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Ruth B.
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Key Information
Ruth Berhe (born July 2, 1995),[2] is a Canadian singer and songwriter from Edmonton, Alberta. She started by singing songs on Vine in early 2013. In November 2015, she released her debut extended play The Intro. On May 5, 2017, she released her debut album Safe Haven. It has gathered over 2.5 billion overall streams globally as of June 2024. Her double-platinum single "Lost Boy" has accumulated over 850 million streams on Spotify, and her YouTube channel has received a total of over 900 million views as of April 2025[update].
Her song "Dandelions" from Safe Haven became a sleeper hit in 2022, when it grew in popularity due to TikTok and charted internationally, including chart debuts in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil, and Germany. It has accumulated over 2 billions streams on Spotify alone.
Early life and education
[edit]Berhe was born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta.[3] Her parents emigrated from Ethiopia in the 1980s. Berhe speaks her parents' native language Amharic fluently.[4] She spent some of her teenage years working at a local Reitmans clothing store and described herself in an interview with The Canadian Press as an "introvert".[5] She said she was "never the big party chick."[6] While working part-time she started posting videos on Vine. She says she chose the six-second video service because it took less effort to upload short clips, compared to other popular services like YouTube.[5]
Berhe graduated from Ross Sheppard High School in 2013. She attended MacEwan University, but took time off her studies to focus on music.[2]
Career
[edit]Berhe posted her first Vine video in May 2013, and started making singing Vines about a year later.[2][3] Her singing Vines, typically six second covers of popular songs, helped her grow a following.[3] In November 2014, she posted a Vine of herself singing a line that she had made up, which was inspired by the television series Once Upon a Time.[2] It garnered around 84,000 likes within a week, which was unusual for her at the time. She took note of its popularity, with some of her followers commenting that she should make it into a full song.[7] It became "Lost Boy", which she shared to YouTube on January 18, 2015.[8] The song "Superficial Love" was featured on her debut EP The Intro later that year and on her 2017 debut album Safe Haven, which also included the song "Dandelions".
Berhe was nominated for the Juno Fan Choice Award and Songwriter of the Year, and won Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the 2017 Juno Awards.[9] In June, she honoured National Arts Centre Award winner Michael Bublé at the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards gala by performing his song "Home"[10] as well as Bryan Adams' "Heaven" during Adams' induction for the Lifetime Achievement Award at the SOCAN Awards.[11] In September, she performed Neil Young's "Heart of Gold" for his induction into the Canadian Songwriters Hall Of Fame.[12]
At the 2018 Juno Awards, she was nominated for three awards including Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, and Pop Album of the Year.[13] The CBC Kids television series Addison also debuted that year, with a theme song performed by Berhe.[14] In May, her song "Shadows" appeared in the second season of the Netflix series Dear White People.
In 2019, she released an EP called Maybe I'll Find You Again, which includes the song "Slow Fade," which she co-wrote with the British alternative group Oh Wonder.[15][16]
In the summer of 2020, she released the song "If I Have a Son" as a response to the George Floyd Murder in Minneapolis.[17] "Dirty Nikes" was the first single released from her sophomore album, Moments In Between. On December 3, she performed a virtual concert representing the MusicCares Foundation to raise money during the COVID-19 pandemic.[18]
In 2021, her second album Moments in Between was released.[19]
In August 2022, her song "Paper Airplanes" was featured as the leading original song for the Tyler Perry Netflix film, A Jazzman's Blues soundtrack.[20]
Discography
[edit]Studio albums
[edit]| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAN [21] | |||
