musical direction. Produced by Ryan Guldemond and featuring engineering by Shawn Penner, the album was released in Switzerland in 2012 and in Canada the following year under Vissen Record. This project earned industry recognition, including a nomination for Spiritual Album of the Year at the Western Canadian Music Awards in 2014.
Eurovision and competition success
A major milestone in their career occurred in 2013 when they won a substantial cash prize of $100,000 at the Peak Performance Project in British Columbia. This success was followed by a performance slot at the Squamish Valley Music Festival in 2014. Their profile grew further when they entered the competition to represent Switzerland at the Eurovision Song Contest.
After winning the selection show Die Entscheidungsshow, they represented Switzerland at the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest in Stockholm. They performed the song The Last of Our Kind, which they co-wrote with Jeff Dawson, Mike James, and Warne Livesey. During the second semi-final of the event, they placed eighteenth with a total score of 28 points.
Personal background and influences
The artist identifies as non-binary and uses they and them pronouns. They currently divide their time living between Vancouver and Zürich. Their personal history includes diverse roots, with a Swiss paternal grandfather and maternal grandparents from the Dutch towns of Bodegraven and Woerden.
Throughout their development as a songwriter, they have identified several key musical influences. These include artists such as Björk, Madonna, Blondie, Heart, Kate Bush, Cyndi Lauper, and Pat Benatar. Beyond their own discography, their music has appeared on television, including features on the series Rookie Blue and the program Tessa & Scott.
Birthday and age
Rykka was born on March 13, 1986, which makes Rykka 40 years old today. That birthday falls under the Pisces sign. Rykka shares the date with 31 other famous people.
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