Detroit native Ryan Destiny is the triple threat you need to know about. Best known for her role as Alexandra Crane in Lee Daniels’ STAR, her claim to fame in the television musical drama made it clear that she belongs on the biggest stages in the industry, on-screen and in real life. Now, the songstress’ solo career is taking off. Her debut single, “The Same,” has reached over 3 million streams on Spotify, and her single “How Many” is almost at a million streams. With her latest release, “How Your Hands Feel”, Ryan Destiny gives listeners a somber yet sultry double back anthem.
SOUND
The production in “How Your Hands Feel” is reminiscent of a 80s-90s pop ballad, with a heavy guitar, synthesizer, and bass. But Ryan’s vocals are buttery smooth and add an R&B feel to the track. The most addicting element of this track is the combination of the production and the choices Ryan Destiny makes vocally. Her riffs and runs on top of the instrumentation, similar to that of a Prince track, are top-tier.
The track has minimal background vocals and adlibs until the second half of the song, but because of the heavy production, it balances out perfectly. The reverb and repeated lyrics on the pre-hook and the hook reiterate the overall tone of the track.
Her approach to singing is almost conversational, as if she's speaking to the listener, especially in the verses, which gives the song an even more vulnerable feel paired with the lyrics. The change in the melody and the notes she sings in the second half of the song compared to the first half are also captivating—-the way she can play around with notes and add almost a scale-like aspect to certain phrases really makes the track unique. Overall, this song is sonically sexy, and the production and vocals set the perfect mood for texting an ex.
LYRICS
White the song may be easy to vibe to while you’re driving on the highway with the windows down, the lyrics in “How Your Hands Feel” actually tell the story of a breakup. “I tried to forget how your hands feel, How your hands feel, Cause he can’t do it like that,” she sings. She’s trying to erase the memories of her ex lover, but his touch is unshakable. Lyrics like “Guy I can’t get rid of in my face, He know what he like but I don’t waste” express how she wants to move on with other people but finds it hard.
She also has a sense of confidence throughout the song—-while she’s being vulnerable about missing her ex, she’s not necessarily sad or asking permission to move on. “If you can’t show me what’s good tonight, then what’s good with someone else?”, she sings to her former partner. She knows what she wants but if her ex doesn’t move fast enough, she’ll keep moving forward.
With lyrics like “Pick up the pace, Just ride cause it’s not a race, You said that you like a chase, I do not chase,” “How Your Hands Feel” affirms listeners not to wait for anyone to see their worth.
ART BEHIND THE SINGLE
“How Your Hands Feel” is one of Ryan Destiny’s strongest tracks to date. It’s relatable, has great production, and vocals that everyone will try to emulate when they’re in the car or the shower. The singer is only just getting started, and hopefully, this track sets the tone for her next few releases and her upcoming album. “How Your Hands Feel” gets a 9/10 on the Intersect Rating Scale.
Stream the song below.