| Safe Haven |
|
17 | |
| Moments in Between |
|
— |
EPs
[edit]| Title | Extended play details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN [21] |
US [25] | |||
| The Intro |
|
20 | 52 |
|
| Maybe I'll Find You Again[26] |
|
— | — | |
Singles
[edit]As lead artist
[edit]| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN [27] |
DEN [28] |
IRE [29] |
NLD [30] |
SWE [31] |
UK [32] |
US [33] | ||||
| "Lost Boy" | 2015 | 14 | 14 | 89 | 41 | 19 | 97 | 24 | The Intro and Safe Haven | |
| "Superficial Love" | 2017 | —[A] | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Rare"[39] | 2018 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Maybe I'll Find You Again | |
| "Slow Fade" | 2019 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Dirty Nikes" | 2020 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Moments in Between | |
| "Situation" | 2021 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "28" (with Dean Lewis)[40] |
2023 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | |
Promotional singles
[edit]| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN [27] |
AUS [41] |
IRE [29] |
MYS [42] |
NLD [30] |
SGP [43] |
SWI [44] |
UK [32] |
US Bub. [45] |
WW [46] | ||||
| "In My Dreams" | 2016 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Safe Haven | |
| "If This Is Love" | 2017 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Dandelions" | 58 | 53 | 80 [47] |
10 | 100 | 9 | 90 | 42 | 9 | 51 | |||
| "Crave" | 2018 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Maybe I'll Find You Again | |
| "If I Have a Son" | 2020 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | |
| "Die Fast" | 2021 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Moments in Between | |
Awards and nominations
[edit]| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Shorty Awards | Best Vine Musician | Herself | Nominated |
| iHeartRadio Much Music Video Awards | Fan Fave Vine Musician | |||
| Teen Choice Awards | Next Big Thing | |||
| BET Awards | BET FANdemonium Award | |||
| 2017 | Juno Awards | Juno Fan Choice Award | ||
| Breakthrough Artist of the Year | Won | |||
| Songwriter of the Year | Herself — •"Lost Boy" •"Superficial Love" •"2 Poor Kids" |
Nominated | ||
| Canadian Radio Music Awards | Best New Group or Solo Artist: Hot AC | "Lost Boy" | Won | |
| Best New Group or Solo Artist: Mainstream AC | Nominated | |||
| Best New Group or Solo Artist: CHR | Won | |||
| Western Canadian Music Awards | Pop Artist of the Year | Herself | Nominated | |
| 2018 | Juno Awards | Artist of the Year | ||
| Album of the Year | Safe Haven | |||
| Pop Album of the Year | ||||
| 2023 | Black Reel Awards | Outstanding Original Song | "Paper Airplanes" | Nominated |
Artistry
[edit]Berhe has listed Lauryn Hill, The Beatles, Carole King, Grouplove, Adele, Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran as some of her musical influences. She said that "the one thing all my favourite artists have in common is they are all storytellers. Something that I try to incorporate in my music", in an interview with Idolator.[48]
Notes
[edit]Rod Wave sampled Mixed Signals by Ruth B on his hit single Street Runner.
- ^ "Superficial Love" did not chart on the Canadian Hot 100, though did peak at number 44 on the CHR/Top 40 chart.[38]
References
[edit]- ^ "Ruth B / Canadian-Ethiopian Singer-Songwriter Plans To Write & Produce Her Own Album". Flaunt Magazine. September 28, 2020. Archived from the original on March 25, 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Edmonton singer Ruth B launches career in an instant". CBC News. December 1, 2015. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
- ^ a b c Sperounes, Sandra (November 25, 2015). "Who is Edmonton's Ruth B? The latest online star to get a record deal". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
- ^ Kohn, Daniel (2016-08-31). "Inside Ruth B'sDebut". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2019-10-27.
- ^ a b Friend, David (November 15, 2016). "Edmonton singer Ruth B on life after Vine: 'I write full songs now, not just 6 seconds'". Global News. Global News/The Canadian Press. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
- ^ "Edmonton singer Ruth B on life after Vine: 'I write full songs now, not just 6 seconds' - Edmonton | Globalnews.ca".
