Interview with Tayler Holder

Hello! It is Adam. Welcome back to bringing it backwards. A podcast where both legendary and rising artists tell their own personal stories of how they achieve stardom. On this episode, we had the incredible opportunity to hang out with Taylor holder over zoom video. If you have a TikTok account, chances are you have seen Taylor holder's videos. He has like 20 million. Oh, he has over 20 million followers on TechTalk massive following on Instagram and YouTube as well. And he's been releasing songs for a little bit, which has always been his passion. And now he's just full on going into releasing music mode. 3 (1m 53s): Taylor is born and raised a little bit outside of Dallas, Texas. He started riding motor cross at three, three years old. He's riding cross. He ends up doing that professionally a little bit in high school. We talk about that. We talk about how he ended up getting into making videos, making content online. His first instrument he had learned. He talks to us about the first song he ever released. He was shocked that actually knew how to work. So we talk about that. The honesty in the lyrics to his songs, he tells us about releasing music for the first time, having this massive platform, people knowing him as a certain way, online as this tic talker, and then coming out and being like I'm going to release music, how it was to kind of present that to his, his platform and his followers. 3 (2m 40s): He tells us about his song, human and all about the new music he has coming out as well. You can watch the interview with Taylor holder on our Facebook page and YouTube channel at bringing it backwards. It would be so awesome. If you subscribe to our channel like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Tik TOK at bringing back pod. And if you're listening to this on Spotify, apple music, Google podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts, it would be so awesome. If you follow us there as well, and hook us up with a five star review, 4 (3m 11s): We'd appreciate your support. If you follow and subscribe to our podcasts, wherever you listen to podcasts, 3 (3m 17s): We're bringing it backwards with Taylor holder. 5 (3m 21s): How are you doing? 3 (3m 22s): I'm doing well. I'm doing what? How are you? 5 (3m 24s): Great, man. Getting off too early. Start right now. 3 (3m 28s): Whereabouts are you? Are you in LA? 5 (3m 30s): I'm in LA. Yeah. I woke up, I woke up a little late and my team canvas camp. We got to go home. I was like, oh, I was all over the place. 3 (3m 39s): Oh, good man. I'll get well, I appreciate you being here. Thank you so much for doing this. 5 (3m 42s): Thank you so much for having me, man. 3 (3m 44s): Of course. Yeah. I'm from San Diego originally. Now I live in Nashville, but I know Southern California quite well. 5 (3m 51s): Nashville stope. 3 (3m 52s): Yeah. I love it here. We just moved here a little over a year ago, but yeah, we absolutely love it. But 5 (3m 57s): Next month, 3 (3m 58s): How are you red doing writing out here or what are you going to be out here? 5 (4m 2s): I'm a format. The CMA Fest 3 (4m 5s): Are you really? That's awesome. So cool, man. Congratulations with that. 5 (4m 10s): Good friend, rain and Robert. So 3 (4m 12s): Rad. Awesome. Well, I want to talk to you about that and of course the new song, human and you're pretty much your journey in music. That's what this podcast is about. 5 (4m 21s): Perfect brother. Yeah, let's do it. Let's dive right in. 3 (4m 24s): Cool. Cool. So first off, talk to me about where you were born and raised. 5 (4m 28s): So I was born and raised in a small town called Alberto, Texas. It's like 40 minutes south of Dallas, super, super small town, like population like 4,000. Like dude, there's like nobody there, man. Like, and, and yeah, I grew up there my whole life. I was the normal, you know, just a adrenaline junkie kid, just playing every sport, growing up, football, baseball, basketball. I raised, you know, professional cross like that. And I, I ended up, I ended up leaving and leaving high school my freshman year and, and was, was going to do the whole dirt bike thing. And then I S life happened. And then I started going over towards this. 5 (5m 8s): My friend was like, yo, like, look at these guys, like making these funny videos. And, and we, we, I was like, ah, let's try it. Say let's do it. And then we just like started making content for, for the hell of it. And it ended up weirdly working, man. It was it. I don't even, and then I moved out here when I was 18. Yeah. 3 (5m 24s): Oh my gosh. So freshman year is when you kind of made that steer into the content creating. 