← Digital Social Hour
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- [00:00]
A
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.
- [00:10]
B
So it was also. Pete, Cancel Culture era, when that happened to you?
- [00:13]
A
Yeah.
- [00:13]
B
Like, it was the worst timing.
- [00:14]
A
Oh, yeah. Dude, I feel like Cancel Culture is just so.
- [00:18]
B
It's kind of gone now, in my opinion. Well, I feel like from its peak at least.
- [00:22]
A
Yeah.
- [00:27]
B
All right, guys. In Nashville, Taylor Holder here coming off big tour, right?
- [00:30]
A
Oh, yes, sir. Man, we're fresh out. We're just got back from London, man. We were a little all over out there in the uk.
- [00:35]
B
So how was that?
- [00:36]
A
Dude, it was actually honestly made so many great memories. But, man, if I could have. 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.
- [00:53]
B
So insane.
- [00:53]
A
Yeah.
- [00:54]
B
I didn't know country was popping over there in Europe, dude.
- [00:56]
A
They. You know what's cool about it over there? There's a. They. I don't know. I mean, it's getting bigger over there and they know like the. 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. 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 because they're so quiet, like in between sets.
- [01:19]
B
Yeah. So you don't know if they like it.
- [01:21]
A
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 about it. So that's cool.
- [01:28]
B
What Was your favorite 14?
- [01:30]
A
The. 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. C to C. 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.
- [01:51]
B
Damn.
- [01:51]
A
It was. It was awesome.
- [01:52]
B
How Many people were at the show.
- [01:54]
A
We. It was different. Some of the shows were like a small rooftop area, and then some of the bigger ones, we. We probably had, like, over. We probably had 2,3000 people at one of the stages and stuff like that. So, yeah, it was. It was crazy, man.
- [02:05]
B
That's no joke, man.
- [02:05]
A
Yeah.
- [02:06]
B
Because you're kind of new to country, right?
- [02:07]
A
Oh, super new, man. We've been out here. We've been out here for about a year and a half and 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.
- [02:17]
B
So I feel like that's quick growth. Do you think part of that is because you already had a following beforehand?
- [02:21]
A
Dude, a lot of people ask me that, and I think that I. I mean, I definitely think that 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. No one knows anything about my backstory. And. 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. Excuse me. 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?
- [03:01]
B
Yeah. It's almost like you had a rebrand, right?
- [03:03]
A
100%, dude. It was. It was like I started from ground zero, you know, and we were pulling numbers and. And the streams weren't there yet, and. And to be fair, you know, when we were starting, the music wasn't phenomenal, you know, And. 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. Because 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. It was hard, man. We're still figuring it out.
- [03:34]
B
Did the first song flop?
- [03:36]
A
It was. It did. 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, 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 it did. It did pretty decent, but, like, definitely not my favorite song that I've put out, so. But. But yeah, we. We tried. We've been trying something a little different with these last couple releases, and it's really starting to turn some heads, man.
- [04:04]
B
Yeah.
- [04:04]
A
Like the Dying Flames and the Nothing But Neons and stuff like that, so.
- [04:07]
B
Well, I think an edge you have is part probably the marketing on Tick Tock. Right. Because a lot of songs blow up on TikTok.
- [04:13]
A
Yeah.
- [04:13]
B
And you have that network on there, right?
- [04:15]
A
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. 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, let me just wait till the top of the year. I was like, guys, if I wait till the top of the year, like, it's going to be like seven months before I even release anything. Six months. And I was like, you know what? If I post on TikTok and it blows up, then I'm going to drop it. How's that sound? They're like, all right, fine. We'll make you that deal. I post on TikTok, and within, like, the first week, it had, like, over 10,000 videos made to it on the. Of the audio. And just people just started using it. And I was, 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. It's usually just them going to listen to the song because I posted it kind of thing, you know?
- [05:05]
B
Yeah.
