Digital Social Hour - TikTok Marketing Secrets Behind Viral Hits | Tayler Holder DSH #1331

Episode Date: April 16, 2025

Discover the TikTok marketing secrets behind viral hits and skyrocketing success! 📈 Join Sean Kelly on the Digital Social Hour as he chats with Tayler Holder about how TikTok trends transformed his career, the challenges of breaking into country music, and the power of authenticity in building a loyal fanbase. 🎵✨ From viral strategies to rebranding struggles and unexpected wins, this episode is packed with valuable insights you won't want to miss. Tayler also shares behind-the-scenes stories about his whirlwind touring experiences, the rise and fall of content houses, and the rollercoaster journey of navigating fame on social media. Whether you're a creator, music lover, or curious about what it takes to go viral, this episode has it all! 🚀 Watch now and subscribe for more insider secrets. 📺 Hit that subscribe button and stay tuned for more eye-opening stories on the Digital Social Hour with Sean Kelly! 🎙️🔥 CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Tayler Holder’s Past & Cancel Culture 00:27 - Tayler Holder’s Recent Tour 02:05 - Transitioning to Country Music 05:44 - Country Music Merging with Other Genres 07:11 - Boxing Career Update 09:36 - Break from Social Media Explained 10:53 - Persona in LA: Truth vs. Fiction 14:06 - Life in The Hype House 18:00 - OnlyFans and Content Creation 20:21 - Downfall of Content Houses 22:17 - Relationship with God 24:30 - Support During Rock Bottom 27:30 - Cancel Culture Discussion 28:47 - Party Lifestyle Insights 32:12 - Upcoming New Song 34:21 - Public vs. Private Relationships 37:08 - OUTRO APPLY TO BE ON THE PODCAST: https://www.digitalsocialhour.com/application BUSINESS INQUIRIES/SPONSORS: [e-mail] GUEST: Tayler Holder https://www.instagram.com/taylerholder LISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/digital-social-hour/id1676846015 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5Jn7LXarRlI8Hc0GtTn759 Sean Kelly Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seanmikekelly/ The views and opinions expressed by guests on Digital Social Hour are solely those of the individuals appearing on the podcast and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the host, Sean Kelly, or the Digital Social Hour team. While we encourage open and honest conversations, Sean Kelly is not legally responsible for any statements, claims, or opinions made by guests during the show. Listeners are encouraged to form their own opinions and consult professionals for advice where appropriate. Content on this podcast is for entertainment and informational purposes only and should not be considered legal, medical, financial, or professional advice. #TikTokMarketing #DigitalSocialHour #SeanKelly #TaylorHolder #Podcast #ViralHits #TikTokSecrets #tiktokshopaffiliate #influencermarketing #tiktokaffiliate #tiktokcreativityprogram #socialmediamarketing

I wouldn't even say that any of those people were my friends at all. I was just, I hate being like that guy, but I just, I had a lot that they wanted at that moment and we were doing really well and they wanted some of that. So it was also peak cancel culture era when that happened to you. Like it was the worst time. Oh yeah, dude. I feel like cancel culture is just so. It's kind of gone now in my opinion.

Well, I feel like from its peak, at least. Yeah. All right guys in Nashville, Taylor Holder here coming off big tour, right? Oh, yes, sir, man. We're fresh out of, we're just got back from London, man. We were a little all over out there in the UK. So how was that?

Dude, it was actually honestly made so many great memories, but man, if I could, if I could do it again, I'd say give us a little bit more space between shows. We played 14 shows in 14 days and we're, was in a different city every single day. So it was, it was rough, man. We were running off like two hours of sleep each night. So I didn't know country was popping over there in Europe, dude, they, you know, what's cool about it over there is they, I don't know. I mean, it's getting bigger over there and they know like the mega stars in country,

but like it's so new that like they show up and they just like listen, like they're all about the culture. They're like in the skirts and boots and jeans and all that stuff. And they love the idea of it, man. But they, I just think that they're still so new, but that's what's awesome. It was weird at first was cause they're so quiet, like in between sets. Yeah. So you don't know if they like it or not. They're like, like, you know what I mean? But they just like, they,

they're listening to everything you're saying, man, they're paying attention. And that's what was really cool like it. They're like, you know what I mean? But they just like, they're listening to everything you're saying, man, they're paying attention and that's what was really cool about it. That's cool. What was your favorite city out of those 14? My favorite city definitely had to be London. Those, we did the Chase Matthew run with him there and then they knew like all the songs as well.

So they were screaming my songs back. So that was really cool. And then when we did C2C London, dude, we had awesome turnouts to the stages. We played four shows there for C2C and dude, every single one of them was rowdy. That was, it was awesome. How many people were at the show?

We, it was different. Some of the shows were like a small rooftop area and then some of the bigger ones, we probably had like over, we probably had two, 3,000 people at one of the stolliers and stuff like that. So yeah, it was crazy, man. That's no joke, man.

Cause you're kind of new to country, right? Oh, super new, man. We've been out here. We've been out here for about a year and a half and, um, started really dropping music about six months into it and stuff like that. So we're, we're like a year and a half into like, like really doing it. So I feel like that's quick growth. Do you think part of that is cause you already had a following beforehand?

Dude, a lot of people ask me that. And I think that, uh, I mean, I definitely think it helps, right? You have a little bit of extra eyes right off the rip. But one thing that we have found out that like, it doesn't always convert the best, you know? Right. I'm coming from a world where I blew up from everything but music, let alone country music, you know?