5 (5m 29s): So yeah, freshman year was whenever I, I left high school when I was like, I was like, my main focus was motocross. I was sure would be like a training facility and then all that stuff. Wow, cool, cool stuff. And then my friend was like, while we were doing that, they were like, you know, like, like chopping it up about these like vine kids and like all that. And, and we thought it was so hilarious. And so we started making videos less like, fuck with people on like Walmart and then all that. And some like, then it started working. It was kind of cool. We ended up like going around, like our hometown and people would ask us for photos and stuff that we could do a little. This is kind of crazy. It's like so different. And, and the, I was like, this is, I like this. 5 (6m 11s): I want to, I want to kind of roll with this for a little while. And then I moved out here and then just set them out my whole life to it. 3 (6m 17s): That's so crazy. Real quick on the motorcross thing, I read that you started that at what? Three years old? 5 (6m 22s): Three? Yeah. Yeah. I got my, I got my PW 50 at three years old. 3 (6m 26s): Okay. House. I don't know anything about motorcross. I've seen it on TV and it's insane. I have a six-year-old son and like, I just teaching them how to, I just taught him how to ride a two wheel bike, which was like a five day process in itself. Like, I can't imagine him at three being like even half the size riding on a dirt bike. Like what do these things look like? And how did you even learn that? 5 (6m 47s): It's a really small little blue bike. I started on a PWC that's where like a lot of people start on, but it's so basically I started with training wheels. You like, you have training wheels 3 (6m 55s): On it, 5 (6m 57s): Like training wheels for it, for dirt bikes as well. But then my dad shortly took them off. I was only, I only used them for a couple of days, I think. And then just to get like the throttle control, but like, you can also like on PDFs, you can like turn the throttle down to where, like, it can't go that fast and stuff like that as well. 3 (7m 11s): So let's see, aren't going to like buck the thing back 5 (7m 14s): Your head. 3 (7m 14s): Yeah. 5 (7m 15s): My dad just took them off and was like, basically just fucking ride and go all over a lot of times. And, but we, we eventually started figuring it out. Oh 3 (7m 25s): Wow. Is he, he must be bigger than dirt biking then. 5 (7m 28s): So my dad, he never raced, but he would always like trail road growing up. He was like, one of those guys, I was just really good at wheelies and stuff like that. And he could ride release forever and 3 (7m 36s): That's crazy. 5 (7m 37s): Yeah. He got me into it kinda kind of young and stuff like that. And I was like, I really like this. I want to, I want to race. I want to like do this. 3 (7m 43s): And so that was something that you just continued to. Do. You do what you said? You're pretty much doing it professionally right up until freshman year. 5 (7m 49s): Well, I was, I was up until I was like 18. I, I 3 (7m 55s): Kept going with it 5 (7m 56s): And then I kind of, I went to the more of like the, the, the, the entertainment business. 3 (8m 2s): Sure, sure, sure. I'm curious because I love, I mean, I'm much older than you, so growing up, like the videos that people do, I mean, you had to have a camera and like skateboarding was what I grew up with. So it was like the C K Y like, bam, Margera like the jackass stuff. Like that was even like, when that hit MTV. It was like, before that there was this company called CK, Y and they'd put these videos out and it was basically them messing with people and it was like the most hilarious thing ever. And I just love how it's just evolved into what it is now. Was that stuff you ever saw? Like, are you ever watched growing up? 5 (8m 35s): Yeah, I used to skate as well. So like I used to watch, I used to watch like, bam, bam. Margera had a show of his own and, and I watched that I watched jackass. I watched like nitro circus and like all those, 3 (8m 48s): Like 5 (8m 48s): Those shows growing up as well. 3 (8m 50s): That's so cool. Yeah. There's one, if you've never seen it, it's called land speed. The video is a CKY video called Lee landspeed and it's like the first one they ever put out and it's like, oh, you know, some of the early, early jokes and bits that they did. It's hilarious. I bet you could find on YouTube or something, but you should check it out. Yeah. You'd be cracking up. It's so funny, but that's cool. So you started doing that like early, or, I mean, obviously early, early on when vine was around. Is that what I saw? I think you, you started doing like musically too, right? 5 (9m 20s): Yeah. So that's like musically was because I was on vine. I was on Instagram and YouTube and stuff with that, but I didn't get super big. And then usually is like, everyone thinks that I got big. Like, I just got big from Tik TOK, but like I had, I had 1.2 million on Instagram before I even started tick-tock 3 (9m 35s): Oh my gosh. 5 (9m 36s): I was on musically and musically. It was kind of where I got my first, like initial, like pop and, and, and then musically obviously turned into take turn. And so there was like, yeah, I, I, there was like a, a long period of time where like, I honestly like, cause like, you know, the musical thing was going downhill. Like everyone was not posting anymore. It was like done. And they like whatever. And, and I just like, didn't post on social media really at all. I was just like, not really giving a shit about it. And, and so, and then I have been Tik TOK came around and my friends were like, yo, like you should hop on this app. Like, it's going crazy right now. And I was like, it's like, I don't know, man. Like I really want to focus on music. Like, and I ended up getting on it though. And honestly it was the, it was, I'm so grateful that I did because it's changed my life forever. 