- ^ Khan, Sarah (November 30, 2015). "Ruth B Talks Vine, The Intro & Getting Inspired By 'Once Upon A Time'". ANDPOP. Archived from the original on May 3, 2016. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
- ^ Lost Boy on YouTube
- ^ "Edmonton's Ruth B wins Juno Award for Breakthrough Artist of the Year". Global News. April 3, 2017. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
- ^ "Michael J. Fox, Michael Bublé honoured at Performing Arts gala — with a little help from Joan Jett". CBC News. June 29, 2017. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
- ^ "SOCAN Awards Shine Bright Lights on Canada's Music Creators and Publishers". Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada. June 19, 2017. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
- ^ "Here's what you missed at the 2017 Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame". CBC News. September 24, 2017. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
- ^ "Pop singer Ruth B, Nickelback and pianist Jan Lisiecki among 10 Alberta acts to watch at 2018 Juno Awards". CBC News. March 23, 2018. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
- ^ Addison - Six Eleven Media / CBC Kids - Ruth B on Vimeo
- ^ Magnocavallo, Fabio (April 18, 2021). "Ruth B. — Situation". Euphoria. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
- ^ Newman-Bremang, Kathleen. "Suggested Song Pairing: Ruth B's "Slow Fade" & An Overdue Breakup". www.refinery29.com. Retrieved 2023-05-08.
- ^ "Ruth B. Balances Hope and Fear on "If I Have a Son" Re-Release". Complex. Retrieved 2023-05-08.
- ^ "Ruth B. Livestream Performance Brought in $160K For Musicares". December 8, 2020. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
- ^ "ALBUM REVIEW: RUTH B. – MOMENTS IN BETWEEN". Beats Per Minute. June 15, 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
- ^ "Ruth B.'s Original Song 'Paper Airplanes' from Tyler Perry's 'A Jazzman's Blues' Released". Retrieved 2022-09-29.
- ^ a b "Ruth B Chart History: Canadian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
- ^ a b c d "Canadian certifications – Ruth B." Music Canada. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
- ^ a b c d "American certifications – Ruth B." Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
- ^ "Moments in Between by Ruth B. on Apple Music". Apple Music. Archived from the original on April 17, 2021. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
- ^ "Ruth B Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
- ^ "Maybe I'll Find You Again / Ruth B." Tidal. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
- ^ a b "Ruth B Chart History: Canadian Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
- ^ Hit Listen Top 40
- ^ a b "Discography Ruth B". irishcharts.com. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
- ^ a b Dutch Charts
- ^ Sverigetopplistan
- ^ a b "RUTH B | full Official Chart history". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
- ^ "Ruth B Chart History: Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
- ^ a b "British certifications – Ruth B". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 12, 2023. Type Ruth B in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
- ^ "Danish certifications – Ruth B. – Lost Boy". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
- ^ "Sverigetopplistan – Ruth B." (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
- ^ "Dutch certifications – Ruth B" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved June 11, 2023. Enter Ruth B in the "Artiest of titel" box.
- ^ "Ruth B Chart History: Canada CHR/Top 40". Billboard. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
- ^ RuthBVEVO (2018-09-21). "Ruth B. - Rare (Official Video)". YouTube. Retrieved 2018-09-22.
- ^ "Ruth B. Teams Up with Dean Lewis for New Single". PM Studio. November 10, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
- ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 11 July 2022". The ARIA Report. No. 1688. Australian Recording Industry Association. July 11, 2022. p. 4.
- ^ Peak chart positions on RIM's Top 20 most streamed international & domestic songs in Malaysia:
- "Dandelions". January 7–13, 2022. Retrieved January 22, 2022 – via Facebook.
- ^ "RIAS Top Charts Week 9". RIAS. Recording Industry Association (Singapore). Archived from the original on March 8, 2022.
- ^ Discography - singles peaks in the Switzerland (Swiss Hitparade):
- "Dandelions": "Ruth B - Dandelions Chart History". Swiss Hitparade. January 30, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
- ^ "Ruth B Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
- ^ "Ruth B Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
- ^ "IRMA – Irish Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
- ^ Wass, Mike (November 25, 2015). "Popping Up: Ruth B". Idolator. Retrieved December 11, 2015.[dead link]
External links
[edit]- Official website
- "Lost Boy". Vine. December 1, 2014. Archived from the original on May 31, 2016. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
As of April 2016, the first release achieved 1+ m loops and the re-release had 3+ m loops
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
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Ruth B.