And everyone thinks I'm like this city boy from LA. Yeah. All this stuff and no one knows anything about my backstory. And so whenever I came over here and started doing country music, I just feel like everyone didn't think it was authentic Taylor, you know? So it was a little bit hard to get them to like really fall into that narrative and really believe that, Hey, this is, this is what I love more than anything, man. And I want to do it for the rest of my life, you know? Yeah.

It's almost like you had a rebrand, right? A hundred percent, dude. It was, it was like I started from ground zero. Yeah, I know. And we were pulling numbers and the streams weren't there yet. And to be fair, you know, when we were starting, the music wasn't phenomenal, you know,

and we're getting better each time and the songs are getting better. And I'm really excited for what we have coming out, but it's been a challenge. That's been one of the hardest things is figuring out how, cause I got good at promoting just what goes viral on the internet as far as trends or whatever, but the music and promoting a song of yours

that you need them to go listen to and everything, it was hard, man. We're still figuring it out. Did the first song flop? It was, it did actually, all right. I think the first song I dropped when I was out here, it was, I think, It's You, and it actually did a couple million streams,

so that was cool, but I had, here, it was, I think it's you. And it actually did a couple of million streams. So that was cool. But I had like, at the time I had like all my buddies, like doing like a lot of videos to it, like we were really trying to push it and stuff like that. And so, um, it did, it did pretty decent, but like, it's definitely not my favorite song that I've heard out. So, but, um, but, uh, yeah, we, we tried, we've been trying something a little different with these last couple of releases and it's really started to turn some heads, man, Like the dying flames and the

nothing but neons and stuff like that. So well I think an edge you have as part probably the marketing on TikTok right because a lot of songs blow up on TikTok. Yeah. And you have that network on there right? Yeah absolutely man and that's where we got we got really lucky. It was funny because my recent single dying flame that I have out I think it's at like 8 million streams in a couple months and we like my team didn't even want me to drop it. It was like different from what I was doing It was like that trappy country kind of thing And then it was like going into like Christmas like I but I hadn't dropped anything in like four months

And they're like, who's wait till the top of the year I was like guys if I wait till the top of the year like it's gonna be like Seven months before I even releasing things six months and I was like, you know what if I post on tik-tok and it blows up Then I'm gonna drop it. How's that sound? They're like, all right, fine. We'll make you that deal. I posted on TikTok and within like the first week,

it had like over 10,000 videos made to it on the audio and just people just started using it. And I was like, wow. And that was the first time I've had like an actual sound be like trending and people using the audio a lot. It's usually just them going to listen to the song because I posted it kind of thing, you know? Yeah.

So that was really, really cool to see. That's impressive. Yeah. It's almost like a good way to test songs. I didn't see if it pops off on TikTok first. Yeah. Cause if you have a lot of them stacked up, man, you can just kind of like, that's what like, I feel like Jessie Murph did like really, really well.

Like at first she, she used to just, she would post like five to 10 songs at a time and like whatever ones is, I mean, all her stuff she's, she's so good, man. Yeah. Like, um, but every single one that she would post, like she would post like five to 10 songs at a time. And like, whichever ones, just, I mean, all her stuff, she's, she's so good, man. Yeah. Like, but every single one that she would post, she would run with the one that was doing the best and she would just, she would promote it for months before she even dropped it. So, you know, and it starts getting like old to people, but it's like, those are the people that will constantly go back and listen to it again, because it's so like installed

into their head, you know, she's such a genius with that stuff. Yeah, a hundred percent. So countries merging with other genres now, right? Like rap, hip hop. Yeah. It's interesting. It's a, and that's where I think it's been kind of cool for us to step out and do the whole, like we call it, we call it country plus, you know, because, um,

like I said, everyone, it's a little hard for everyone to think that I'm like, just this like country ass dude, right. And I'm, I'm from a super small town just out the Fort Worth, Texas. But you know, I come from like the professional motocross background, the fighting background, the music, the, the extreme sports, the everything. So it's like, we kind of do like a little bit of everything. And there's like an edge to me for sure. And so that's why we're kind of trying to like dive into that, um, a little bit

different sound than just, you know, the, um, the authentic, like, you know, old school country music and stuff like that, even that's what I was raised and I love. Um, but, um, I know we're trying, we're just trying different things. Yeah. It seems like there's two camps. There's a camp that likes the old country's music and won't adapt and then this new era, right? Yeah.

And I honestly love it, man. I feel like it's like the whole, um, this is like a weird analogy, but like, I think it's like that whole, like everyone like hates Jake Paul, right? Jake Paul is like kind of like rebranded boxing and he's like made boxing cool again. He's bringing so many eyes in with all this influencer boxing. It's like the same thing with country being so big and it's like now it's like pop country, rock country, hip hop country. It's like, it's only making the market for country music even bigger.

And I think that it's awesome. And I know that there are those like, um, you know, authentic, like old school country guys that are going to be like a little probably upset about it. But I think it's, I think it's awesome. It's going to keep country music around for a long time. Are you still boxing right now? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So I'm in the gym every week, man. I'm still there.

We're, uh, we've been, I've been fighting for what? Like a damn like 10 years or whatever. Uh, got a couple of fights, but we're looking to fight again this year. It's just with all the shows and the music, man, it's really hard to do. These camps are like, you're in three days, man. You're like training in the morning, strength conditioning, like another night. It's just, it's rough, man. And it's a long day.