3 (10m 21s): Well, I mean, even having 1.2 million on tick, Instagram is like unreal to think about. It's funny that you're like, it didn't really start pop it off until I was, I took off like a, I mean that is in itself to have over a million followers is crazy on, even on Instagram. Was that all based on videos that you guys were doing? 5 (10m 39s): Yeah, it was just based off of like the videos that we were doing on like musically and YouTube and stuff like that. So it was just, it was, it happened so, so fast. And so randomly, I was like, what is this? 3 (10m 50s): That's so crazy. That's insane. And I only bring up musically because I have an older son too. And he had musically and I was like, oh, this is kind of cool. Like, and I'm like, is this like, are other like big celebrities on this? And he's like, and Halsy was I think the only one I could find that like had musically and then obviously there's people that were like verified on it. That like, for example, like my son's music teacher now, he has like very little following on, on Tik TOK, but he has a verified account because it's kind of just ha ha like transferred over through tech talk. And it's kind of cool to see some of those people that latched onto that very early on that kind of, it kind of just turned into what, obviously it's like the biggest thing on the planet now. 3 (11m 30s): But I also see that you you've been doing music for a while. I mean, the, for you, you put out a song, what 2018 is that what I, I listened to a fallout 5 (11m 39s): Somewhere, fall 3 (11m 40s): Back, fall back. 5 (11m 43s): Wow. I completely forgot about this on, but yeah, I did. Yeah. 3 (11m 48s): Cool song, man. I was listening to it earlier. I found it on YouTube. 5 (11m 51s): Thank you bro. I was a, yeah, man. I've been doing music for a while. I just, back then, I, you know, I had a management at the time and they were all, they were kind of pushing for me to put out stuff just because I had a following and stuff like that. And it was just like whatever. And, and I didn't really even know how to make music yet. Like I wasn't really making music like, like good music yet or anything like that. And so I took, after that, I took like a couple of years, like over these last couple of years of really like hone in on like the sound that I wanted to make what's happening. I wanted to make, I went through back and forth with like, I was doing RNB for a little while. I tried like some rock stuff and never came out. And I tried like so many different things and I really found like a dope sound that like still hasn't even really been released yet. 5 (12m 32s): It's like I did human and I did never was, you know, like a cool, like leading more towards what I am doing, but this new stuff that I'm releasing, I think a lot of people are going to be going to be able to relate to a lot. And it's a, it's honestly my favorite music I've ever made. 3 (12m 46s): That's cool, man. I mean, cause that, that fall back definitely has like, that RNV buy, but it has like some really cool production. And cause I know that one wasn't on your Spotify and when I was doing research on you, I'm like, okay, what's the song. I'll see if I can find it. I listen to, I was like, damn, this is really good. 5 (13m 2s): I have like a hundred rounds out you and, and all that stuff, but it was all like cool, cool moments and stuff like that. But I've w me and my team have really, really worked hard to like figure out what, what music we want to put out. We think that we have a really cool idea right now. So 3 (13m 19s): Yeah, no, I love the new songs. So I just found that one and I'm like, oh, this is cool. And I was wondering if that was one of the first ones you put out. 5 (13m 25s): I literally forgot that I haven't released a song. That's so funny. 3 (13m 29s): Well, when did you get it? Like when did you start playing music or get into music? 5 (13m 33s): So I, I mean, playing music is at the bell. Like I've been playing guitar since I was 13 and piano Playing for a couple years and I play like, I play like guitar, piano, drums, saxophone, like just like a little bit of everything. I've loved music. I just never knew how to make music. Like I, because like I just didn't grow up that way. Like no one ever I knew like knew how to even do it, but I always had a passion for it. And like coming out here and getting more involved in the social space, it like allowed me to meet a lot of amazingly talented, like other artists or songwriters, producers, et cetera. And, and I just got to be in the, in the, in the lab with them and like, see how it works. Like see what the process of making music looks like and, and all that stuff. 