"All For One" is a song that speaks straight to the listeners' hearts!

Excellent arrangements, brilliant songwriting, and Ricardo’s outstanding performance give soul to one of 2022’s most exciting and memorable releases. “All For One” is an excellent track that introduces us to the world of a truly unique artist!

Today, at Planet Singer, we have the pleasure of listening to his single “All For One” and discovering more about this talented artist with an exclusive interview!

Hi Ricardo, thanks a lot for being here with us at Planet Singer! Your single “All For One” is an excellent release that, together with its dance remix, shows your versatility, artistic maturity, and creativity! We are thrilled to know more about your creative journey, so let’s start from the very beginning! How did you discover your passion for music?

Hi, thanks so much for your kind words! I actually started singing when I was seven years old. I’m originally from Columbia, South Carolina, and my family put me in the church youth choir at a very young age – so that’s where I got my start, really. But I’ve always felt that I was “supposed” to be doing music in some form – I had a vision for this very early on.

“All For One” is a great single. Excellent arrangement and your outstanding performance make this song stand out! Can you tell us more about it?

Sure. I wrote the lyrics and the melody (on paper) in my college dorm on December 5th, 2009. I have a very worn-out notebook of songs I’ve written – the same notebook where I wrote “All For One” – and I dated all of the songs I wrote – even if they are incomplete. I don’t know exactly where the inspiration came from, but things just came to me… I can’t explain it. I definitely feel like it was from a higher power and energy, for sure.

That’s fantastic, so, where do you find your inspiration?

That’s a great question. You know, sometimes I will hear a song on the radio or some other platform and get inspired. Sometimes I am sleeping, and I hear a melody out of nowhere, and I wake up to record the melody on my phone’s recorder so that I won’t forget it. If I am not super tired from being woken up, I will actually turn on the light, grab my notebook and start writing lyrics down as well.

How important is it for you to choose the right words to connect with your audience?

Since I released “All For One,” I’ve gotten such great feedback. People have told me that the song has touched their souls and hearts! I feel like I now have a responsibility to make sure my lyrics and my sound are “appropriate” for families and even kids…the music industry is often pretty inappropriate, and I don’t want to publish anything that is hyper-sexual or suggestive – you know? For example, I’m working on a new song that is definitely a “club-banger” – but if I don’t write the correct lyrics, I could really cross that line, you know? It’s not going to be my very next release, but I plan to put that song out and still make it fun and “cool” – yet “Disney” appropriate.

Exclusive Interview with talented music producer and recording artist Yaya!

The remix of your song “All For One” is another way to connect with a broader audience and show how versatile your music is and how creative you are. Can you tell us how did this version come to life?

Sure! I was planning to release my second single that I mentioned earlier – but a former colleague of mine – her husband – suggested that I release a dance version of “All For One” next…so I thought about it…about the melody and how I would make it sound with my Producer. I even told my Producer about it – Eddy Beethoven Nunez – and I couldn’t quite figure it out in my head initially. But when we had our recording session and started making the beat, it all just came together. Eddy and I work really well together, and he is a genius at understanding what a song needs; any song. He composed the original “All For One” melody as well as the ‘Dance Mix.’ He’ll be composing the next release too.

Can you reveal what your creative process is? Do you start from the lyrics or a melody?

Well, I usually have a melody in my head. I literally have a radio in my head playing all the time, non-stop, ever since I was a kid. So, I first start humming the melody in my head, and then words kind of… appear in my mind shortly thereafter. I then start writing the initial words – and I may even use my phone’s voice recorder to record what’s going on so I don’t lose anything. And depending on my energy level at the moment, I may just write a little and walk away from the process or complete a draft of the entire song – all verses and the chorus. I also notice that my most creative time of day is at night.

Exclusive Interview with talented music producer and recording artist Yaya!

Are you planning to play live anytime soon?

You know… I am very hesitant about being the “face” of my music right now… and maybe that is my fear of being judged. I’ve seen what social media can do to artists – they lose their privacy, and people write nasty things about them… I like a bit of anonymity, and I don’t know if I’m ready to give that up right now. I mean, that can totally change given the right opportunity. But it’s one of those things that you know, once you start, you kind of have to keep doing it. Being in public, performing, taking pictures, posting videos of yourself, and such. I could also be totally overthinking it as well (ha-ha).

Rich and warm, powerful and energetic, your voice is truly outstanding. What’s the relationship with your singing? How did you learn how to sing like this?

Thank you so much! You know – this is going to sound crazy, but basically, John Legend and Beyonce taught me how to sing; they probably don’t even know I exist, but they “gave” me my voice. All the notes you hear, the head voice, the technique – it’s very much a mix of them, as well as some Chris Brown, a dash of Kelly Clarkson, a bit of Mariah, a little country, a little rock and roll (ha-ha).

Who would you share a song with if you could collaborate with one of the artists who influenced your sound?

Wow. If I had to pick just one… I think it would be very interesting to see what comes out of a collaboration with Beyonce. I can definitely see us creating something like the song she did with ‘Naughty Boy’ called “Runnin’ (Lose It All).” That song is so powerful and amazing. But I am also a songwriter by nature and can see myself working with many artists in that role as well.

What was it like working with hit Music Producer Eddy Beethoven Nunez?

Here’s a funny story – I actually discovered Eddy on Airbnb! They have these “experiences” on the site, and that is where I found him. I first saw that he got his Bachelor’s degree in Music Business and Business Administration from Fordham University, as well as his Master’s in Music Technology from NYU – two ivy league universities – which I was very impressed by (I, too, have my Bachelor’s degree and my MBA). I then saw that he worked with major artists like Prince Royce, Jacob Forever, Soulja Boy, and others – and I knew that he would be able to bring my songs to life. I just trusted that he knew what he was doing – and I was right. He’s actually a genius in the studio. Like I said earlier, he can almost hear what’s in your head melodically and can create anything. His talent is incredible. We’re also the same age – which I didn’t know initially.

Many radios are playing “All For One,” and this is just the beginning of a brilliant music career. What does it feel like to receive such support and enthusiastic feedback?

You know, I’m so happy that the song is being received so positively in just a few months. I was full of anxiety when I first released the song… I didn’t know what to expect, you know? But now it’s on about 30 radio stations around the world, it has over 200 thousand SoundCloud streams – the Dance Mix has over 100 thousand SoundCloud streams, and collectively – both songs now have over 100 thousand Spotify streams, and on and on. I’m very happy and excited for the future.

What are your plans for the future? A full-length project would be fantastic!

You know, I haven’t thought about a full album… that sounds like a lot of work (ha-ha). I am planning to release 3-4 more songs this year and see what happens from there. But never say never, of course.

Ricardo, it was such a pleasure having you with us today! We can’t wait for your next releases! Is there anything you would like to say to our readers?

Thanks so much for having me! I think it’s important to note that I buried my music career deep in the ground for over a decade… society told me when I was wrapping up my undergraduate career to “get a job” – to “get real, ” and so I did that. And for more than a decade, whenever I thought about doing something musically – I stopped myself and thought, “not in this lifetime, homie – maybe the next one….” I buried my dreams until I couldn’t hold them down anymore, and here we are. So, please encourage the youth around you to never give up on their dreams. Don’t ever tell people to “get a job” and “get real” – because you could be stopping someone’s greatness… someone’s ability to positively change lives in some way. I’m glad I decided to do this, and I’m relieved that I’m able to share my gift with the world, finally.