So to do that, do a whole camp for at least like eight weeks. Um, it's, uh, it takes a lot of time, dude. I'd have like travel with my coaches and it's, it's kind of like not realistic. So I feel that. Did you watch Aiden Ross's boxing event the other day? My buddy fights on, on Aiden Ross's card. They've asked me to fight on it a couple of times. And we, we tried to get, we tried to fight this one kid there

and he won't fight. But it's like, he always spends a narrative. He's, he, you know, he's very good at what he does with spinning narratives and like getting people to think that it's a certain way. But I mean, do we've offered him everything we offered to fight for it's a certain way. But I mean, we've offered him everything. We offered a fight for free. We've offered him bare knuckle.

We've offered him boxing. We've offered him literally everything. And he could say, he was like, I saw some video the other day where he was like, we literally tried to dog walk him to the contract and he won't do it. And dad, I was like, I have all the messages of everything, even him. I was, I was, I was texting with him not too long ago and was with him and his manager. Like they just don't want to fight.

Wow. Yeah. And like, that's what I'm saying. He spends that narrative so well, dude, but I'll just drop, I'll just drop the messages if he keeps going. I mean, we might have to throw them on the street. There's a lot of fake, there's a lot of fake stuff though. No one knows.

I mean, I got 10 years of training. I could see why he doesn't want to. Well, I mean, I brought him to Canela's with me, man. He was a wrestler, you know, he never boxed. He never did any of that stuff. And I mean, I'm not, I'm not even trying to sit here. I'm kind of over that moment in my life where I'm just like trying to act

like I'm like the hardest guy out there. But you know, Bryce definitely, he knows he'll lose, you know? And so I think that that's the narrative, you know, he doesn't, he's talked a lot of shit about me. And I think that it's more of an ego thing. I don't think it's a scared to lose. I think it's just, he doesn't want to lose to Taylor, and that's why it won't happen.

And, but whatever. I mean, I don't really care. I'm still going to fight again, regardless. And eventually people will see that I'm not the one ducking here. What's your record right now? So we did, I fought Gibb long time ago. That was like an exhibition fight.

It wasn't even like a, cause there was like a massive weight difference stuff like that but my my actual record with like misfits is 1-0 so hopefully we'll get another one this year and make it 2-0 and just keep rocking with it so let's get it yeah did you take a break off social media because I was on your twitter

you took like eight months off I just like don't go on twitter I like I don't know why I just like don't like the app I feel like it's like all just talking shit. That's like all and that's like what the internet's become and that's what's like so sad to me man is like I started back in Vine bro with like all those Vine kids man and like back then it was just like friends making content. It was more positive. It was just like dude it was like you're legitimately just a group of guys and

buddies or girls or whatever it is, just making videos together and just having like great times. And now all it's about dude is like, oh, who's fighting this guy or who are talking shit about this guy or canceling these people or this. It's like, everyone's just in everyone's business. And I'm like, God, like that's like, it genuinely makes me feel like a loser. You know what I mean?

That's why I don't understand how people do that, man. A lot of drama. Yeah, I just don't got time for it, dude. I'd rather have, I mean, I have a fraction of what I ever had out in LA out here and dude I'm the happiest I've ever been man. I have an awesome girlfriend. I have an awesome family around me. Just bought a house.

Yeah, I just bought a house dude and it's been, it's been beautiful. I mean my parents lost, their house burned down last year and so they've been living with me right now out here and it's been awesome dude. I've been away from my family for so long that I'm finally just spending real time with the real people dude I never got that out there. And so I'd rather stay that for However long that is they never go back that feels all man So do you feel like when you were in LA you were kind of putting on a persona? It was not dro you hundred percent. That's why like I think it's so funny man, because I mean obviously I look back at my videos

And and I'm like god dude, I wish I could go back and punch myself in the face, dude. But like, that's where it's like, it's funny because everyone that makes fun of us for what we did, A, I get it, but we would film these videos and I feel like people were like thinking we film these videos and they're like, oh, this is hard, bro, like this is dope.

And we were like, we were like, we're definitely gonna get fucking flamed for this one. Like we knew it, you know, but we just, it's like acting in a movie, you know, it's definitely like, I'm not a dancer. I'm not, I'm not a TikTok dancing kid. I'm not a whatever. I just did it. Cause I mean, dude, the, the money that was being thrown at us, I mean, whenever

TikTok started blowing up, it was like ungodly amounts of money. And if anybody that like was talking crap about us or anything like that would have had the money that was being thrown at us or had the whatever. I a hundred percent think that they would have done it as well. Um, it was just, um, it was, it was unreal. I mean, dude, I don't do that. I don't do that much money anymore. So I'd just go ahead and say, but like, dude, we were doing there, there'd be months where we're doing three, 400,000 a month.

Yeah, bro. It was, it was like ridiculous amounts of money. Plus you had the mansions all paid for. The mansions were like, they were paid for by brands. We didn't pay that. I mean, at the hype house, when we were in the hype house, that's why I went and did my own content house, cause I got just didn't really, I didn't really like the structure of the hype house. You know, there was, there was 21 people in a house that were, they were all

popular on the internet, but like besides like the main, main guys, um, that were very like, you know, um, financially stable, business-ly smart on their own. The Alex Warrens, Alex is a genius with what he's done, man. And the little Huddies and stuff like that. But everyone else in the house was dead broke. And the owner of the house, or the owner of Hype House, didn't want to make any changes. He was too busy being an influencer himself.

