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Sleeping At Last is the moniker of Chicago-based singer-songwriter, producer, and composer, Ryan O’Neal. With more than 2.8 billion streams, his music has been featured on more than 100 popular movies, television shows, and adverts including The Voice, So You Think You Can Dance, Criminal Minds, Ralph Lauren, Mercedes-Benz, and the Super Bowl.
Ryan began writing, recording and performing in 1999 as the lead singer of Sleeping At Last, initially an indie rock band. After being discovered by Billy Corgan (of The Smashing Pumpkins) and signed by Interscope Records, the trio released their major label debut, Ghosts in 2003 and embarked on a national tour.
Following the release of two more albums – Keep No Score (2006) and Storyboards (2009) – drummer Chad O’Neal and bassist Dan Perdue decided to pursue other interests. Ryan continued to create music under the banner of Sleeping
At Last, and began to craft his sound with a more cinematic, emotive sensibility and a lyrical depth that considers the breadth of the human experience.
“Making music is my way of understanding myself and the world around me,” said Ryan. “Whether exploring loss or longing or love, I hope it can somehow be a source of comfort and connection to others.” As he honed his signature sound of atmospheric textures and melodic vocals, film and television took notice. In 2011, he wrote Turning Page for the Hollywood blockbuster The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1. Around the same time, network shows began to feature his music, including Bones, Private Practice and Grey’s Anatomy (the ABC medical drama has included Sleeping At Last songs on more than 40 episodes to date).
Over the past decade, Ryan has been creating several long-form concept projects, beginning with Yearbook, an innovative 36-song collection that was released as a new EP of three songs every month over the course of a year.
Atlas is his series of original music released in multiple chapters: Atlas: I features 30 songs about the origins of the universe; Atlas: II includes 25 songs exploring involuntary human development; and the final chapter currently underway, Atlas: III considers voluntary human development – what we do with the life we’ve been given.
Also in progress are the Sleeping At Last projects Astronomy, songs inspired by celestial events and discoveries; and Atoms, short, often instrumental pieces celebrating brief moments of wonder constantly around us.
“Astronomy is my telescope, inviting me into the vastness of the universe, Atoms is my microscope, reminding me to pay close attention to the hidden beauty of here and now,” said Ryan. “And Atlas is about the human experience in between – it’s the place where I make sense of the micro and macro of life.”
Today, Ryan is a sought-after composer and performer with commissions and collaborations ranging from Ryan Reynolds to Andrew Lloyd Webber. Through Sleeping At Last he has released more than 20 albums and EPs, garnering one platinum and three gold RIAA certified singles.
