Searching for a transcendent experience, but can’t stand silent retreats? Classically-trained singer and storyteller, Ryan James Monroe, has entered the chat. Born in St. Petersburg, Florida, this rising star has carved out a unique niche in New York City’s music scene with sold-out shows at Joe’s Pub, appearances at Carnegie Hall, and beyond, blending powerful vocals with raw emotional authenticity that leaves audiences breathless and moved.
Now holding court at Chelsea Table + Stage throughout 2025, Monroe has crafted a concert series that’s equal parts musical performance and collective catharsis. Working closely with composer Thomas Hodges—his musical soulmate and “co-parent” of original works—he’s creating experiences that marry classical training with contemporary vulnerability. We sat down with Monroe to discuss everything from his musical theater roots to the business of being yourself.
Chloe Yang (CY): Your background in music goes way back. Could you tell us about your journey?
Ryan James Monroe (RJM): Music has always been my favorite thing, my primary focus. I started performing in first grade, if not earlier. I was very lucky to grow up in St. Pete, Florida, where the public schools had great fine arts programs. I went to public school and studied music theater because while I had a classical voice and classical training, I wanted to learn how to perform—I wanted the acting, storytelling, and presence.
From St. Pete, I went to Elon University in North Carolina, where I double majored in Music Theatre and Arts Administration, with a minor in Business Administration. There, I studied with an incredible voice teacher, Dr. Kenneth Lee, who profoundly shaped my voice. He’s still such an important fixture in my life. His training and my relationship with him in college were paramount to my vocal and personal growth. Not only could Ken relate to my talent and ambition, but he also grew up Gay in the South, so as I was figuring out how to be myself in an increasingly problematic world , he was an incredible mentor to me.
CY: After graduation, what brought you to New York?
RJM: I graduated from Elon in 2016 and moved to New York. I didn’t come from money, and had to support myself. A lot of my colleagues were privileged with financial support from their families. While I had other incredible support from my family, complete financial support wasn’t one of them.
I got a full-time job working in administration at a music school in Brooklyn. I found the transition to New York City really intimidating and hard. Then I got a job at the Public Theater, working at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. By 2019, I realized, “I did not come to NYC to do this.” I missed performing so deeply and wanted to make that a priority. Then the pandemic hit, and I spent a year unemployed, in therapy, working on myself and getting aligned with what I wanted to do.
Coming out of the pandemic, I got another full-time job at a theater I help manage. Again, I thought, “I didn’t come here to do this,” but instead of quitting outright, I decided to strategically build my performance career. In 2022, I made my solo show debut at the Duplex downtown. It sold out in under eight hours—I’m told that’s the fastest show to sell out in their history. After our second show sold out as well, Thomas Hodges — my music director and composer — and I realized we had something special. We decided to record an album, spending eight months fundraising and crowdsourcing to make it happen. We released Time Travelers with a show at Joe’s Pub in February 2023, which sold out in under 12 hours, earning us a second show in March 2023
CY: Tell us about your current residency at Chelsea Table + Stage.
RJM: Each show in the residency is brand new and curated by me. While I’ll repeat some songs since the majority of the music is original material Thomas has written for me, each show will have its own unique setlist. It’s about creating distinct experiences while showcasing our collaborative work, with the specific goal of expanding and growing my audience and fan base.
I approach this as both an artistic and business venture. I think about it like I’m running a business—I am the CEO of Ryan James Monroe. I have my producer, who acts as a managing director, and Thomas, who serves as my music director and songwriter. But ultimately, I’m the CEO. This perspective helps me make strategic decisions about how to grow and develop this unique artistic presence we’re building.
CY: Your collaboration with songwriter Thomas Hodges seems central to your work. How did that partnership develop?
RJM: I saw a show he’d written called Sonata 1962 at the New York Musical Festival (NYMF) in 2018. The music was epic and devastating—I was weeping in the audience. I thought, “Who wrote this music? It’s so sophisticated, so powerful.” I messaged him on Facebook saying I was absolutely obsessed and would love to get in a studio with him.
We met in a studio for maybe 20 minutes. I sang one of his songs called “I’ll Wait” two or three times, and that was it. Later, when I was doing a showcase at the Duplex, I asked if he had any songs I could perform. He said, “It’s funny you messaged me—I just finished writing a song called ‘Time Travelers,’ and I wrote it with your voice in mind.”
I was so inspired that somebody had written something for me, thinking “this is a song that Ryan James Monroe will finish, that he will make manifest.” We saved that for my solo show debut at The Duplex in 2022, and did “I’ll Wait” at the showcase instead.
I was really drawn to his ability to write big songs—ambitious, hard, challenging, emotional music that really inspired me. A lot of contemporary music theater isn’t necessarily suited for my voice, which is very large, epic, and resonant. He was writing music I could sink my teeth into and feel challenged by.
