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Despite the somewhat ominous song title, there is an undercurrent of optimism running throughout “Ruin My Life,” the latest single from Toronto-based singer-songwriter Allegra Jordyn. In an uncharacteristically upbeat look at love, she ponders everything that could go right at the outset of a new relationship rather than focusing on what might go wrong.
Buoyed by an unmistakable 80’s influence, Allegra’s ethereal vocals swirl throughout the track, highlighted by a dreamy soundscape of steady drum beats and accents of keyboard throughout.
“When you willingly put yourself in a position of vulnerability, a lot of doubts can flood your thoughts, and you sometimes reason it’s not worth the risk,” she says. “I wanted to talk about my fears of commitment and heartbreak that have been prevalent in previous relationships, while also realizing there is a joy that comes from meeting someone that makes you feel they’re worth potentially setting yourself up to fall. You’re giving that person the power to potentially ruin your life, which is where the song’s title comes from.”
Acknowledging that it’s human nature to spend an inordinate amount of time focused on everything that could go wrong, choosing to ponder the other side of the coin is a deliberate, conscious choice.
“I wanted the song to show that while you might not be able to avoid the heartbreak in the end, it’s fun to explore the excitement and passion that comes from starting a new relationship.”
Allegra’s musical maturity comes full circle with “Ruin My Life”, as she has refined and defined her art since the release of her debut EP Possibilities in 2018. In 2020, she connected with Canadian songwriter/producer Chris Grey and worked to develop an eclectic sonic palette to complement her powerful storytelling. Energized by this updated artistic vision, she released her sophomore EP Take It from Me, I Know in 2021.
Since that time, and in what one might call a twist of fate, Allegra and Chris have not only become a strong songwriting team, but officially declared themselves a couple upon the release of Grey’s 2021 single “Seamless”, which recently hit one million streams on Spotify. Grey shares co-writing credit on “Ruin My Life” as well as appearing in and co-directing the music video for the track.
“Ruin My Life” is the first single from her forthcoming third EP, which will be released later this summer. While these newest songs share a similar paradox of optimism and cynicism, and light versus dark, Allegra unabashedly celebrates a phenomenal kick off to this latest evolution of her career.
Hi Allegra, welcome to VENTS! How have you been?
Hey, thanks for having me! I’ve been good, super busy with this new single and a bunch of other fun projects!
Can you tell us about your latest single “Ruin My Life”?
“Ruin My Life” is the first song I wrote and am releasing that feels genuinely happy. It’s fun, it’s passionate, it’s romantic, and I think it really encapsulates the magical feeling of diving into a new love but with such a unique twist.
What inspired you to write the song?
Over the past year or so, I’ve really learned how much of transformative force love can be. I’ve had to accept and overcome a lot of my past fears, traumas, and bad habits regarding relationships. Love is essentially a risk and reward scenario. It’s scary, because it takes a lot of trust and vulnerability to give your heart to somebody, but it can also be so beautiful and rewarding when it works out.
What was the writing and recording process like for the track?
The writing and recording process for this song was surprisingly fast. My songwriting partner and producer Chris Grey is also my boyfriend, and he was truly my muse for this song. We wrote the whole song and recorded the demo in only a few hours back in November 2021. The lyrics flowed pretty easily and quickly and we wrote the song almost completely in chronological order, which does not always happen.
Can you tell us about the music video for “Ruin My Life”? Any behind-the-scenes stories you can share with us?
We filmed the video for “Ruin My Life” about a month ago, and I think it really matches the vibrance and the energy of the song. Something that really sets it apart from my other music videos is that I did choreography for the first time. I had two incredible dancers/choreographers Cadence Oatt and Emma Tate, who made an entire dance to the song in 2 hours and taught it to me in less than that all within a week of the video shoot. It was also their first time performing in a music video, and they did such an amazing job.
When can we expect more new music from you?
Extremely soon. “Ruin My Life” is the first single of a project I am releasing this year so this new era is really only beginning!
What role does Canada play in your music?
It’s been my home forever and where I fell in love with music. In 2019 I moved away from here and spent a year in Boston, and I found myself struggling to make music. It was a weird time in my life and I had a lot of things going on and I felt really lost. Moving back to Canada during the pandemic was really what helped me realign myself with my purpose in making music and rediscover my artistry. Many of the people I work with now are incredibly talented Canadian artists, songwriters, producers, etc that I probably never would’ve been so close with if I hadn’t moved back here.
What else is happening next in your world?
I never stop creating and dreaming up new new up ideas so there are always a million things happening in my world. Lately I’ve been writing with so many amazing artists for their projects, starting to play some live shows again and attending some concerts, and I also just started my own multi-purpose music company. I’m also always working on my own music, of course. My next project is deep in progress and it includes some of my favourite songs I’ve ever made. I have so much that I just can’t wait to share with the world.