He wasn't making these kids money. He wasn't getting anything taken care of. And so I was like, I'm gonna go do my own thing. And I brought in a sponsor. We had the sponsor paying the $50,000 a month. But at the hype house, we were all splitting $50,000 a month. So it was like, we were just trying to I was trying to work a little smarter than that. So I got everybody in, I had a sponsor coming and pay for it. We were all living rent free.

We all I signed them all under the same agency that we were with. And we were rolling, dude. I mean, between the between the I think we had seven people in my house We were we were doing probably about close to a million dollars a month between all of us, dude It was say yeah And you know you you look at that and they're like dude How could you ever be like sad or anything with that whenever you're making that much money? I mean, dude, it was actually like the worst version myself. I've ever seen dude. That was down so bad, man

And it made them at it. Oh man. Yeah, I was down. I was the saddest I've ever seen, dude. That was down so bad, man. And it made me mad. Oh man, dude, I was down. I was the saddest I've ever been in my life, man. It was rough out there. So you were the richest person. I just felt like, I just felt like I was like a robot, man. I was waking up doing the same thing every day, but I had no real friends out there, dude. Everyone, like I said, dude,

I only saw these people if it was to film. I never, dude, in the seven years I was in LA, I never went outside and even threw a football with somebody or like just threw a baseball or win, got lunch with someone because we wanted to hang out. It was always like, yo, are you home? I've been, I'm coming over, I gotta film this video or this bit or this or that, YouTube this like,

and then they would film it and then just leave. Like you would never have any moments with anybody. And that's where I was like, dude, this is actually like, I lived in a, even like the Hype House, right? Like I lived in a house with 21 people, bro, and still felt so alone, bro. It was like the weirdest thing ever, man. Damn, it was all transactional.

Yeah, man. That's interesting. Yeah, cause you were the richest you ever were, right? But you were the most upset, man. Yeah, bro. And you know, you always hear these stories of like celebrities, how like they're like so successful and so sad and for a while, I mean,

do I come from a place where we got 2000 people, man, we don't even have a restaurant or hometown. And I'm like coming from nothing. And I'm like, how could you ever be so sad when you got everything in front of you, you know? But, you know, and it was weird cause like whenever TikTok really started popping up during the pandemic, that's whenever like,

which is so weird to me, but like the influencers became like the celebrities, right? And we had like paparazzis following us around. I don't remember why, like we were just dancing on TikTok. I don't know why they were following us around. But, and like we had like, we had a paparazzi where our addresses would get leaked. So we had like hundreds of people outside of our house

at every moment. We had paparazzis like flying drones up in our windows, like looking in our windows, bro. We eventually started like shooting them down with paintball guns. It was like, so wild. It's just like every move you do, man, was watched, Everything you did, whether it was in person right there, I was at your house, whether it was online. There's no room for maturing, man, dude, like, you know, we all got thrown into this pretty young. I've been doing this since I was 15 years old. And so, you know, a lot of people stuff happens on the internet, and they're so quick to judge instead of like, understand these are like, kids that get a lot of money and become a millionaire so fast that like, you know, leave some room for maturing. You know, I remember those days they would wait for you guys outside of

Bo's steak house or wherever you were at. You have a saddle ranch and all around. Yeah, yeah, dude. That's nuts. And like people actually cared what you guys were doing on a day with pages. They were like, some, some of them were cool, man. Some of the paparazzi people were cool.

We got, we got like good relationships built with them and stuff like that. And then there were some guys like, dude, I remember I had I remember I had like, and then they tried to spin it like, I almost tried to fight this paparazzi guy, but I just got out, it's on video, but I got out and I just went and talked to him. And I was like, cause I asked him to,

I was like, hey buddy, how are you doing? Da da da da da. And I was like in my car and he was like, oh, I don't even know who the fuck you are. I'm just gonna sell this for like $2,500. And I was like, that's not cool.

Like I was like, all right, well then can you just put your camera down then please? Like whatever. And he just like kept like filming it, was just being a douche. I was like, that's not cool. Like I was like, all right, well then can you just put your camera down then please? Like whatever. And he just like kept like filming it was just being a douche. And I'm like, why? Like that's not cool. I get like, get your money, film, whatever you gotta do.

But whenever you're like, I don't know you, you're just like a zoo animal. I'm just going to sell this for $4,500. Like, I'm like that's fucked up. Yeah. And then you see the videos of Justin Bieber being a dick or Kanye. Yeah. But I kind of get it. Yeah.

If they're following you. Me and Justin, we, we, uh, we were going to the same church to, uh, was that Erwin McManus's church? What was that? Was that Erwin McManus's church? No, it was a church home, uh, with Judah Smith. And, um, and that was around the time that me and him kind of became tight. But like, I remember going outside before I like, uh, like became like buddies with. And he was like talking to the paparazzi people and they were all, cause they would always outside the church for him. They would all like, as soon as he came out, dude,

there was like, there was a lot of them though. There was like 15 to 20 of them outside like the security door of the church. And it was just sad because he was like, dude, this is where I come to like get away, you know? And I come outside and it's like a zoo animal again, dude. It was like, I come out of church where I just learned everything.

And it's like, I have to be an asshole like right after it. I'm like, I like to a way smaller scale. I like felt that because they would follow us ever fly drones into our house. Like it was like, it was weird, dude. So I can only imagine how people like him. And they have a snippet of him lashing out and posted on Twitter. They only capture the bad. It's never the good.