- [05:06]
A
So that was really, really cool to see.
- [05:07]
B
That's impressive. Yeah. It's almost like a good way to test songs.
- [05:11]
A
Right.
- [05:11]
B
See if it pops off on TikTok first.
- [05:13]
A
Yeah. Because 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, whichever one just. I mean, all her stuff, she's. She's so good, man. Like, but every single one that she would post, like, she would run with the one that was doing the best and she would just. She'd 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, insulted in their head, you know, she's such a genius with that stuff.
- [05:43]
B
Yeah, 100%. So countries merging with other genres now, right? Like rap, hip hop.
- [05:48]
A
Yeah, it's interesting. It's. 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 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 from a super small town just south of Fort Worth, Texas. But, you know, I come from like the, the professional motocross background, the fighting background, the music, the. The extreme sports to everything. So it's like we kind of do like a little bit of everything. There's like an edge to me for sure. And so that's why we're kind of trying to like, dive into that little bit different sound than just, you know, the, the authentic, like, you know, old school country music and stuff like that even. That's what I was raised and I love. But I know we're trying. We're just trying different things.
- [06:29]
B
Yeah, it seems like there's two camps. There's a camp that likes the old country's music and won't adopt, and then this new era, right?
- [06:35]
A
Yeah. And I, I honestly love it, man. I feel like it's like the whole. 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. Is like kind of like rebranded boxing and he's like made boxing cool again. He's bringing so many eyes and 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 it's awesome. And I know that there are those like, you know, authentic, like old school country guys that are going to be like a little probably upset about it, but I, I think it's, I think it's awesome. It's going to keep country music around for a long. Absolutely.
- [07:12]
B
Are you still boxing right now?
- [07:13]
A
Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I'm in the gym every week, man. I'm still there. We're, we've been, I've been fighting for what, like a damn like 10 years or whatever. Got a couple fights, but we're looking to fight again this year. It's just with the shows and the music, man, it's really hard. Dude, these camps are like, you're in three days, man. You're like train in the morning, strength conditioning like another at night. It's, 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. It's, 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.
- [07:43]
B
Did you watch Aiden Ross's boxing event the other day?
- [07:46]
A
My buddy fights on, on Aiden Ross's card. They've asked me to fight on it a couple times and we, we tried to get, we tried to fight this one kid there and he won' um, but it's like rice or something. It's. He, he always, 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, dude, we've offered him everything. We offered to 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, we literally tried to dog walk him to the, to the contract and he won't do it. And that. 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 him with him and his manager, like, they just don't want to fight. Wow. Yeah. And like that's what I'm saying. He spins that narrative so well, dude. But I'll just drop, I'll just drop the messages if he keeps going.
- [08:33]
B
I mean, we might have to throw them off.
- [08:35]
A
There's a lot of fake, There's a lot of fake stuff though. Yeah, no one knows.
- [08:37]
B
I mean, I got 10 years of training. I could see why he doesn't want.
- [08:40]
A
Well, I mean, I brought him to Canelo'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. 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. A lot of about me. And I think that it's more of an ego thing. I don't think it's a. A scared to lose. I think it's just he doesn't want to lose to Taylor, you know, and that's why it won't happen. And. But whatever. Yeah, 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.
- [09:16]
B
Phil, what's your record right now? Five.
- [09:18]
A
We. So we did. I fought. I fought Gibson long time ago. That was, like an exhibition fight. It wasn't even like a. Because there was, like, a massive weight difference, stuff like that. But my. My. My actual record with, like, Misfits is 1 0. So hopefully we'll get another one this year and make it 20 and just keep rocking with it.
- [09:35]
B
So let's get it.
- [09:36]
A
Yeah.
- [09:36]
B
Did you take a break off social media? Because I was on your Twitter. You took, like, eight months off.
- [09:41]
A
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. 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, but it was just like, dude, it was, like, 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, like, talking 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, like, It. 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.