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Personal Background
Early Life and Family Origins
Ruth Berhe, known professionally as Ruth B., was born on July 2, 1995, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.[7][8] Her parents emigrated from Ethiopia to Canada in the 1980s, settling in Edmonton where they raised her in a multicultural household.[8][9] Berhe's Ethiopian heritage played a significant role in her early environment, with her family exposing her to music from their homeland alongside Western influences.[1][10] In a 2016 interview, Berhe described her Ethiopian roots as "a big part of who I am," emphasizing her appreciation for the culture and its history.[11] She has identified strongly with her parents' origins, which shaped her personal identity during childhood.[12]Education and Initial Musical Interests
Ruth Berhe, known professionally as Ruth B., grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, and completed her secondary education at Ross Sheppard High School, graduating in 2013.[13] She enrolled at MacEwan University shortly thereafter, intending to pursue a career in law, but placed her studies on hold in 2015 as her music gained traction via social media.[13] [14] Berhe's early musical interests were shaped by her parents' Ethiopian heritage, exposing her to traditional music from their native country during her childhood.[2] She began piano lessons at age eight and sang throughout her life, developing a foundational passion for performance.[2] [1] In her late teens, she started songwriting, drawing influences from artists such as Stevie Wonder and Lauryn Hill, while also engaging in poetry and short story composition as creative outlets.[2] [1] [14]Rise to Prominence
Social Media Beginnings on Vine
Ruth Berhe, known professionally as Ruth B., initiated her musical exposure on the short-form video platform Vine in early 2013, while living in Edmonton, Alberta, as a teenager.[15][16] She began by recording and uploading six-second clips of herself performing cover songs on piano, including tracks by artists such as Drake and Lana Del Rey, which allowed her to share her vocal abilities and piano skills in a low-pressure, semi-anonymous format suitable for her introverted personality.[17][18] These early posts served as an outlet for a part-time retail worker and student hesitant about traditional performance avenues, enabling organic audience growth from an initial base of around 100 personal contacts to thousands through incremental likes and shares.[15][18] The platform's constraint of six-second loops encouraged concise, hook-focused renditions that highlighted Berhe's emotive singing and melodic interpretations, fostering a niche following among Vine users interested in music covers.[17] By consistently posting such content, she cultivated a reputation for authentic, piano-driven performances, which contrasted with Vine's often comedic or viral trends and positioned her as an emerging musical talent within the app's ecosystem.[15] This phase marked her transition from private musical hobbies to public sharing, without initial commercial intent, relying on the platform's algorithmic promotion and user engagement for visibility.[18] Prior to Vine's discontinuation in 2017, Berhe's account amassed over 2 million followers through these foundational videos, laying the groundwork for her shift toward original material, though her early success stemmed primarily from the accessibility and shareability of cover interpretations rather than structured promotion.[19]Breakthrough and "Lost Boy" Viral Success
Ruth B. composed "Lost Boy," a piano-driven ballad drawing from Peter Pan imagery to explore themes of escapism and emotional resilience, during her late teens. She initially shared it via segmented six-second clips on Vine starting in November 2014, beginning with a single line that captured listeners' attention through its raw, looping vulnerability.[20][21] The Vine posts rapidly gained traction, with the initial segment alone accumulating over 3 million loops, as users repeatedly engaged with the haunting melody and introspective lyrics. This organic virality distinguished "Lost Boy" as one of the platform's rare original song successes, predating similar breakthroughs and highlighting Vine's role in democratizing music discovery for independent artists. The widespread sharing extended the song's reach beyond short-form video, fostering fan demand that prompted full-version uploads on YouTube and SoundCloud.[22][23] The momentum from Vine propelled Ruth B. into professional opportunities, culminating in a signing with Columbia Records in July 2015 after label executives noted the clip's exceptional engagement metrics. This breakthrough validated her self-taught approach, transitioning her from amateur postings to industry recognition, with "Lost Boy" later certified multi-platinum in multiple territories upon its formal release on the EP The Intro in November 2015.[18][24]Professional Career