Do you, you could, you could do, I mean, dude, you could do anything in the world, bro. And they're like the one bad thing that it gets blown away at proportionally because that's what everybody fiends off of all these TMZs, the, the ballots, the news is the everything, bro. That's all they look for, man. They just want to shit on everybody. Yeah. That's why Oh F girls get so many views on social media. You said what? Oh F girls. They get so many views on social media.

Bro, I heard Oh F I saw something the other day, like made, made more money than like LeBron James or something like that. I saw that too. I think there were some, some like where I always put like numbers right next to each other and like, I don't know who was the average OF creator makes more than the average NBA player when you average it all out. That's so, because the top girls are making so much.

That's, that's. It's nuts, right? I don't get it, man. I really that's. It's nuts. Right. I don't get it, man. I really that's yeah. I'm sure. I'll leave my comment on that one, man. 1.2 million females content creators on a left right now. 1.2 million.

This is about nuts. It's just like, you know, dude, I'm in my opinion, like, I'm not against it. Like, I don't, I don't really care. I'm just like, that just blows my mind though. Like the fact that they're making as much money as NBA players is crazy for people to pay them to see their bodies and stuff. That's, that's the only thing we're like, I get it, dude. I mean, I did whatever I needed to do to get my bag up as well, but it almost makes me

sad dude. Like I hate that. Like, I don't know if they either like, cause there's some people, some people that are on there, they do the straight, like modeling stuff. It's not like, yeah, it's not like all like the bad stuff, but, um, it just almost makes me feel bad. I'm like, dude, I feel like they feel like they have to do that in order to make a living. And I'm like, dude, there's like so many ways to like, and I just don't know how

that takes a toll on their mental health and stuff too. Like, I don't know. Yeah. Well, I think a lot of females are really judged on their looks these days because of social media, man. They're comparing themselves to the hottest girl in their town or whatever. Bro, and that's what the internet is like the worst drug in the world to be addicted to, man. It was, and that's where I think I got so caught up in all that stuff, bro.

I was trying to do anything to be the biggest guy in the world on there. I was trying to get as many views as possible. And dude, at that moment, I would have done anything to get those views, bro. And I just didn't know like the toll that it was taking on my mental health. Like I straight up, like whenever I first moved to LA, I moved out and I told my parents, I was like,

I'm gonna go be famous on the internet. That's what my goal was. It wasn't, hey, I wanna go make a difference with the world. It wasn't, oh, I wanna spread my faith and get people to follow God. And it was just, I wanna go be make a difference with the world. I, it wasn't, oh, I want to, I want to, you know, spread, I want to spread my faith and, and get people to follow God. And I was, it was just, I want to go be famous and I want to become rich and I want to do this. And I had the entire wrong attitude about all of it, dude. And, um, I learned real quick, man.

I mean, I got everything so fast. I mean, the whole vine stuff, it started kind of slow. I was like, all right on vine. But when TikTok came around, I mean, I think like I got like 20 million followers in like two years. Holy. Yeah. Just doing dancing videos.

Yeah. Just like dancing videos, funny videos, like whatever, just all like the, the, the kids together, we were all just collabing and cross promoting and we were with all the guys that were also popular as well on all that stuff. But yeah, that's nuts. What do you think led to the downfall of the content houses? Cause I don't see those anymore. Yeah, they're kind of gone, man.

Honestly, dude, I don't know. I don't even really keep up with it anymore. I know that whenever I was running my content house, I know like once I stopped mine, dude, like pretty much all of them went downhill from, from what I know. But I think the downfall was it was just none of them, none of them were, like I said,

I think they were just lacking authenticity, dude. They would just grab it. It was like literally like you're, like you're playing that claw game. You're just like trying to pick like the most popular people or the most attractive people or the people that are getting the most hype. It's not, Hey, like I really like this guy and what he's doing and he's a cool guy, he's a great guy. I want him to come and be a part of what we're building here.

It was just like, Hey, if you're not famous enough and you're not doing this, then nah, we don't want you. But hey, if you want it, like, it was all like materialistic shit that doesn't matter at the end of the day. And so like, whenever you get a bunch of guys in there that are all like egotistic and hot-headed and all this stuff, it just never works. And same thing with females too.

Like if you get a female house together, I mean, girls, and I mean, everyone already clashes heads already as it is, but you throw a bunch of random people in a house, it's a, it's a shit show. Right? Yeah. You're judged off your views. It's so interesting. Right?

Yeah. Your views and your fall. And there's like little Colts in the house, dude. There's like, uh, it's like high school again, bro. Like there's, there's like, uh, and they just all talk shit about each other. There's like, uh, it's just nonstop drama. And then you got like, cause we had a reality show as well. And some of these other places had reality shows.

And that was honestly, if I could take that back, I probably wouldn't have even done it because like they, those little fuckers on there, dude, like the producers say, like I say something to you about cam or something like that. Right. They'll go like, you know, you have those confession booths or whatever, where it's like you and the camera sitting there and they're like, they'll be telling like, say like Cam was in the confession booth, they were like, yo, Taylor said this about you earlier.

What do you think about that? I'm like, you motherfucker. Like they just like snitch and then they try to stir it up. And then there's like real drama that happens because they like, I don't know. It's just all a mess, man. The world sucks. What was your relationship with God when you were living out there? It was a honestly, bro, like non-existent man.