- [10:22]
B
A lot of drama.
- [10:23]
A
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 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. And I never got that out there. And so I'd rather stay that for however long that is than never go back.
- [10:53]
B
Feels.
- [10:53]
A
Oh, man.
- [10:54]
B
So do you feel like when you were in la, you were kind of putting on a Persona?
- [10:56]
A
It was not troll you 100. 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, 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. This is hard, bro. Like, this is dope. And we were like, no, like, we were like, we're definitely gonna get flame for this one, dude. 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 Tick Tock dancing kid. I'm not a whatever. I just did it because, I mean, dude, the money that was being thrown at us, I mean, whenever Tick tock started blowing up, it was like ungodly amounts of money. And. 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 100 think that they would have done it as well. It was just, it was, it was unrealistic. I mean, dude, I don't do that. I don't do that much money anymore. So I just go ahead and say, but like, dude, we were doing there. There'd be months where we're doing 3, 400,000amonth.
- [11:58]
B
Holy crap.
- [11:59]
A
Yeah, bro. It was. It was like ridiculous amounts of money.
- [12:02]
B
Plus, you had the mansions all paid.
- [12:04]
A
For, but 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. Because, like, I just didn't really. I didn't really like the structure of the Hype House. You know, there was. There was 21 people in the house that. They were all popular on the Internet, but, like, besides, like, the main. Main guys that were very, like, you know, financially stable, like, pretty businessly smart on their own. Like, the Alex horns. Like, Alex is a genius with what he's done, man. And. And, like, the little huddies and stuff like that. But, like, everyone else in the house was dead broken. Like, the owner of the house and. Or like, 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, you know, I'm gonna go do my own thing. And I brought in a sponsor that we had the sponsor paying the. 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. Yeah, than that. So I. I got everybody in. I had a sponsor come in 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 insane. 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 of myself I've ever seen. Dude, that was down so bad, man. And it's mad. Oh, man. Dude, I was down. I was the saddest I've ever been in my life, man. It was. It was rough out.
- [13:28]
B
So you were the richest.
- [13:29]
A
I just felt like I was. 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 d. Seven years I was in la, I never went outside and even threw a football with somebody or, like, just threw a baseball or when got lunch with someone because we wanted to hang out, it was always like, yo, are you home? All right, man, I'm coming over. I got to 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.
- [14:05]
B
Damn. It was all transactional.
- [14:07]
A
Yeah, man, that's interesting.
- [14:09]
B
Yeah. Because you were the richest you ever were, right? But you were the. The most upset.
- [14:13]
A
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 2, 000 people, man? We don't even have a restaurant in our 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 because, like, whenever tick tock really started popping off during the pandemic. That's whenever, like, which is so weird to me, but, like, the influencers became, like, the celebrities, right? And. And we. We had, like, paparazzi's following us around.
- [14:44]
B
I don't remember why.
- [14:44]
A
Like, we were dancing on TikTok. Yeah. Like, I don't know why they were following us around, but. And, like, we had, like, we had paparazzi. Our addresses would get leaked, so we had, like, hundreds of people outside of our house at every moment. We had paparazzi, 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, you do, man, was. Watched everything you did, whether it was in person, right there outside your house, whether it was online, and there's no room for maturing, man. Dude, like, you know, we're. We all got thrown into this pretty young. I've been doing it 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, become a millionaire so fast that, like, you know, leave some room for maturing, you know.
- [15:28]
B
Dude, I remember those days. They would wait for you guys outside of BOA Steakhouse or wherever you.
- [15:31]
A
At Saddle Ranch and all that.
- [15:33]
B
Yeah, dude, that's nuts. And, like, people actually cared what you guys were doing on a day with this.
