Few, if any, people have more influence of the sound of popular music today as Ryan Tedder, a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer. And as the frontman for OneRepublic, Tedder has helmed the genre-bending, Colorado-based band for more than a decade, enjoying platinum sales and a 2009 Grammy nomination as the band rose from MySpace to MTV and beyond.
But Tedder is also known for his keen ear, having written and produced for a who’s who of the music business, including Adele, Jennifer Hudson, Beyonce, Daughtry, and many others. If you’ve heard Adele’s song Rumor Has it, for example, you’ve heard Ryan Tedder at work.
But lately, Tedder’s focus has been back on OneRepublic, whose new album Native is now out from Interscope. It’s a mix of harmonies and dance beats, arena choruses and introspective lyrics.