Signing and Early Releases
Following the viral success of her single "Lost Boy," which accumulated millions of streams independently after its January 2015 release, Ruth Beres Whitaker, known professionally as Ruth B., attracted interest from major record labels. She traveled to New York and Los Angeles for meetings with executives before signing a recording contract with Columbia Records in July 2015.[25][26][15] In the months after signing, Ruth B. focused on formalizing her debut commercial output under the label. On November 27, 2015, Columbia Records released her debut extended play, The Intro, a four-track project featuring minimalistic production centered on vocals and keyboard instrumentation.[27][28] The EP included the re-recorded "Lost Boy" alongside new originals such as "Superficial Love," "In the Moment," and "24/7," which built on her Vine-era style of introspective, piano-driven songwriting.[29][18] The Intro marked Ruth B.'s transition from social media virality to professional distribution, achieving gold certification in Canada by late 2015 and peaking at number 10 on the Canadian Albums Chart.[1] The release propelled "Lost Boy" to wider commercial platforms, including radio airplay, while establishing her as an emerging artist capable of sustaining momentum without heavy reliance on traditional promotion.[30]Album Development and Later Projects
Ruth B. composed all twelve tracks on her debut studio album Safe Haven, drawing from personal experiences to create a collection of piano-driven pop songs that expanded on the introspective style of her earlier EP The Intro. The album's production emphasized minimalist arrangements, with layered vocals and subtle electronic elements supporting her songwriting, resulting in a runtime of approximately 48 minutes. Released on May 5, 2017, through Columbia Records, Safe Haven featured lead singles like "Dandelions" and included her breakthrough track "Lost Boy," achieving over 2.5 billion global streams by mid-2024.[31][32][33] Following Safe Haven, Ruth B. released her second studio album Moments in Between on June 11, 2021, executive-produced by Patrick Wimberly, known for collaborations with artists such as Solange and Blood Orange. This project shifted toward more mature themes of relationships and self-reflection, incorporating fuller instrumentation while retaining her signature piano foundations across eleven tracks. The album's deluxe edition added remixes and bonus content, reflecting iterative refinements in her production approach.[34][35] Subsequent projects included the single "Paper Airplanes," an original composition featured as the end-title song for Tyler Perry's 2022 film A Jazzman's Blues, released via Milan Records. In 2023, she collaborated with Dean Lewis on the track "28," and by 2024, remixes such as the Flexondatrack & Fraxille version of "28" highlighted her ongoing experimentation with electronic and collaborative elements. These efforts demonstrate a progression toward film scoring and genre-blending singles, with no third full-length album announced as of late 2024.[4][2][36]Discography
Studio Albums
Ruth B. has released two studio albums. Her debut studio album, Safe Haven, was issued on May 5, 2017, by Columbia Records.[37] The 12-track project features production from Joel Little and Mike Elizondo, with Ruth B. writing or co-writing all songs.[38] Key tracks include "Mixed Signals" (4:15), "Dandelions" (3:53), "Unrighteous" (4:00), "Superficial Love" (3:39), "If This Is Love" (3:49), and "Lost Boy" (4:36), alongside "This Is What I Came For" (3:56), "Young and Wild" (3:52), "In the Moment" (3:37), "24 Hours" (3:51), "Someday" (3:28), and "Safe Haven" (4:00).[38] The follow-up, Moments in Between, appeared on June 11, 2021, via Downtown Records.[39] This 10-track album, self-produced in part by Ruth B., explores introspective themes through songs such as "Princess Peach" (3:32), "Holiday Interlude" (0:31), "Holiday" (2:34), "Situation" (3:30), "Sweet Chamomile" (3:28), "Favourite" (3:04), "Spaceship" (3:21), "Die Fast" (3:15), "Dirty Nikes" (3:06), and "Moments in Between" (3:55).[40] A deluxe special edition added five bonus tracks in 2021.[41]Extended Plays (EPs)