5 (14m 15s): And I got in the booth a couple of times and I was like, this is really, really cool. I really liked it. And I just kept going and kept going with it. 3 (14m 21s): So you S you said that you start playing guitar like 13. Was that, did you ever play in a band or like a garage or anything like that? 5 (14m 27s): My friend, when we were younger, we used to always, like, it was so funny. We, we liked that we were a band, but we definitely weren't at all. We just had like a couple of guitars and we had like, one of those, like three-piece drum sets where it wasn't even like a full drum set. And we would go outside of our house and sit at the end of our driveway in our neighborhood and just like have our little amps and stuff and just play music and like, see if people would drop money in there for us. 3 (14m 50s): You're like busking in your neighborhood. 5 (14m 53s): We weren't even singing. Then we were just playing the instruments and just like this 13 year old me just out there, just ribbon on a guitar. 3 (15m 1s): That's so funny. Like I just, I see a kid busking in like the suburbs. There's something like that. It would just be hilarious to me. Like, cause I mean, there's probably not enough people walking by to throw it, throw any money. 5 (15m 13s): Oh, I don't even think we ever made any money. I don't think anyone ever came by and dropped any money in the thing. 3 (15m 18s): They just had it ready. 5 (15m 20s): It was the idea that that counts, you know, so it was 3 (15m 22s): Sure. Oh man, that is funny. Well, dude, you have an incredible voice. When did you realize you could sing that? Well or has singing always been something you kinda just did? Okay. 5 (15m 32s): It's actually been one of, that's a good question that no one really asked, but it's, it's been a process, man. I actually was like, not, not able to sing like at all. I was honestly shit. I, I would say I just, I, it was something that I really, really wanted to do. So it's been, that's why I say like I took years to like really work at it and I'm still not anymore. I want to be yet, like, I'm still working every day. I'm still doing vocal lessons now. Like, but there was such a long process of me. Like I would just like watch YouTube videos. I would watch like vocal, warmups and vocal lessons on YouTube. Like just really try not to seem just everyday. I was just like trying to like figure out any way to like improve my voice to where it actually is kind of half decent at, at the time and, and all that stuff. 5 (16m 12s): So it was definitely a process and that was definitely not always able to sing, but 3 (16m 17s): Oh, wow. Yeah. It sounds like you, you just like hat, obviously you have a cool voice or you wouldn't have the ability like E like anyone can, I don't know. I think singing is funny because people can learn how to do it, but then if you don't have like, kind of like a certain tone to me, like that you can work on it, but it's like, eh, but like your voice sounds like you've been doing it for your whole life. Like, yeah. I listened to the acoustic version. I don't know if you've released it, but I, your team sends it to me of human. And I was like, whoa. I mean, the, the, the produced version is awesome too. And it has that acoustic field, acoustic guitar. I was like, damn like this guy is really, really good. 5 (16m 54s): Thank you so much, man. 3 (16m 55s): Yeah. Well, when did, like, as far as writing your own music, was fallback a song that you had written or was it, did you work with people on it or somebody else? 5 (17m 4s): I wrote it with someone that's actually still one of my good friends. His name's Kaitlin white. He was actually like a big like artist back in the day, back in the bind days. I don't know if you ever remember, but it was like Caitlin and miles. Like, I don't know if you ever knew those guys. They had that 3 (17m 16s): I'm Anna cleansing was pretty big off of the nine days. 5 (17m 20s): Love robbery song that was like really popping back in the day. 3 (17m 23s): Okay. 5 (17m 24s): It was, yeah, he, I wrote it with him a while back and he was like catching the vibe in the studio. He's crazy constitute. 3 (17m 31s): Yeah. It was it hard to kind of, you know, you have, obviously you have a fan base and this, this, you know, brand that you've built and you know, then you came out with a song. Was that like something hard? Did you think like w like, were you nervous about putting something out or like backlash on people? 5 (17m 48s): This man, you know, and I tell people this too, it's like, even also like with the platform that you have, it's like, whenever, like this platform that I have is not for music. It's like, because everyone started following me because of like, I was the quote unquote, like hot guy or whatever I was doing, like shirtless videos on Tik TOK and all that stuff. 