Melanie Rooten December 26, 2022, 7:45 AM
From zero to over 129,000 followers on TikTok, Ryan Oakes is truly a TikTok sensation!
Combining a wide range of genres to create music that is one of a kind AND sharing it on TikTok for all to hear, it’s clear that Oakes will only get bigger and bigger in 2023.
Describing the resurgence of pop punk as a “modern day renaissance,” Oakes’ music typically consists of combining pop punk elements with genres like rock, metal, electronic, hip-hop and more. He is continuously putting out AMAZING tracks without being confined into a certain musical style, which makes him an incredibly unique artist.
While Oakes has been creating music for over ten years, he now serves as a SoundOn artist, TikTok’s newest all-in-one platform for music marketing and distribution for emerging artists. The platform allows rising stars access to promotional tools to build their fanbase, as well as the ability to maintain 100% ownership of their music, and we only see this INCREDIBLE platform growing as time goes on.
In Oakes’ opinion, TikTok has “made the music industry a bit like a ‘Wild West’ situation where anything can happen,” and and he thinks that it’s “incredibly awesome.”
“[TikTok] is also a great tool to show authenticity. I feel like being a ‘too cool for school’ artist is super out of style, or at least heading in that direction, as people want a genuine person who they can connect with when it comes to music,” he says.
This statement is no surprise coming from Oakes, as his music captures “brutal, raw honesty” and it is truly as genuine as can be. When chatting with Celeb Secrets, Oakes said to us, “If I said it in a song, I’ve lived it,” and this simple statement summarizes the authenticity of his music perfectly.
A post shared by Ryan Oakes (@ryanoakesmusic)
With the release of his newest single “WHITE FLAG” on December 9th and even more music on the way, we can’t wait to see what this upcoming year has in store for Ryan Oakes! We know he’s going to do big things, starting with the release of his song “DOWN” on January 20th and working towards “rolling out [his] debut album.”
“We’ve got a single rolling out every 5-6 weeks until April/May, with the next one coming January 20th that I’m very excited about,” he revealed to us. “It’s a song called ‘DOWN,’ and it’s a super emotional hard hitting song that I think a lot of people will connect with.”
We can’t wait for “DOWN” to hit all music streaming platforms, but until then, read our full Q&A with Ryan Oakes below to learn more about his rise to stardom, overall musical style, plans for the future and more.
Let us know what you think of Oakes by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sending us a tweet at @celebsecrets, and be sure connect with him on Instagram @ryanoakesmusic and TikTok @ryanoakesmusic for updates on all of the exciting new releases to come.
Celeb Secrets: For people who may not know you yet, can you explain your musical style and a little bit about who you are as an artist?
Ryan Oakes: “For those who may not know me yet, my musical style is super versatile. My goal is to blend as many genres as I can in order to create something new. Listening to my music you’ll get hard hitting, hip hop style bars on the verses, and a super catchy and/or hard hitting rock hook, as well. On top of that, I like to throw in little elements from things like electronic music, a taste of metal with some screams here and there, and definitely some punky vibes as well.”
CS: In recent years, the pop punk genre has been resurfacing. What are your thoughts on this, and how do you think modern pop punk music varies from the punk wave of the past?
RO: “It’s safe to say I’m a massive fan of the resurgence of pop punk. It’s helped me grow my music tremendously. Ironically, when I was trying to figure out what I wanted my sound to be, I was experimenting with putting out pop punk songs with raps on the verses. About six months later, the explosion of pop punk back into the mainstream happened, so I got super lucky with the timing. I think it varies this time around because people are super open to experimenting and crossing genres and not letting traditional ‘rules; of music hold them back. It feels like a ‘modern day renaissance’ to me.”
CS: You are a SoundOn artist, which is TikTok’s newest all-in-one platform for music marketing and distribution for emerging artists. How do you think TikTok has contributed to your career, in particular?
RO: “I was initially one of those artists that was not on board with making content, because I didn’t understand how useful of a tool it could be. Over the COVID era, when TikTok was initially exploding, I completely ignored it. I saw so many artists blow up on it that when we got to 2022, I was like ‘screw it, just run with it for a year and see what happens.’ Ironically, on like my 5th day in, my song “2L8” went mega viral on TikTok. It ended up getting 10,000 pre-saves overnight, as well as my followers going from literally 0 to 60,000 in a 24-hour period. It’s just such a great tool to find exposure to new potential fans. A lot of people get stressed when it comes to algorithms and things, but the algorithm really is good at putting your music in front of new people that will enjoy it.”
CS: How do you think TikTok is impacting the music industry as a whole?