Ruth B. released her debut extended play, The Intro, on November 27, 2015.[1] The five-track project, self-produced in large part, featured her breakthrough single "Lost Boy," which had garnered viral attention from its Vine origins, alongside tracks such as "My Best Friend's Moving Away," "In the Moment," "Rain," and "Lost Boy (Piano Acoustic)."[42] The EP marked her initial foray into commercial recording following independent uploads, achieving gold certification in Canada through streams and sales driven by "Lost Boy."[1] Her second extended play, Maybe I'll Find You Again, followed on March 22, 2019, under Columbia Records.[43] Comprising five songs—"Don't Disappoint Me," "Slow Fade," "Crave," "Rare," and the title track—this EP explored themes of relationships and introspection with a blend of pop, R&B, and alternative elements, produced in collaboration with D'Mile.[44] It served as a transitional release between her debut album Safe Haven and later full-length projects, emphasizing vocal maturity and genre experimentation without yielding major chart singles comparable to her earlier hits.[45]| Title | Release Date | Label | Tracks |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Intro | November 27, 2015 | Independent/Columbia | 5 |
| Maybe I'll Find You Again | March 22, 2019 | Columbia | 5 |
Singles as Lead Artist
Ruth B.'s singles as lead artist primarily emerged from her debut EP The Intro (2015) and album Safe Haven (2017), with "Lost Boy" serving as her breakthrough track after initial viral exposure on Vine and YouTube. Released independently on February 12, 2015, "Lost Boy" gained traction through organic streaming, peaking at number 14 on the Canadian Hot 100, number 24 on the US Billboard Digital Song Sales chart, and charting for 22 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 after formal promotion in 2016.[46] In the UK, it reached number 97 on the Official Singles Chart with one week of charting.[47] "Superficial Love," another early single from The Intro released November 27, 2015, received radio play and promotional support but did not achieve significant chart success, though it contributed to her growing streaming presence. Her second major charting single, "Dandelions," was issued as a promotional track from Safe Haven on April 28, 2017, initially underperforming before surging via TikTok virality in 2021–2022, amassing over 1 billion Spotify streams by May 2023.[48][49] It peaked at number 42 on the UK Official Singles Chart, logging 30 weeks, and charted at number 42 on the US Billboard Hot 100.[50] Subsequent releases like "Mixed Signals" and "If By Chance" from Safe Haven were promoted as singles but lacked comparable commercial impact, focusing instead on album sales and digital streams. No further solo lead singles charted prominently after 2017, with later collaborations such as "28" (2023) featuring Dean Lewis not qualifying as lead artist efforts.[51]| Title | Release Date | Album/EP | Selected Peak Positions |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Lost Boy" | February 12, 2015 | The Intro | CAN: 14, US Hot 100: (charted 22 wks), UK: 97[46][47] |
| "Superficial Love" | November 27, 2015 | The Intro | No major chart peaks; promotional single |
| "Dandelions" | April 28, 2017 | Safe Haven | US Hot 100: 42, UK: 42 (30 wks)[50][48] |
Artistry
Musical Style and Production
Ruth B.'s musical style is rooted in singer-songwriter traditions, blending elements of pop, soul, and indie folk with a focus on emotive storytelling delivered through her smooth, versatile vocals. Her work often features minimalist arrangements emphasizing piano or ukulele, allowing lyrical introspection to take center stage, as seen in her breakthrough single "Lost Boy," which relies on sparse piano accompaniment to evoke vulnerability and narrative depth.[52] Influences such as Lauryn Hill, Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift, and Alicia Keys inform her melodic sensibility and fusion of soulful phrasing with accessible pop structures, contributing to a sound that balances raw emotionality with broad appeal.[1][53][54] In production, her early output from the Vine era prioritized simplicity and authenticity, with tracks like "Lost Boy"—her first original song, written in approximately 20 minutes—recorded using basic tools such as a smartphone or piano in home settings to capture unpolished intimacy.[55] This approach extended to her 2016 debut EP The Intro, where minimal layering highlighted vocal dynamics over elaborate effects, aligning with her philosophy that fewer elements amplify emotional impact.