Wow. Um, and that's where like, I think like my testimony, my story is so awesome with even when I came here was I think out there? It was a honestly, bro, like non-existent, man. Wow. And that's where like, I think like my testimony, my story is so awesome with even when I came here was, I think out there, I mean, I was raised, you know, I was raised religious, but I wasn't raised in church. I was always, when I was out in LA, man, I always said I was Christian, I believe in God, because everyone around me said it.

And I thought that's what I was supposed to say, right? But I had never taken a moment to understand what it looked like to walk right with God, you know? And I, without a doubt doubt went through the two hardest years of my entire life, man. I had a really unfortunate run for some stuff and had some stuff made up about me and, you know, it fucked my life up for a long time. And in those moments I was like, dude, like, why would you do this, man? I got so angry at God. And then instead of taking a step back and wondering why he did do it and understanding that, you know, like I've shared with you, man, I was so sad out there, man? I got so angry at God. And then instead of taking a step back and wondering why he did do it, and understanding that, you know,

like I've shared with you, man, I was so sad out there, dude. I didn't even recognize myself. I was like, damn near, like I was 160 pounds, six foot two, I was like so little, dude. And I just, I think that it was, you know, he gave me a second chance to really do this, man. When I got out here, I really fell into God's heart.

I started going to, you know, I bought a Bible. That was like the first place I started at. I started going to church, man. I started looking at doing research of what it really looked like to walk right with God, man. And I've fallen into it hard. Well, I tried to just flip my life around, man. There was a, I mean, I was never out there, dude. I was not the greatest guy.

I could have been the greatest boyfriend, the greatest friend. I was, you know, I was on my high horse You know and I just I needed I needed a reality check and I definitely got it for sure But it was everything I needed man because I feel like this is the most real and authentic Taylor that I've ever been It's the most recognizable I've ever been to myself and I finally feel like I'm doing what Taylor loves to do more than anything So it seems like you're not holding anything back anymore. Absolutely not man I'm this this is this is just like the realest version of me, man. It's what you see is what you get. And if you don't like it, I don't care.

Yeah. I think ego deaths are important actually. Yeah. 100% man. It's so funny. Cause everyone's like, you know, Oh, like hit rock bottom or this or that. It's like, so cliche, man. But I feel, I fell straight on my face, man. And it was everything that I ever needed, man. I had literally everything taken from me and then God provided for me a ways that I never could have even imagined and that means something so did you have someone to talk to during that rock bottom moment

um I had I had John my buddy John that runs my life to this day still now I had my little brother Tyler I had my mom like man in my family you know and had my buddy B Dave they were basically like. They were right there with me when, when all of it started. And, uh, and, uh, I mean, we had the smallest crew, and we all moved over here together. And, uh, and it was, it was the best, it was all I needed, man. You know, I surrounded myself with so many people. I know I do it. We had like probably 20 people a day at the house show. It was a lot of people and like, I now know that bro,

you give me like three of the baddest motherfuckers on the planet we that's it we'll take it over that's all I need you know to me so I will say in your rock bottom moments you find out who your real ones are that's one of the good things about bro I'd say that and I'll say it again dude people like John so John was my content guy at first man and whenever he wasn't my content guy when I kind of started going through this I just knew him through like my little brother he He was shooting for my little brother, Tyler, and all that stuff. And he ended up coming on to shoot for me.

And dude, whenever I tell you, like, he worked for me for like $300 for two years, man. It was like nothing, three or $400, man. And like, he didn't leave my side. He was like, bro, I don't care. I don't give a damn about money. I don't give a damn about nothing. Like, we're going to figure this out.

We're going to rock, whatever. When we came out here, we got the Dylan Scott tour. And we had never done it before. We'd never toured. We had never nothing. And he was like, Taylor, I know this sounds crazy, but I'd love to like tour manage this thing. And I was like, I got nobody else to do it anyway.

So and, and luckily we had people like Cam and Dylan and their crew, they were always so good to us, man. And, and John went and did all the research that he needed, man. And he crushed it. And he kind of just like stepped up for my content guy. Now it runs him a whole life. And he's done everything he needed to do, right? And dude, like those are the types of people

that I'll hold close to me for a long time. Cause he absolutely thugged it out with me for no money at all. We were dead broke together. That's a real one. Yeah. I went from literally, like I said, like a couple hundred thousand dollars a month

to literally like, I couldn't even afford a cheeseburger from the whole panel shit It was that about that bad bro. It was it was that bad. Yeah, but that was so quick, right? It was all like with all like right within like six months. Damn. Yeah, that's a huge change Oh, yeah, man. It was rough. Did you probably lost a lot of friends you thought that were friends, right? Yeah, I mean I just lost a lot of people in general But I think like I don't even know if it was like friends at that moment. I think it was just people that are too much of a coward and too like, they care too much about like an image and like their teams are telling them,

it's because of this or whatever and the way it looks or da da da da. Like no one actually gives a fuck about being a real ass friend to anybody. Cause like, I understand like in the moment of all the, of all that stuff, right? Like, you know, distancing yourself from someone that's having something said like that about them for sure. But, um, but at the end of the day, off the record, they all had my number. They all knew where I lived. Not one motherfucker, like at the end of the day knew where I was at the lowest point of my life ever reached out and asked if I was okay to stop by and said like, Hey, you're doing all right. Not one of them. So I

mean, I wouldn't even say that any of those people were my friends at all. I was just, I hate being like that guy, but I just, I had a lot that they wanted at that moment and we were doing really well and they wanted some of that. So it was also a peak cancel culture era when that happened to you. I mean, like it was the worst timing. Oh yeah, dude. I felt like cancel culture is just so. It's kind of gone now, in my opinion. Well, I feel like from its peak, at least.

