Nate Ruess

Nate Ruess
Nate Ruess
	Ruess performing in 2015
Background information
Birth name	Nathaniel Joseph Ruess
Born	February 26, 1982 (age 42); Iowa City, Iowa, U.S.
Origin	Glendale, Arizona, U.S.
Genres	Indie pop; alternative rock; indie rock; baroque pop;
Occupations	Singer; songwriter;
Years active	2000–present
Labels	Fueled by Ramen
Member of	The Format; Fun;
Website	nateruess.com

Nathaniel Joseph Ruess (pronounced /ruːs/ ROOSS;^[2] born February 26, 1982)^[3] is an American singer and songwriter. He formed the indie pop band fun. in 2008, for which he serves as lead vocalist. He also does so for the indie rock band the Format, which was formed prior in 2002.^[4]

He emerged as a solo act with his guest performance on P!nk's 2013 single "Just Give Me a Reason", which earned two nominations at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards and won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Collaboration.^[5] His 2015 single, "Nothing Without Love", marked his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 as a solo artist. It served as the lead single for his debut solo album, Grand Romantic (2015), which peaked at number seven on the Billboard 200 and saw positive critical response.

Ruess has also co-written a number of commercially successful singles, including "Die Young" by Kesha, "Stay the Night" by Zedd and Hayley Williams, "Walk Me Home" by Pink and with Keith Urban, Maroon 5 and Ellie Goulding. His songwriting work has earned him the Hal David Starlight Award at the 2015 Songwriters Hall of Fame.^[6]

^ "A Good Time at Your Expense". ASCAP. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
^ How I Wrote That Song: Nate Ruess "Nothing Without Love". The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. May 13, 2015. Event occurs at 0:10. Retrieved January 25, 2023 – via YouTube.
^ "Madhotcollectibles.com - HAPPY 39th BIRTHDAY to NATE RUESS!! Career years: 2000 - present Born Nathaniel Joseph Ruess, American singer-songwriter. He is best known as the lead singer of the indie pop band Fun, and of The Format. As of 2015, he also performs as a solo musician. Ruess was born in Iowa City, Iowa to Larry Ruess and Bess Zinger. He is the younger of two children, having one sister named Elizabeth. His uncle, John Ruess, was a performer on Broadway and served as an influence for Ruess' musical ventures. In 1986, his family moved to a farm in Glendale, Arizona due to repeated bouts of pneumonia Ruess faced as a child. Ruess' pneumonia and the move are referenced in the lyrics of the fun. song "The Gambler." Ruess remained in Arizona throughout his childhood and attended Deer Valley High School, graduating in 2000. During his time in school, Ruess played in punk bands and upon graduation chose to pursue music professionally. In an interview with American Songwriter Ruess states, "I'm not one to take lessons, so I decided that the only way I was going to learn how to sing, if what they were saying was true, was to go in my car and put on any sort of music from a vocalist that might be really hard to mimic, turn it on as loud as possible and try to hit all those notes". He took a job in a law firm as a way to support himself while he pursued his musical ambitions. In 2002, at the age of 19, he launched the band The Format with his longtime best friend, Sam Means. The Format was his first musical endeavor to gain widespread attention. Ruess began dating English fashion designer Charlotte Ronson in March 2014. They married in October of 2017. They had their first child, a son named Levon Ronson-Ruess, in January 2017. They had their second child, a daughter named Olympia Ronson-Ruess, in March 2019. The family lives in Santa Barbara, California. | Facebook". hi-in.facebook.com (in Hindi). Retrieved April 8, 2023.
^ Escudero, Nicki (June 16, 2011). "Former Format Singer Nate Ruess Wants to Have fun. in Arizona". Phoenix New Times. Archived from the original on January 24, 2015. Retrieved January 23, 2012.
^ Montgomery, James (February 6, 2015). "Nate Ruess on Going Solo and the Future of fun". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
^ "Nate Ruess | Hal David Starlight Award". Songwriters Hall of Fame. Retrieved January 22, 2024.

[1] "A Good Time at Your Expense". ASCAP. Retrieved November 10, 2023.

[2] How I Wrote That Song: Nate Ruess "Nothing Without Love". The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. May 13, 2015. Event occurs at 0:10. Retrieved January 25, 2023 – via YouTube.

[3] "Madhotcollectibles.com - HAPPY 39th BIRTHDAY to NATE RUESS!! Career years: 2000 - present Born Nathaniel Joseph Ruess, American singer-songwriter. He is best known as the lead singer of the indie pop band Fun, and of The Format. As of 2015, he also performs as a solo musician. Ruess was born in Iowa City, Iowa to Larry Ruess and Bess Zinger. He is the younger of two children, having one sister named Elizabeth. His uncle, John Ruess, was a performer on Broadway and served as an influence for Ruess' musical ventures. In 1986, his family moved to a farm in Glendale, Arizona due to repeated bouts of pneumonia Ruess faced as a child. Ruess' pneumonia and the move are referenced in the lyrics of the fun. song "The Gambler." Ruess remained in Arizona throughout his childhood and attended Deer Valley High School, graduating in 2000. During his time in school, Ruess played in punk bands and upon graduation chose to pursue music professionally. In an interview with American Songwriter Ruess states, "I'm not one to take lessons, so I decided that the only way I was going to learn how to sing, if what they were saying was true, was to go in my car and put on any sort of music from a vocalist that might be really hard to mimic, turn it on as loud as possible and try to hit all those notes". He took a job in a law firm as a way to support himself while he pursued his musical ambitions. In 2002, at the age of 19, he launched the band The Format with his longtime best friend, Sam Means. The Format was his first musical endeavor to gain widespread attention. Ruess began dating English fashion designer Charlotte Ronson in March 2014. They married in October of 2017. They had their first child, a son named Levon Ronson-Ruess, in January 2017. They had their second child, a daughter named Olympia Ronson-Ruess, in March 2019. The family lives in Santa Barbara, California. | Facebook". hi-in.facebook.com (in Hindi). Retrieved April 8, 2023.

[Escudero-4] Escudero, Nicki (June 16, 2011). "Former Format Singer Nate Ruess Wants to Have fun. in Arizona". Phoenix New Times. Archived from the original on January 24, 2015. Retrieved January 23, 2012.

[Montgomery-5] Montgomery, James (February 6, 2015). "Nate Ruess on Going Solo and the Future of fun". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 11, 2015.

[6] "Nate Ruess | Hal David Starlight Award". Songwriters Hall of Fame. Retrieved January 22, 2024.

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