Irish singer/songwriter RuthAnne has been penning hits for pop stars for over a decade. She moved to Los Angeles from Dublin when she was just 17 and hit the road running as a co-writer on JoJo's "Too Little Too Late" in 2006. It wasn't until recently that she decided it was time to take center stage herself.

In March 2018, she released "The Vow," her debut single as a solo artist. The song's folksy melody and heartfelt lyrics are a nod to her roots: traditional Celtic music and her parents' 43-year marriage.

Here, RuthAnne offers a passionate and soulful performance of the song on the fifth episode of the Recording Academy's latest video series, Press Play, which will let you discover, get to know and love artists you may not have heard yet through original performances.

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In this episode of Press Play, RuthAnne puts the passion behind her personal debut single on display. "The Vow" is the lead single to her upcoming debut album, which will include songs she wrote from her personal experiences growing into adulthood while navigating the music industry in L.A.

"I was thinking about my parents, who have been married for 43 years. I was thinking about my best friend. I called it 'The Vow' because it’s what you’d hear at a wedding, or like best friends on this journey, or a mother to a daughter...Someone just saying 'no matter what happens, I'm gonna love you,'" RuthAnne told Billboard.

Rewind

Singer/songwriter RuthAnne was born Ruth-Anne Cunnigham in Donaghmede, Ireland. She started singing and songwriting at just eight years old, showing off a natural affinity towards—and passion for—music in musical theater productions and karaoke contests.

In 2007, she was acknowledged for her songwriting talents by ASCAP with their "Best Pop Song" Award for JoJo's "Too Little Too Late." She also earned two BMI Pop Awards in 2018 for co-writing "Slow Hands" by fellow Ireland native (and former One Direction star) Niall Horan and "In The Name Of Love" by Martin Garrix and GRAMMY nominee Bebe Rexha.

RuthAnne's list of songwriting credits is impressive; she also co-wrote GRAMMY winner Britney Spears' "Work B**ch," as well as One Direction's "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" and "No Control."

Record

While flexing her hit-writing skills, she also revealed her vocal prowess on a handful of features over the years, including GRAMMY winner Cedric Gervais' "Missing You" in 2014 and Lindsey Stirling's "Love's Just a Feeling" in 2016, both under the name Rooty. 

Following the release of "The Vow," RuthAnne continued to launch her career as a solo recording artist with three more singles; the most recent one, "It Is What Is," was released in November.

RuthAnne was featured in the latest season of the Recording Academy's ReImagined series, offering her take on GRAMMY winners TLC's classic 1994 hit "Waterfalls."

Fast-forward

RuthAnne’s debut album is in the works, with its title and release date yet to be announced. She has previously mentioned that she is planning a U.S. and European tour in support of the new album, yet only a handful of European performances have been announced so far. 

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