Pardon My Fangirling: Iwan Rheon

It will be my goal to avoid mentioning Game of Thrones (of which I am a fan) beyond the introduction of this article. I will freely admit, prior to a random Google search roughly a day ago, my knowledge of Iwan Rheon’s career 100% tied to his amazingly vivid portrayal of the fantastically maniacal villain Ramsay Snow (Bolton). This writer has since had her eyes opened to the extensive layers of this versatile performer’s career... not only is Iwan Rheon a talented actor, he’s is also a skilled singer/songwriter.

Last year, Rheon released his first album (Dinard), which at present seems to be primarily available through digital download sources. I was stunned (and pleasantly surprised) to find a large percentage of his music readily available through my typical go to source (Apple Music... still waiting on you, Sigma... but that’s another blog). Prior to Dinard, Rheon released three EP’s (“Bang! Bang!”, “Changing Times”, and “Tongue Tied”.) I’m working my way gradually through the selection (which is fairly extensive, especially considering the fairly short period he’s been releasing work) and I find myself definitely becoming a fan.

The music has strong acoustic leanings, Rheon’s strong and layered vocals and acoustic guitar make up most of the songs. Would mellow be the best word? This writer’s initial thoughts compared his work to an early Ed Sheeran... a trifle raw and acoustic. A man and his guitar. Not only does Rheon seem to be a fairly prolific songwriter, his songwriting is style is complex and interesting. I hate to fall back on a cliche, but the lyrics definitely paint rich and vivid portraits of the narratives told within the lyrics.

So, to make a long story shorter, if you like singer-songwriter, acoustic based music, definitely check out what Iwan Rheon has released. I can only hope his well deserved acting break-out (Ohhh.... Ramsay, Ramsay, Ramsay, what will you do next?) will not hinder the incredible musical work he is doing. Here’s to hoping for more music soon...

Here’s a music video for the title song off his EP, “Bang! Bang!”. Check out his YouTube for more.