3 (18m 11s): So 5 (18m 11s): It's like, they're not really, like, they weren't like always music fans. So it's like, I got to make people believe that, but, but it was all, it's it that's like what we're trying to do right now is like the, the, the, the process of becoming an artist and like having people let alone just take me serious from being a Tik TOK kid. It's a, it's really hard. But, and also with you saying like the whole, like putting music out and being nervous and stuff like that, man, you would think that I would be like being in the public eye for so long. Like, I would be like a little bit like more confident, 3 (18m 40s): No big deal type deal, 5 (18m 41s): Actually like put me, like, it's actually the complete opposite man. It's it's made me have such bad anxiety. I like even going out in public. I'm like, I don't know. Who's like filling me. I don't know who's this, I don't know. It's just like, it's honestly like overwhelmed me a lot, but, but yeah, I, I get nervous every time I release something or you don't put out a single video or whatever. Like I ask my friends like a hundred times for our post I'm like, shit, what's this right. Taylor, shut up and post the video. I'm so I, because people are so judgmental and on the internet and because a kid, like, I just want I'm, I'm worried about what they're going to think about. And like, do they think it's good to call me shit? Like, like, I dunno, like I just, there's a million things that go through my mind. 3 (19m 24s): Right. I mean, once you get the, like, once you put it out, like, what was the first song was human, the first one that you really went for. And we're like, okay. Cause I know you have songs before that. So like, was there, what was the first one that you were like, okay, we're going to put this out. Like, let's see what it does. And 5 (19m 40s): I would say probably the first one that I actually like had a strategy with was probably a hundred rounds. 3 (19m 44s): That was okay. 5 (19m 46s): And I, and I, and I, that we'd do like a whole music video for, we did like, you know, we did the whole nine yards and we even went and I was pushing it pretty hard. And then, yeah, I, and then I, like, I, cause that's when I was doing my army stuff and then I, I took another year or so before I released the next one, which was, oh, I was, I'll be all right. Actually it wasn't even ever was you. 3 (20m 7s): Yeah, I'll be all right. And then, then that one 5 (20m 10s): Started switching my sound and I went through, you know, I, I got in a relationship by, I also got out of that relationship. I got my heart broken. I fell in love. Like I re I like a lot of stuff started happening in my life. And I was like, you know, writing, writing all these like intimate songs, it was cool and whatever, but it's like, I'm going through stuff every day. Just like everyone else, I'm falling in love. I'm Denmar broke on this. I'm fat. And it's like, I feel like that's what people can relate to the most of. Like, that's what people really enjoy listening to. You know, everyone listens to turn on music when it's that vibe. But like whenever it's just them, bro, they're in the car at nighttime, just listening to 3 (20m 45s): Their 5 (20m 45s): Heart out to something, you know? So now I just want to make music that about real stuff, real moments that happened to me and, and just stuff that people can really relate to. You know? 3 (20m 55s): No, I think you're doing a hell of a job with that. And human is very vulnerable. It's not, I mean, you listen to the lyrics of the song and it's like, okay, this is obviously coming from you. Like, yeah, but I'm human. And yet there's other, like, you might perceive me a certain way because of my videos online or this or that. So tell me about putting that song out, writing the song, I guess. 5 (21m 16s): Yeah. I wrote the song at, at the lowest point of my life. For sure. As you can tell, just from like the lyrics and, and the message across in the song. I, I was at a very vulnerable stage in my life. I, I, people hold us to such high standards, you know, because of, because of the platforms we have or the, the, the impact that we have on people's lives and they don't allow us to mess up. Like, you know, when it's like that, people tend to forget that we are human, just like everyone else that we do make mistakes, that we are good. They leave us no room to like mature, you know, they leave us no room for like, you know, messing up and learning from our mistakes. It's just like, run on these, this spotlight. And it's like, you can do a hundred, right. Things in the moment that you do one thing wrong. 