- [15:37]
A
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, like. 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. It's on video. But I got out and I just went and talked to him, and I was like, yo, because I asked him to, I was like, hey, buddy, how are you doing? And I was like, in my car. And he was like, oh, I don't even know who the you are. I'm just gonna sell this for, like, twenty five hundred dollars. And I was like, like, that's not cool. Like, I was like, all right, well, then can you just put your camera down then, please? Like, or whatever. And he just, like, kept, like, filming. It was just being a douche. I'm like, why? Like, that's not cool. Yeah, 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 gonna sell this for 2500. Like, I'm like, that's up, man. Yeah.
- [16:19]
B
And then you see the videos of Justin Bieber being a dick or Kanye.
- [16:21]
A
Yeah.
- [16:22]
B
But I kind of get it.
- [16:23]
A
Yeah. Me and Justin, we. We. We were going to the same church to.
- [16:29]
B
Was that.
- [16:31]
A
What was that?
- [16:31]
B
Was that Irwin McManus's church?
- [16:33]
A
No, it was a church home with Judah Smith. And. And that was around the time that me and him kind of became tight. But, like, I remember going outside before I, like, like, became, like, buddies with him, and he was, like, talking to paparazzi people, and they were all. Because they would all wait outside the church for him. They were 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. Like I come out of church where I just learned everything and it's like I have to be an like right after and I'm like, I like to have 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. Yeah. So I can only imagine how people like him and they have just a.
- [17:17]
B
Snippet of him lashing out and posted on Tick Tock.
- [17:19]
A
Yeah, but they only capture the bad. It's never the good. Dude, you could. You could do. I mean dude, you could do anything in the world, bro. And like the one bad thing that it gets blown away proportion. Because that's what everybody feeds off of. All these tmz, the. The outlets, the news is the everything, bro. That's all they look for, man. They just want to on everybody. Yeah.
- [17:35]
B
That's why of girls get so many views on social media.
- [17:37]
A
You said what?
- [17:38]
B
Of girls. They get so many views on social media, bro.
- [17:40]
A
I heard of. I saw something the other day like made. Made more money than like LeBron James or something like that.
- [17:49]
B
Yeah, I saw that too.
- [17:50]
A
There were some, some like where I always put like numbers right next to each other and like.
- [17:53]
B
Yeah. I don't know who I think was the average of creator makes more than the average NBA player when you average.
- [17:58]
A
It all out that wow.
- [18:00]
B
Cuz the top girls are making so much.
- [18:01]
A
That's. That's.
- [18:03]
B
It's nuts, right?
- [18:05]
A
I don't get it man. I really. That's. Yeah. I'm just going to leave my comments D on that one, man.
- [18:11]
B
Yeah. 1.2 million females content creators on OL right now. 1.2 million. That's about nuts.
- [18:19]
A
It's just like you know dude, 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. Is crazy for people to pay them to see their bodies and stuff. That's. That's the only thing where 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 because there's some people, some people that are on there. They do the straight like modeling stuff. It's not like no nudes or anything.
- [18:49]
B
Yeah.
- [18:49]
A
It's not like all like the, the bad stuff but it just almost makes me Feel bad. I'm like, dude, I feel like, do 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.
- [19:02]
B
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 town or whatever, bro.
- [19:10]
A
But then. And that's. And that's what, bro, the, 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. But I was trying to do anything to, to be the, the biggest guy in the world on there. I was trying to get as many views as possible. Now, 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, 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, that's what my goal was. It wasn't, hey, I want to go make a difference with the world. 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. 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 I learned real quick, man. I mean, I got everything so fast. I mean, the, the whole vine stuff, it started kind of slow. I was like, all right on Vine. But when Tick Tock came around, I mean, I think like I got like 20 million followers in like two years.
- [20:07]
B
Holy.
- [20:07]
A
Yeah, just in dancing videos. Yeah, just like dancing videos, funny videos, like, whatever. Just all like 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 and the. All that stuff. But, yeah, that's nuts.
- [20:23]
B
What do you think led to the downfall the content houses? Because I don't see those anymore.