We trust each other deeply with this music. Something I said to him at the beginning was, “At the end of the day, we still need to be friends.” We’ve had arguments and intense moments, but it’s always been okay because we have deep respect for each other. He recently sent me a voice memo saying, “I feel like you’re the co-parent of my music,” which is exactly how I feel. I claim it as my own too. I care for him and his creations as deeply as I care for my own and as we build, we’re building together.
CY: How do you describe your unique musical style and presence to venues and audiences?
RJM: It’s challenging because nobody is doing this the way I’m doing it. Nobody sounds the way I do, nobody looks the way I do. There are flavors and influences—I can draw comparisons to Josh Groban’s classical sound in contemporary music, Celine Dion’s epic presence and ability to amplify power while standing still, or Adele’s stage presence and glamour. But this is its own thing.
I don’t consider it cabaret—I consider it a concert, almost like a concert meets séance meets spiritual moment. It’s intense; you leave my show feeling drained in a beautiful way, having had a moment of catharsis and community. I believe my presence on stage should refract back to the audience. The way I perform helps people realize things they’ve been thinking or feeling, puts words to emotions, or brings up feelings they hadn’t experienced before.
CY: Of all the songs in your repertoire, do you have any favorites?
RJM: “Break the Bone” is one of my favorite songs to perform. It’s particularly special because it was the first song where Thomas wrote the music and I wrote the lyrics. It’s essentially a love letter to my younger self about taking your armor off and allowing yourself to be vulnerable and imperfect—about trying your best, failing, trying again, and ultimately succeeding. I’m very influenced by Brené Brown’s research on shame and the human experience, about armoring up and taking the armor down. That has influenced a lot of how I think about my work and my life.
CY: Your shows seem to create a powerful connection with the audience. How do you approach that?
RJM: Within the first two songs, I lead the audience in a breath. We breathe in and breathe out together twice, and that syncs the room. When a hundred people take a breath together, it calms me and calms us all into a synchronized heartbeat. There are moments of silence where you could hear a pin drop because the energy and focus are locked. It’s a push and pull, an energetic exchange between everyone in the audience and myself.
I look directly at people in the audience—I don’t find a point on the wall. I see you, and I can hear you. If you say something to me, I might respond. This extends to my band too. I always say to the musicians I hire, “we’re doing this together.” I want to hear them, I want them to react and engage. This isn’t just about me—we are doing this, and the audience is part of that too.
At my first show at the Duplex, someone who barely spoke English came up to me afterward and said, “I don’t speak much English, but I feel. Thank you.” That’s what it’s about—she didn’t understand the words, but she was moved by the presence, the emotion, and the sound. That’s the goal.
This connection extends to everyone involved in creating these experiences. The people I’ve hired over the years come back and work with me again because we prioritize treating everyone with respect. These people are getting paid well, and we’re not wasting their time—if we’re done early, it’s a wrap. We’re done. I make it a point to know everyone’s names—the producers, the technicians—and thank them from the stage by name. These might seem like small gestures, but they’re paramount to building lasting relationships and creating an environment where everyone can do their best work.
CY: How do you maintain the energy required for such intense performances?
RJM: I have a therapist I’ve worked with for five or six years now. We talk a lot about my work as an artist, the reasons I’m doing it, and managing perfectionism. There’s always a comedown after a show—sometimes harder, sometimes softer. This time was hard.
I try to give myself space. I meditate. I pause after shows to have a glass of champagne by myself and be quiet. I talk to my people—my producer, Thomas, my support system. Once I told my mom, who’s not a performer, “Do you understand what it feels like to have to amplify your own energy to impact 150 people at once? That’s what I’m doing.”
Before going on stage, I say to myself: “You have nothing to prove. You have so much to share.” That’s my mantra. I should probably say it after the show too—I’m very good about the moment before, not great about the moment after. I’m trying to get better at caring for myself after I leave the stage, no matter what happened on stage.
CY: What advice would you give to young artists trying to forge their own path?
RJM: You are not your job—you are more than your job. You are not your talent; your talent is something that you have. Do it well, do it slow and steady, treat people well, and let it be value-driven. It’s so much easier to feel good about your progress when you know you’re making it based on your value system.
It takes at least 10 years to become an overnight success. While it might not feel like you’re getting somewhere, you are moving forward. As long as you don’t stop and keep your values close to your heart, you can’t really fail. Your definition of success will change.
Bet on yourself, take the risk, and jump. I’m guided by the question that Erin Hanson asks: “What if I fall? Oh but my darling, what if you fly?” It’s easy to focus on the worst that could happen, but what’s the best that could happen?
Have people around you who amplify your vibe, and amplify theirs. Bring them along with you—you cannot do this alone, nobody can. And have fun doing it. It’s supposed to be fun.
Ryan James Monroe’s residency at Chelsea Table + Stage continues throughout 2025, with the next concert on sale for June 27th! Get your tickets now! His music can be streamed on all major platforms, and you can keep up with him on Instagram @RyanJamesMonroe.