5 (21m 57s): It's like, everyone's gone, man. It's like, it's or like, not even necessarily wrong or anything. It's just like, it's just like, people just come and go with, even this industry. It's like, I try to like talk about it to them, a socialist cause no one ever talks about it enough, but of how like everyone tries to portray this, like this lifestyle that it's not right. And it's like, I saw all these people of like rich and famous it, or it looks like it's just like rich and famous. And there's having the time of their life, like filming with their homies and like being, I was, I've been one of the most successful people in this space and being here now today I look back and I'm like, wow, it's honestly put me at the lowest points in my life. It's like, I've, I've had so much money. I've had all this stuff, but it's like, people forget the point of life. And I think I forgot that as well. 5 (22m 36s): You know, it's like, what is money? And what is fame, if you completely lose yourself trying to find something you thought was so amazing. Right? It's like, So I just want people to know that there's like, there's so much that goes on behind the phone screen that they look at, that they think is so amazing. There's really just not how it is. It's, it's, it's really a lot more lonelier than people think. And yeah, no, one's really your friend down here, man. 3 (22m 59s): Yeah. Right. What can I get? What can you do for me type deal? And having it must get really hard for somebody like, you know, you have this huge obviously platform and fan base and like, what are the, you know, what's the intention here? Is it so I can tag you in a video or is it so I can do this and like kind of gain your Le you know, you can kind of piggyback off my leverage. 5 (23m 19s): That's what I've been. I've been really trying to ground myself with recently. It's like reground myself with life, re rebuilding my relationship with God, because like, I lost that for awhile. I, I got so caught up in this like materialistic world of like work, work, work, make as much money as I can be as successful as I can and all that stuff. And I think that, that's why I honestly struggled with anxiety so bad right now. It's, it's, it's I I've been at the lowest points in my life. I would say that I'm the happiest I've ever been right now after of this stuff that I've went through. And I think it's because it really opened my eyes to how important life is. And, and, and, and that's what I think a lot of people forget. It's like they only hang out with people to film. They only hang out with people that's benefiting something like from them or whatever. It's like the moment that they don't need those people anymore, they just fuck off with everybody. 5 (24m 1s): It's like, but like, you know, like me, like, I've been like, I I've been doing like, like I do, I miss, like, I want to just go and throw a fucking football with somebody. You know what I mean? Like everyone, like, just like, there's no real moments anymore. And it was so fun back in the day, but now it's like such a competition and it's just not fun anymore, man. You know? 3 (24m 20s): I mean, yeah. I can't, I obviously I have, no, I can't imagine that. I just, the only thing I can just like what I can kind of like piece together as far as like, with being so famous, like on, on, on these as a non Tik TOK and YouTube and cause that's the world we live in. I mean, it's not television, it's not, I was doing the radio for 17 years. No one cared about me. Maybe if it was 1980, they might've. But like, you know, it's like this thing where I, what I can remember is like, if it was like early, late nineties, early two thousands, it's people like, you know, Brittany Spears and these people getting stopped and photographs and paparazzi, and like all this all over the place, I'm sure you get that, but now it's gotta be tenfold because everybody has a phone. 3 (24m 59s): Everybody has a camera on them. So like, if you're walking about rounded about I'm sure it's just now you have to be, it must get so draining. Because if you go up to, somebody comes up to you and goes, do take a photo with me. And you're like, you know, I don't, I don't feel like it right now. I'm late. It's like, oh, that guy's Dick or, you know what I mean? 5 (25m 17s): You know, like one thing that like makes me feel good at least, or like, cause there's so many times where like how you said, like people come up and like, there there'll be times where they're like, you're that tick-tock guy. Right? It's like, they don't even ask my name. They're like around. I'm like, yeah. And they don't say can't they just say, oh, sick, take a photo. And they just walk away. They're like, I'm like, I'm Taylor. Nice to meet you. Like, w like, I love, like, there's, there's very few, but I love when people come up and just like, talk to me about either my craft or just like, they respect me. Or like, you know, like just, or just like one and a half, just a normal conversation with me and not like, look at me as like some like, like zoo animal, if that makes sense. Because like, 3 (25m 52s): Totally 5 (25m 53s): It's like so many, like, you know, it has ruined in my like everyday personal life with like, even if I want to, if I'm just talking to a girl and I want to go hold her hand and walk around and go eat lunch, there's paparazzi somewhere filming it or something like that. It's like, I really have no personal life anymore. And it's okay. It's like the life that I chose, but, but like, it got to a point where it's so bad. Like there was, there was like hundreds of fans sitting outside of our house. At one point, there was like, there was like every day and there was paparazzi outside of our house. Every day there was, we had this like big rooftop, like pool area. And there was like, pop rocks. You that flying drones over the top of it, like looking at us. And some of that it's like, bro, it was so funny. We used to like, we just like shoot them down with paintball guns. It was funny, dude, like Ben, like, can you just swim and private? 