RO: “I think a lot of people view it as a double-edged sword, but I personally don’t. It’s incredible in the sense that the kid in the midwest in a town of just a couple-hundred people now has a platform where their music can be heard, and they can absolutely blow up without any help from things like record labels. It’s made the music industry a bit like a ‘Wild West’ situation where anything can happen, and I think it’s absolutely awesome. It’s also a great tool to show authenticity. I feel like being a ‘too cool for school’ artist is super out of style, or at least heading in that direction, as people want a genuine person who they can connect with when it comes to music (In my opinion).”
CS: You recently dropped your new song with Magnolia Park titled “WHITE FLAG” on December 9th. Can you tell us a little bit about the meaning/story behind the track?
RO: “‘WHITE FLAG’ was a funny story. We initially were going to scrap the song. It was super pop punky and singing on the verses and it just wasn’t that blend of genres I was looking for. Me and my executive producer Zach Jones went in and remade the beat and made some rap verses, and it felt like a masterpiece. I really think this track is one of a kind, as we’ve tried to blend genres as well as this one did with no avail. Our goal when initially making the track was to make a love song that absolutely slaps and I think we accomplished that goal.”
CS: What was it like working with Magnolia Park?
RO: “Magnolia Park was great. They are obviously another band that got great traction from TikTok, so it made sense to reach out and let them do their thing on the track, and they definitely exceeded my expectations.”
CS: Who is your dream collaboration?
RO: “My dream collaboration would either be with the rapper NF, Mike Shinoda or Hayley Williams.”
CS: Who/What are some of your musical inspirations either artist-wise or in your personal life?
RO: “All my friends are super talented and we’re all having mutual success at the same time, so it’s been awesome having them around. I feel like we’re constantly pushing each other to be better and to be more creative in our music. My inspirations starting music were definitely Eminem, Linkin Park and NF. Nowadays, it’s more inspiring hearing how good my friends’ music is getting that pushes me to want to be a better artist.”
CS: Do you have any songs coming out in the near future that we can look forward to? If so, give us details!
RO: “Yes! I’m currently in the midst of rolling out my debut album (which is funny because I’ve dropped over 250 songs already over the last ten years). We’ve got a single rolling out every 5-6 weeks until April/May, with the next one coming January 20th that I’m very excited about. It’s a song called ‘DOWN,’ and it’s a super emotional hard hitting song that I think a lot of people will connect with.”
CS: What stories do you want to tell through your songs in the future, and what message do you want fans to take away from your music?
RO: “Just brutal, raw honesty. A lot of people ask where I find inspirations when making songs and I just write about real life situations I’ve lived through. The stories I tell through my songs are just me figuring out how to explain what I’m going through with rhyming words, essentially. If I said it in a song, I’ve lived it.”
CS: What does the process look like when you create a song? Are there any quirks to your method?
RO: “I wish there was a method to the madness but it’s all over the place. Recently I’ve experimented with writing and recording whole songs with no beat, then taking it to a producer and having them build the beat around it. Funny enough, these turn out to be some of the sickest songs. Other times, me and my friends just mess around in the studio until something catchy hits, and we just roll with it from there.”
A post shared by Ryan Oakes (@ryanoakesmusic)
CS: Do you have any plans for live performances in 2023? If so, tell us what fans can expect to see at a Ryan Oakes show!
RO: “Yes! The one thing missing this year was touring, and that honestly just came down to bad luck with a major spring tour I was on getting cancelled. It was out of my control, so we plan to make up for it heavily in 2023 with playing festivals, and doing lots and lots of touring. A Ryan Oakes live show is super energetic, the crowd participates a lot and the goal is for you to be leaving sweaty.”
CS: Do you have any other goals for yourself in 2023 career-wise?
RO: “Career-wise I’d love to just keep figuring out how to reach new fans through content, touring, releasing two albums in the same year, and collaborating with other like minded musicians that are gaining momentum. I’d obviously love it if I can find a way to double numbers on everything from socials to streams so I will be working endlessly with those goals in mind.”
CS: Lastly, since we are Celeb Secrets, do you have any secrets about either yourself or your music that fans might not know?
RO: “I feel like a lot of people don’t know I graduated college with a degree in fitness and trained professional athletes for a few months. Washington football players in specific, but after 2 months or so I quit and full sent it to LA to pursue music, and I haven’t looked back since.”
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Melanie is has been an intern at Celeb Secrets since May of 2022. Born and raised in Orange County, California, she is currently a senior at the University of Oklahoma. Studying public relations with minors in both digital marketing and Spanish, Melanie dreams of working in the music/entertainment industry full-time after college. During her free time, she loves going to concerts, binging her favorite TV shows, spending time with her friends and family, and cheering on the Oklahoma Sooners.
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