It was clear at a very young age that Ruut had something special — all she needed was to be in front of the keys.
"I've never forgotten the experience of writing my first song, I just winged it. The minister of our church was over one afternoon and my mom asked if he wanted to hear it. So I sang it for him, and when I was done, I looked over and he was crying," Ruut explained.
She was just eight years old at the time.
After that day, Ruut's already music-infused family would forever hear her own creations flowing out of the piano. So it should come as no surprise she's been performing her distinctly poignant melodies ever since.
"People have always responded really powerfully to my music, in a way that makes me feel like this is what I was meant to do," Ruut said. "I try to stay true to that first moment and write songs that move people and touch their hearts."
It only takes one listen. With one live performance, anyone can see Ruut lives and breathes music. With ballads like "Human" and "Undone," it's apparent the natural ability she has for grasping the human spirit with her earnest lyrics and rolling chords.
Born in Finland, Ruut traveled often growing up, calling places like Helsinki and Budapest home, writing her captivating harmonies along the way. She eventually landed in Baltimore, MD, where she attended a small independent college and studied religion.
"I've been very influenced by different cultures in my song writing," she said. "And not just cultures, but the experience of not having a normal youth so to say. I was kind of one of those traveling kids, and it has definitely, definitely been a huge influence on my songs."
Last year, Ruut decided that a move out west from Maryland was necessary to advance her career. Although accustomed to the ups and downs travel brings, Ruut's move to L.A. brought a new light to her artistry. Growing up in a house filled with music (her classically trained parents met in conservatory), it was a significant change for Ruut to fly the nest.
"My most recent work came from the experience of moving away from my family," Ruut said. "The different emotional things I've been through, growing up, separating myself from my family and the things I've always been a part of, and concentrating on becoming an artist."
Ruut's sound is drenched in the reality of those emotions, giving her listeners something tangible they can all relate to as they journey through her honest songs.
"Generally, what sparks my creativity is something that makes me feel a certain way, a book I read or a movie I watch that makes me feel something powerful," Ruut explained. "I get inspiration from different things, but it's always something that I find emotionally engaging in some way."
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