5 (26m 38s): You know what I mean? Like I got, who knows I could have been skinny dip, a man, like I could have been vibing I'm own house, you know? 3 (26m 45s): Right. You have, and what's awful. And what, you know, on the other side of that, people would be like, well, you know, you put yourself online and you opened your world, but it's like, no, you didn't open your front door and said, Hey, come in. Like, I'm going to be using the bathroom here in 10 minutes taking a shower. 5 (27m 1s): Yeah. There's there's, there's definitely boundaries. You know? 3 (27m 6s): Sure. 5 (27m 7s): There definitely should be boundaries. I think that that's what a lot of people forget. They're like, well, you did, you put yourself here and you do this. And it's like, no, I just make videos with my friends. And then I, I want to, you know, help change people's lives. I don't want you guys to come stalk me everywhere. I go 3 (27m 21s): To 5 (27m 21s): Also be able to go eat with somebody and not have something blown out of proportion, you know? 3 (27m 27s): Right. Yeah. Cause then yeah, like I said, somebody can stop and be like, oh, you know, he sucks or whatever. Cause he didn't want to spend, you know, a second taking picture or you said like, who are you? Or like, you're the guy like, what's your name? Like, I've heard, I've interviewed people where they've said they've been stopped at somewhere. Cause other people are taking pictures of them. And then they'll be like, oh, can I get a picture of like, all right, this is like the 50th person. And then they'll ask them like, oh, who are you again? Like just so they can go on social media to brag that they ran into somebody 5 (27m 54s): At times that they've done that or they've called me someone else. And I'm like, I'm like, I'm Taylor like, oh yeah, Taylor. Oh yeah. And I'm like, you didn't even know who you call me somebody else, man. 3 (28m 5s): Right. And then you expect me to want to take a picture with you. And then if I don't, then I leave on the bad guy. 5 (28m 11s): Yeah. But you know, just like you said, like we have bad days as well. Like it doesn't make us assholes if we don't want to take a photo with someone someday. Like, you know, like there there'll be days where I hell. I mean, whether it's like I'm I got in a fight with my mom or my girlfriend that day or, or I'm going through just life. I just wake up and I'm just in one of those days where everything just annoys the hell out of me. Like we didn't have those days, just like every average person does. And, and we're just on a bigger scale of like a little bit more people like are familiar with our face. So like when we go out in public, there is, there is photos and stuff like that. And like, yeah. We're like, like, sure. Like whatever, like, because like there has been moments where I'm like, I want to go out and eat. 5 (28m 52s): I don't want to talk to anyone in the world. I just want to and put my hood up and I just want to go, like, I just want to, I dunno, like there moments like that, 3 (28m 59s): I can't even imagine. Cause you have to put on a show like you're essentially asked to put on a show all. Yeah, 5 (29m 5s): Yeah. It has nothing to do with like, I don't want to meet these people because they're the reason I am where I am. It's nothing like that. 3 (29m 10s): It's just, you're a human being 5 (29m 13s): Where like there's some moments where people just want to be alone and there's some times where people just don't want to be bothered sometimes. 3 (29m 19s): Right. I mean, that must get so tough is you? Yeah. I would imagine that it's pretty much impossible for you to go do things in that sense 5 (29m 27s): Without, yeah. Without like zero. So if something, 3 (29m 30s): Zero people bugging you. Well dude, I again, and that's why I love your song, human in what you're doing. It's just like, it's vulnerable and it's dude, this is me like, listen, like I, there are moments where I'm not going to be like, you know, all cheers and smiley and everything else. 5 (29m 48s): Yeah. And it's, and it's so nice because like, especially on this level of like, that's why I say like, even in the second verse of the song, it's like, like I call, but nobody's coming. Like it's like people, people have seen me at the lowest point of my life and, and they did nothing about it. They did like all, everyone that I've ever been there for like I any low point in my life where I really needed somebody. Like there was literally nobody there because it's just like, it wasn't convenient for them, you know? Yeah. So, yeah. But I mean, even like, you know, I just got a lot of cool stuff coming out that I think a lot of people are going to relate to a lot and that's what I'm really trying to hone in on. And 3 (30m 23s): Yeah, 5 (30m 24s): Another song dropping on June 9th, actually. 