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A never-ending love letter.

That is how I would describe how I felt after listening to the Blake Ruby album. She simplistically creates a place where love is forever and hope can carve out a new existence. With every song, Blake expresses and illustrates his love for his wife, while also creating art that can connect with people who are searching for or have found that same feeling.

As you listen to his album, you can pick up on his warm and calming set, as showcased in his songs “Only One” and “Lemongrass.” If you are looking for a folk-pop, singer/songwriter with a superb collection of great songs, this is the album for you.

I was able to catch up with Blake Ruby after his Nashville album debut show. Learn more about the album and Blake’s inspirations below:

Laura: The album is titled She. How did you come up with the title for the album?

Blake Ruby: I was reading the Song of Songs, which is written as a play/narration between three parties, “He,” “She,” and “Others.” When I realized my album was heavily focused on the love of my woman and conversations with God, I thought “She” would be a perfect representation. It summarized the grandness and intimacy of being in a loving relationship in a simple way.

Laura: How would you describe the impact of love on your recent album?

Blake Ruby: It’s definitely a love album. I started writing these songs shortly after getting married. These songs became my therapeutic way of repairing and/or celebrating intimacy and healthy communication in my relationship while I was learning how to be a husband. I’m still learning everyday how to be better, but those first couple years changed me significantly and are heavily reflected in my art

Laura: Was the order of the album intentional? How did you decide on the order of the songs?

Blake Ruby: Not originally. They began finding their place once I got closer to finishing them. The first three tracks ended up very late in the process, but they open the story of the album in such an important way to me. I knew I wanted the album to start with “Solomon” and end with “Heaven,” then I was mostly focused on getting the flow from song to song to feel good.

Laura: How would you describe the flow of the album? What was the purpose of the “Intro” and “Rewind” tracks?

Blake Ruby: The album is bookended by two songs that are more focused on God and faith to frame the context of the love songs, and then the songs in the middle are different stories of loving another person. “She” and “Rewind” just assist the story musically and help break up the album a little. I also just love them musically and think they contribute to the mood of the project.

Laura: Off of the album, what was your favorite set of lyrics to write?

Blake Ruby: I love all the lyrics; each song challenged me in different ways lyrically. I wanted the lyrical style of each song to be different since I’m inspired by so many different kinds of writers. Some of the lyrical writing was inspired by the mumble tracks while I was writing the melodies, and some began as poems before the music. Some took over a year to finish and others were written in 20 minutes. I love the wide range of the lyrical process, and it’s the best feeling to sing lyrics you really believe once they are finished being written.

Laura: When writing for the album, did you write more from experiences or general ideas?

Blake Ruby: A bit of both. Some have personal feelings and moments wrapped in them, but then I tried to enhance the moment to inspire more emotion. Others are directly inspired by moments in my life.

Laura: I saw your album as a never ending love letter. How did the person you wrote it about feel when you showed them?

Blake Ruby: My wife is a huge supporter of my art, and I’m so grateful she’s comfortable with me inviting the world into music that is inspired by our relationship. She’s very honest about what she likes, and I love that I can trust her to tell me if something is beautiful to her or not. If she cries when I play a song for her, it normally means it’ll end up on a project in some way. 🙂

Laura: It was so nice to attend your album release show! I really enjoyed the atmosphere; it almost felt like a big friend get-together. How did you decide on what songs to play at the show?

Blake Ruby: Thanks! I’m so glad you had a great time 🙂 I had a ton of friends in the room, and the whole night felt like a big hug. I picked songs that I felt would give a good variety from the album and a few old favorites that I knew people would want to hear and sing along to.

Laura: Why did you choose to add covers to your album release show? Did you get inspiration from them for your album?

Blake Ruby: I always love adding a few covers into a set just to bring the energy up. My music tends to be heavier and more down-tempo, so it’s a lot of fun to add in some upbeat bangers so everyone can sing and jump around before we get into the meat of the songs. The covers I picked this time around were just suggestions from my bandmates. It’s fun to incorporate their influences and styles into the set as well.

Laura: How would you describe the atmosphere you wish to portray at your show?

Blake Ruby: I want everyone to feel like they can believe in something when they’re at my show. Something that might be scary to them at first, whether it be love, God, community, hope, a beautiful world, etc. I’m so happy to be alive and contributing art and family to the world, and I know people sometimes bring a lot of baggage to live shows that they need a moment in time to feel free and strong and alive. I want my faith to lift them up and carry them to a better place.

Laura: What is your favorite song to play live off the album?

Blake Ruby: I wasn’t sure what it was going to be until the Nashville show, but I think it’s “Heaven.” It’s so intimate and freeform and allows me to just sing and be frozen in the moment. It’s a song I get to sing directly to Jesus and unleash the rest of my energy from the set.

Listen to the album here and make sure to check out a Blake Ruby concert next time he is near you.