24-year old songstress Serena Ryder is being crossed over from Canada to the US with her 5 song EP Told You in a Whispered Song, and the US will welcome her music with open ears.

It sounds like Serena is singing her song directly to the listener, as if telling you a personal story. Her soft and gentle tone during Hiding Place is cut through with sharp one liners accompanied by sharp chords of her guitar. Her first belt was let loose during the middle of Brand New Love which shows Serena has more range than I got the impression of from her first two songs. With Serena having no formal training she has this natural ease to her singing that makes you want to hear what else she has to say in her singing. Her lyrical ability shines through in Weak in the Knees and that song is sung with more emotion than any other song I have heard in a while.

Comparing artists is unfair since everyone is different and unique in their own way, but to get a better sense of Serena she has the same style of guitar, stripped down story-telling singing that Alanis Morissette and Jewel poses back in their break-out albums. Her voice is unique with a little quiver that is charming in its own way. With the new wave of female musicians becoming the in factor I have no doubt Serena will find her own fame in the US.

You can check out her Myspace at http://www.myspace.com/serenaryder.