[52] Subsequent projects evolved toward more polished techniques while retaining core minimalism. Her 2017 debut album Safe Haven was primarily produced by Joel Little, known for his work on Lorde's Pure Heroine, incorporating subtle programming, engineering, and mixing to enhance atmospheric depth without overshadowing her piano-driven compositions; Ruth B. also contributed as co-producer and programmer on select tracks.[56] Later releases, such as the 2021 album Moments in Between—executive-produced by Patrick Wimberly—introduced bolder pop-rock elements and sophisticated arrangements, yet maintained an emphasis on vocal-led introspection through collaborative refinement rather than heavy post-production.[34] Throughout, her process underscores self-directed creativity, with intentions to fully self-produce future works to preserve personal narrative control.[54]Songwriting Approach and Themes
Ruth B. employs a spontaneous and introspective songwriting process, typically starting with an immediate rush of ideas captured on pen and paper, often accompanied by simple piano chords to evoke raw emotion. She prioritizes authenticity by focusing on honest self-expression, advising writers to "just be honest and put your feelings onto the paper" before refining structure or production. This approach stems from her early Vine videos, where short, unpolished clips evolved into full songs like "Lost Boy," reflecting a preference for organic development over premeditated composition. Influenced by narrative-driven artists such as Ed Sheeran, Lauryn Hill, and Lana Del Rey, her method emphasizes storytelling through personal vulnerability rather than commercial formulas.[57] Her lyrics recurrently explore themes of emotional isolation, relational dynamics, and personal growth, drawing directly from lived experiences and observations. "Lost Boy" (2015), her breakthrough single, uses the Peter Pan metaphor to depict escaping loneliness via imagination and creative pursuits, rooted in the singer's own feelings of solitude and discovery of solace in piano playing. Songs from her debut EP The Intro (2015) further illustrate relational caution, as in "Superficial Love," which critiques insincere partnerships prompted by fleeting social encounters, and "If This is Love," questioning unhealthy romantic patterns. Youthful innocence and defiance appear in "2 Poor Kids," evoking carefree rebellion against judgment.[57][58] Later works expand to resilience and hope amid adversity. "Golden" offers encouragement against self-doubt, framed as advice to her younger self that "it gets better," while "Dandelions" (2017) romanticizes wistful young love through imagery of wishes on dandelion seeds, capturing fleeting optimism in romance. Amid personal and societal challenges, including racial disparities, she has addressed empathy and Black experiences in tracks like "If I Have a Son" (2020), using her platform to foster understanding without overt didacticism. Overall, her themes privilege emotional realism and catharsis, often resolving in empowerment through self-reliance or meaningful connections, consistent with her commitment to "songs that make me, me."[57][59][60]Reception and Impact
Commercial Performance
Ruth B.'s breakthrough single "Lost Boy," released in 2015, peaked at number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in July 2016 after debuting on the chart in March of that year.[61][23] The track earned a double platinum certification from the RIAA in November 2016, representing 2 million certified units in the United States based on sales and streaming equivalents.[62] In Canada, "Lost Boy" achieved quadruple platinum status from Music Canada by March 2018, signifying shipments of 320,000 units.[63] Her debut EP The Intro (2015) reached number 4 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart.[24] The follow-up album Safe Haven (2017) was certified gold by the RIAA and Music Canada, each denoting 500,000 units in their respective markets.[64] The album's single "Dandelions" drove substantial streaming revenue, accumulating over 2 billion plays on Spotify as part of Ruth B.'s total catalog exceeding 5.5 billion streams across platforms by 2023.[65] Subsequent releases like the 2021 album Moments in Between received gold certification for "Dandelions" from the RIAA, reflecting ongoing digital consumption. Overall, "Lost Boy" alone surpassed 850 million Spotify streams, contributing to Ruth B.'s sustained digital footprint despite limited traditional radio airplay beyond its initial viral momentum.[66]Critical Assessments and Public Response