Yeah. I feel like there's like always just everyone trying to. And then at the end of the day, it's just like, if you, I don't know, man, that's where like all those kids, that's why it's so easy to cancel those kids and stuff at first or like have a bunch of stuff said about them is because like for a while we were, I mean, we were, we were trying to seem like these like innocent,

perfect kids on the internet. Well, like, I mean, I've never drank in my life, man. I've never done, I mean, I smoke weed. That's like, I've never touched any drug besides weed or anything like that. And I only started smoking whenever I, whenever I started going through those two years, man. I mean, I lost so much weight, dude.

I wasn't eating, I wasn't sleeping. I was so depressed, man. I couldn't figure it out. And so I started smoking weed to just help with that anxiety. To numb it. But I've never, I've never had a sip of alcohol in my life, nothing.

And all those kids out there like going out to clubs and like snorting coke off like strippers asses and stuff like that, doing like doing like the craziest stuff. And then they go on the internet and talk about some bull and just like finesse everybody. So it's like, whenever you piss somebody off, you piss the wrong people off that like have videos of you guys doing that stuff or have stories and know where they start. That's when cancel culture becomes a thing. And like everyone's like scrambling to try to fix it.

Yeah. I, I do that. You get invited to any weird parties like that, dude. So I got, I got invited to a party long time ago. Never went though. Yeah. Never went. Um, but, uh, I did get invited to one.

What was the invite like word of mouth or yeah. Yeah. Just, I mean, the back to India, I mean, I was hanging. What was the invite? Like word of mouth or? Yeah, yeah. I mean, back then, I was hanging out with all the guys, like, you know, everybody that would have been there and all the celebrities and all that stuff. So they were, you know, we all just were in group chats. That would be like, Oh, party going on. It wasn't like, Denny bro, dah, dah, dah.

It was just like, yo, party here, like going on. This is kind of who's running it and this is who's going to be there kind of thing. You got a bad feeling. It was always, um, actually, I think I was just, I think at the time I was in a relationship hear like going on, this is kind of who's running it and this is who's going to be there kind of thing. You got a bad feeling. It was always, actually, I think I was just, I think at the time I was in a relationship and I think we, it was, it was, we had something together. I don't know. I don't remember if it was like our like two year or something like that or if it was a

birthday. I don't know what it was. It was, it's been a long time ago, but I was with her that night and I was like, I'm just gonna sit down. I've also never been like a big partier anyways. Whenever I first moved to LA, telling you when you first come to Nashville, you're like going down Broadway, hooking hard.

But I went, just cause I was like, I just wanted to meet everybody. I'm gonna try to get plugged and stuff like that. So I'd go to the parties and I started slowly figuring out that literally every party that I went to, you just see these same people at every single party. And it's, they're so hammered and so off of like all these drugs that like, they don't even remember

talking to you the next day anyway. So I just stopped going. I was like, this is not for me at all. It's pretty dumb. Yeah. I'm not a big party or two. People assume because I live in Vegas, I go out every night, but bro, I've lost so much money in Vegas.

You're a big gambler, huh? That's your vibe. I try to man. I want to be a big gambler, but I, they, I don't know what it goes on, but I just, there's, there's some days where we do really, really good, but Vegas always robs me, man. What's your game? Blackjack.

Blackjack. I cook on, I'm actually really good at blackjack, but we had a good day in a, where it was a couple of weeks ago. I'm on my headline tour right now. And we, my mom, I forgot where we were, dude, Philadelphia. That's yeah, Pittsburgh. They got, they got online, like draft Kings, like online gambling, right? And the Z and then showed my mom draft Kings and she was like, I want to gamble on this thing, dude.

And she starts playing, uh, I think she was playing the slots on draft Kings or whatever started with a hundred bucks cashed out eight grand, dude. I swear to God, lots are the worst. And she, yes, that's what I'm saying. And cashes out eight grand. We found a casino that was like 15 minutes from the venue that we were playing We were like, let's go dude And she gave everybody she gave a thousand of her money to split between my whole band and everything So we all had like 300 bucks or something like that. I turned three hundred dollars into

6500 at the blackjack table and crap. I'm telling you cooked bro. I had little Z walk and I will money. We had my guitar player Seve, Seve started with 300. I think he left with like 2200. Like we went and robbed that casino. It was actually crazy. We all had a great night. That's nice. Yeah.

Good. So you want to gamble? I'd say gamble in Pittsburgh. It's hard to win in the agus man. Yeah. They just know too much. I feel like they're experts. Yeah.

They've been doing it so long. I mean, Dana white wins sometimes, but I don't see many people winning like that. Yeah, they just know too much. I feel like they're experts. Yeah, they've been doing it so long I mean Dana white wins sometimes but yeah, I don't see many people winning like that. Yeah, dude I just I can't I see some of those guys that like go like the high limits and they're betting like ungodly amounts of money and it's like I don't know steeple do it I don't know how much money you guys like really got but I just couldn't even even when I had money the most I'd ever Do is a couple like a couple grand at a casino. And I was like, I can't, that's about all of it. You know what I mean?