3 (30m 27s): Cool. Yeah. I want to talk to you about the new music. You said it's kind of like you're evolving your sound and is that what you meant? Like, so what's like acoustic singer songwriter vibe. And then tell me about 5 (30m 42s): That direction of like super, like, I guess if you, if there's a way to like understand it, it's like country pop like urban, like still with like a little bit, like, you know, that like soulful vibe, it's like, I'm trying to take like a lot of stuff and mix it together. Like I'm really messing with like a lot of live instruments right now and, and my stuff of like the production of stuff. So it gives that, that like country vibe, but it's like not like country Twain stuff, you know, it's, it's like it has that like pop vibe as well. Like the next song that I'm releasing is called I hope and it's dropping on June 9th and it's basically, I, I was, I was with, I was with somebody and I, and I ended up catching her like three different times, like with her ex and like talking to him and all that stuff. And, and they're actually together now. 5 (31m 23s): And, and I, it's basically just saying like, I hope he can give you everything that I don't because I was so amazing to this person. And she just absolutely took it for granted. So it's just basically saying like, Hey, IOP, IOP is the one that can give you everything that I don't. So 3 (31m 39s): Yeah, I did. I love your phone really, man. And like I said, it must be so hard with all eyes on you and then people just, yeah. Bugging you, not bugging you, but you know, having 5 (31m 50s): People that I meet that are like, they're, like, I thought you were going to be a complete, like arrogant asshole when I met you. Like, because of who I've hung out with or the video sometimes that I make, like everyone thinks I'm going to be this like cocky conceded guy or something like that. And I'm like, nah, man, I just like, I I'm a, I'm a little shit. I make crazy videos. I do a lot of stuff, like a lot of crazy stuff. And I, and I, and I, I break a lot of rules and I've definitely broken a couple of laws in my life, like for sure as well, but, but I'm a great guy when you get to know me as well. You know, I like, 3 (32m 22s): I love that. Are you, do you have a project, like a full project coming out or is it you're just going to release singles for now? 5 (32m 27s): So I'm doing singles for now. I just want people, I just want to get their music out. I want to get people to, to really just start believe in me as an artist. I want you to just get people to start listening to my music, you know? And then I'm open maybe towards the end of the year at the latest top of next year, maybe dropping a DP or something like that. A little, a little project and an album would come up later down the road, of course after that. But, but, but yeah, we're just a couple of singles right now getting music out and then, and then an AP towards the end of the year. 3 (32m 55s): Oh man. Well, congratulations. I, like I said, I I've seen people like, you know, in the social media world and you're like, oh, they're gonna put a record out. Okay. And then I listen to yourself. I was like, okay, this guy is like the real deal. Like I really like what you're doing, man. And that's so cool that you're gonna be here in Nashville doing this, the CMA thing. That's amazing. 5 (33m 14s): Are you going to be there or are you? 3 (33m 16s): I will now I'll try it again. 5 (33m 18s): Yeah. Come to the checkout. Whenever Rina Roberts is, is, is, is playing. It's at, it's at June 11th and now it's on June. 11th is on 3 (33m 27s): 3:30 PM 5 (33m 30s): Is when she goes on. So, 3 (33m 31s): Oh man, I'm going to go. Yeah. I'll have to make a little note here. 5 (33m 36s): Yeah. I didn't even notice it at first. So you'll be the first to know actually. So, but yeah, we're, I'm, I'm, I'm coming out on one of her songs, so that's, 3 (33m 43s): That's so sick, man. Well, Taylor, I really appreciate your time and you, yeah, you're so cool. I really, really respect what you're doing and I appreciate you taking time to hang out with me today. 5 (33m 53s): And of course, thank you for having me. Thanks for talking, man. It is really great to meet you over and over to 3 (33m 59s): The computer. 5 (34m 1s): Hopefully we get to meet at CMA Fest. 3 (34m 2s): Oh definitely. Definitely. One more. I have one more quick question for you before I let you go here wanting to know if you have any advice for aspiring artists, 5 (34m 11s): I would say, stay true to yourself, man. Don't don't, don't make music that you want other people to like don't make music for other people, make music for yourself and just do what you know that you're supposed to be doing and stay consistent with it. Man. There's always going to be people that have an opinion and there's going to, at the end of the day, it's sad, but there's going to be people that like, there's always going to be people that don't like you. So just keep doing what you know, you love to do. That's all that matters.