Austin City Limits is right around the corner, and we at Off Record are highlighting some of our most anticipated acts. The undercard is even stronger this year than it was last year, which says a lot. Singer-songwriter and Grammy Award-winning Ryan Beatty is set to take the stage at the Austin fest.
He recently released his 4th studio album, Sweet Fortune, at the end of this past June. Co-produced and co-written with Ethan Gruska, with Clairo hidden on backing vocals scattered throughout the album, Beatty’s Grammy-winning songwriting ability is uplifted by the incredible textures and sounds in each song. He is kicking off his “Arms Over Armor” tour next week in support of “Sweet Fortune”, and will make an Austin appearance this Fall.
While born in California, he has a history with Texas, in a way. He was an unofficial member of the Texas-formed rap group Brockhampton, and sang multiple choruses and backing vocals throughout their entire discography. Most notably, he sings the chorus in their hit song, “Sugar”. He began his career as a teen, and then continued to release music both during and after his collaborations with Brockhampton. His first two albums, Boy in Jeans and Dreaming of David, take a more indie-pop approach musically.
Beatty’s songwriting has always been a stand-out, but it wasn’t until his 2023 album, Calico, that he became more widely recognized for his songwriting ability. Calico is an incredibly well-received album throughout the music industry, taking a more folk-Americana-pop approach rather than his former indie-pop. The album is known for it’s incredible lyricism, and it continues to be known that way. In early 2024, he toured North America in support of Calico, stopping in Austin at the beloved Scoot Inn.
His songwriting ability has led to incredible collaborations with massive names all over the music industry, most notably his collaboration with Beyoncé on her album Cowboy Carter, for which he won a Grammy for Album of the Year. He’s also worked with Tyler, the Creator, Fred again.., and Bleachers.
Ryan Beatty’s unique sound and songwriting ability are bound to create an atmosphere and energy at the festival that is something you can not miss. He will be a festival highlight this year, for sure. Listen to his newest album, Sweet Fortune, and catch him at Zilker on Oct. 3rd and 10th.
I'm an Austin-based photographer and filmmaker. I'm a mother of two (cats) and I love picking up expensive hobbies to spend all of my money on, whether that be tattoos, vinyl, or concerts. My top three artists are Dijon, Mk.gee, and Dominic Fike. I love to travel and learn new ways to fulfill myself creatively. My biggest aspiration is to find the most imaginative way to seamlessly combine my 3 favorite things: film, photography, and music.