I don't like losing money like that. Nah, especially when you work so hard to make it. Yeah. Yeah, dude. You got a new song coming out soon? We do, man. We've been teasing this song called California Fit in Tennessee. And it's a really cool one, man.

It comes out on the 28th of this month. I was in a four-year-long relationship when I was in LA and was someone that at the moment of my life, I thought I was gonna marry them. And I thought I was gonna spend the rest of my life with them. And when I moved to Nashville, the distance, a long distance, didn't work out. That stuff gets in the way.

And we had our own problems and we just, we went our separate ways. And I wrote a song about it from the perspective of what it would have looked like if she could have came with me and what it would look like if California fit in Tennessee. And, and, um, it's honestly like literally wise, like probably one of my favorite songs I've ever written. It's just tough because we've been trying to promote it and I'm in a new relationship now.

And so like, I can't, I can't be like, man, I, I miss her and I wish I could tell her this or something like that, you know, because then everyone's like, but you have Zoe, like, what about Zoe? Like that, and it kind of seems disrespectful. So I'm trying to figure out cool ways to promo it. What's she thinking of the song, New Girl? She really likes it, man. She's awesome. She's so supportive of everything we're doing, man. And she's like, she's been absolutely amazing.

I'm kind of like new to the whole relationship thing. I haven't really been in a relationship in a long time. And so it kind of freaks me out how like perfect everything is, but I mean, dude, it's been amazing. And she understands all of it, dude. She's right there with me and she loves the song. She wants it to come out. She can't. She listens to it all the time with me as well.

And yeah, so she understands the scenarios. I also keep her in the loop with everything, man. And the girl that obviously the song's about, everyone knows who it's about and stuff like that online because we were obviously a very big relationship. But she like, she's with somebody, I'm with somebody, we both are very respectful about that. We've been in contact recently and we have nothing but respect for each other. And I even let everyone know and let Zoe know and let her know that I sent Char a text about the song being, like, hey, I'm putting this song out. Char knows about the song, et cetera.

I was like, if I step on any toes while I'm promoting it, please let me know. Like I, it's all, it's all civil and it's all good. And so it's, it's really cool. Communication's important. Yeah, dude. And especially whenever you have someone awesome right there with you that like supports it and understands it as well. It's, it's cool.

Cause it's, it's really easy. I feel like to, to not be that. Oh, easily. Yeah. Um, do you keep the current girl from private or is it a public or not? be that easily. Yeah. Um, do you keep the current girlfriend private or is it a public or not? A public. Yeah. I heard that a mixed opinions on public first private, but,

you know, I, uh, well, I've tried to do the whole private thing and they always find out they like, they're like, I'm telling you, like we literally have like CIA agents, like I swear, like on our stuff. They, they'll see like through a, like, I, what did I see? Everyone saw or found out that like, I think it was Meg Moroney and Riley Green were hanging out or something like that. And they found out because Riley was like taking a picture somewhere and through his glasses, they zoomed in.

And it's all reflection of Meg standing or something like that. And I was like, bro, you guys are actually like weird. That's weird. So no, I'm just, I'm open about everything on the internet, man. Whatever's new, if I'm winning, really shit, but if I'm not, if I'm whatever's new. Pardon me.

Yeah, I'm just like, hey, this is what's going on. Yeah. So there's no confusion. Bro, internet detectives, there's Reddit communities that solve murders. Bro, it's actually insane, dude. Reddit. I've never, I've like, I still don't even know if I've ever like actually went on Reddit, but I've heard that it's gnarly.

Don't sleep on Reddit, man. That's what I heard. I feel there for a restaurant recommendations. Oh, for real? Yeah. Cause everyone's anonymous. So they'll give the most honest feedback. You know, they're not scared of being canceled or something. Dude, it's so weird. Like these communities, bro. You know what I found out the other day? What is that? Uh, what's that?

You guys might know what's that Facebook? I don't even have Facebook. I use my mom's actually to go on marketplace, but that where it's like, uh, are we dating the same guy thing or whatever? I've heard of that. Have you heard about that? Yeah. It's like a group of like girls or whatever you have to be accepted

in or something like that, but it's like, if they're talking to a guy, they like put it in there and they're like, Hey, what do you guys know about this guy? And everyone is either just like shitting on their lives or they got good things to say about it. And I'm like, dude, like, is that what this world has came to now? That's so weird to me. Yeah. Each city has one of those groups.

So there's one in Vegas, there's one in Nashville. That's wow. I didn't know that. Yeah. I literally just found out the other day about the one in Nashville and I've been here for two years, I was like, don't end up there, man. Nuts. Nah, man.

I got, I got an awesome one and we're keeping her around for a long time, man. So hell yeah, man. Well, where are you touring next? Where can people keep up with you? We, uh, we're finishing off our headline tour right now. We have two more weekends left. We've got Nashville this weekend actually. Um, and then, uh, and then we go right into festival season.

And so we're hoping to get another tour for end of year, like fall, something like around there. But right now, man, we're just focused on getting a lot of music out. I mean, we got some really cool stuff going on. I got a feature that's hopefully happening that like I can't say right now, but if it does, it's gonna be the coolest thing in the world.

I'll tell you guys off camera. But it's just lots of music, man. We've been really working, dude, so. Love it, man. We'll link to your website below. Thanks for coming on, dude. Thank you guys so much for having me. Appreciate it.

Check them out, guys. See you next time. Bye, guys. Boom.