Ruth B.'s music garnered generally positive but niche critical attention, with reviewers often highlighting her emotive vocals, minimalist piano arrangements, and narrative-driven lyrics rooted in personal experiences. Her debut single "Lost Boy," released in 2015, was described by Billboard as an unusual presence on the Billboard Hot 100, standing out as the sole unadorned piano ballad amid more produced pop tracks, which underscored its organic appeal despite lacking traditional production elements.[23] For her 2017 album Safe Haven, Cryptic Rock praised its gentle, introspective tracks like "Mixed Signals" for their candid soft vocals and homage to relational ambiguities, positioning it as a cohesive extension of her storytelling style.[56] Similarly, Pure M Magazine characterized Safe Haven as an inspiring lyrical journey with refreshing qualities, marking it as a strong debut that emphasized emotional depth over commercial flash.[67] However, broader critical discourse was limited, with major publications like Rolling Stone focusing more on her transition from Vine virality to full-length production rather than in-depth album critiques, reflecting her grassroots origins over established industry validation.[17] Some assessments noted a perceived lack of versatility, as in student-led reviews of her EP The Intro (2015), which commended her calming voice and piano accompaniment but critiqued the uniformity across tracks like "Lost Boy" and "Golden."[68] This suggests her work appealed to listeners valuing raw authenticity but occasionally drew observations of simplicity in arrangement and thematic range. Public response was markedly enthusiastic, propelled by social media virality that bypassed traditional gatekeepers. "Lost Boy" originated as a Vine snippet in 2013, eliciting overwhelming fan demand—hundreds of comments urging completion—which Ruth B. fulfilled by expanding it into a full track, leading to over a million streams within months and a dedicated following drawn to its Peter Pan-inspired tale of escapism.[21] Fans frequently cited the song's relatable storytelling and her shy, unpolished persona as connective tissue, with interviews revealing how audience reactions on platforms like Vine directly shaped her songwriting process and built a loyal base appreciative of vulnerability over polish.[58] Her death in 2022 spurred renewed engagement, particularly with tracks like "Dandelions" gaining traction on TikTok, though her core reception during active years centered on intimate, confessional appeal that resonated with younger audiences seeking emotional resonance in pop-folk hybrids.Awards, Nominations, and Recognition
Ruth B. garnered notable recognition in the Canadian music industry through nominations and one win at the Juno Awards, reflecting her breakthrough success with the album Safe Haven and singles like "Lost Boy". In 2017, she won Breakthrough Artist of the Year, defeating nominees including Kaytranada, Tory Lanez, Andy Shauf, and Jazz Cartier. She also received nominations that year for Songwriter of the Year and the Fan Choice Award. The following year, at the 2018 Juno Awards, B. earned three nominations for Artist of the Year, Album of the Year (Safe Haven), and Pop Album of the Year, though she did not win any. Additionally, at the Canadian Radio Music Awards in 2017, she was awarded Best New Group or Solo Artist in both the Hot AC and CHR categories. In film music, B.'s composition "Paper Airplanes", featured as the end-title song in the 2022 Netflix film A Jazzman's Blues, earned a nomination for Outstanding Original Song at the 2023 Black Reel Awards, shared with composer Terence Blanchard.| Year | Award Ceremony | Category | Nominated Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Juno Awards | Breakthrough Artist of the Year | N/A | Won |
| 2017 | Juno Awards | Songwriter of the Year | N/A | Nominated |
| 2017 | Juno Awards | Fan Choice Award | N/A | Nominated |
| 2017 | Canadian Radio Music Awards | Best New Group or Solo Artist (Hot AC) | N/A | Won |
| 2017 | Canadian Radio Music Awards | Best New Group or Solo Artist (CHR) | N/A | Won |
| 2018 | Juno Awards | Artist of the Year | N/A | Nominated |
| 2018 | Juno Awards | Album of the Year | Safe Haven | Nominated |
| 2018 | Juno Awards | Pop Album of the Year | Safe Haven | Nominated |
| 2023 | Black Reel Awards | Outstanding Original Song | "Paper Airplanes" (A Jazzman's Blues) | Nominated |