- [20:26]
A
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 with it was just none of them, none of them were like I said, I think they were just lacking authenticity. They would just grab. 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 and nah, we don't want you. But hey, if you want it, like it was all like materialistic, 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 show, man.
- [21:29]
B
Yeah, you're judged off your views. It's so interesting, right?
- [21:31]
A
Yeah.
- [21:31]
B
Your views and your fault.
- [21:32]
A
And there's like little cults in the house, dude. There's like, it's like high school again, bro. Like there's, there's like. And they just all talk about each other. There's like, it's just non stop drama. And then you got like. Because 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 really. Because like they, those little on there, dude, like the producers say like I say something to you about Cam or something like that, right? No, 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, like, yo, Taylor said this about you earlier. What do you think about that? I'm like, you 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. Internet world sucks.
- [22:18]
B
What was your relationship with God when you were Living out there.
- [22:21]
A
It was 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, 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 went through the, the two hardest years of my entire life, man. I had a really unfortunate run for, for some stuff and had some stuff made up about me and you know, it. 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, and 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 my. I was like damn near like I was 160 pounds at 6 foot 2. I was like so little, dude. I was. And I just, I think that it was, you know, he gave me a second chance to, to really do this, man. When I got out here, I, I really fell into God heart. I. 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. And I've fallen into it hard. Wow. Try to just flip my life around, man. There was a, there was a. I mean, I was never out there, dude. I was a. I was not the, 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.
- [24:00]
B
So it seems like you're not holding anything back anymore.
- [24:03]
A
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 care.
- [24:10]
B
Yeah, I think ego deaths are important, actually.
- [24:13]
A
Yeah. 100%, man. It's so funny because everyone's like, you know, oh, like hit rock bottom or this bad. It's like so cliche, man, but I feel you. I fell straight on my face, man. And it was everything that I ever needed, man. I. I had literally everything taken from me. And then God provided for me in ways that I never could have even imagined. And that means something.
- [24:30]
B
So did you have someone to talk to during that rock bottom moment?
- [24:33]
A
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, and my family. Then I had my buddy B. Dave, that were basically like, right. They were right there with me when. When all of it started and. And that. I mean, we had the smallest crew and we all moved over here together. I love it. And. And it was. It was the best. It was all I needed, man. You know, I surrounded myself with so many people out in LA, dude. We had like probably 20 people a day at the house. So it was a lot of people. And like, I now know that, bro, you give me like three of the baddest on the planet, we. That's. We'll taking over. That's all I need. You know what I mean?
- [25:08]
B
Yeah. So though, I. 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.
- [25:15]
A
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 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 gonna figure this out. We're gonna 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. 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, 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 and 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 with me for a long time. Cuz he absolutely thugged it out with me for no money at all.
- [26:18]
B
We were.
- [26:18]
A
We were dead broke together, you know.
- [26:20]
B
That's a real one.
- [26:20]
A
Yeah. I went from literally, like I said like couple hundred thousand dollars a month to literally, like I couldn't even afford a cheeseburger for like. It was that. It was that bad, bro. It was. It was that bad. Bad.
- [26:30]
B
Yeah, but that was so quick, right?
- [26:32]
A
It was all like without like bro, within like six months. Damn. Yeah, that's a huge change. Oh yeah, man. It was rough, dude.
- [26:39]
B
You probably lost a lot of friends. You thought that were friends, right?
- [26:41]
A
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. Like no one actually gives a. About being a real ass friend to anybody. Because all the. Because 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. But at the end of the day, off the record, they all had my number. They all knew where I lived. Not one, like at the end of they knew or I was at the lowest point in my life ever reached out and asked if I was okay. They stopped by and said like, hey, you're doing all right. That 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. And they wanted some of that.
- [27:32]
B
So it was also peak cancel culture era when that happened to you. Like, it was the worst timing.
- [27:36]
A
Oh yeah, dude, I thought cancel culture is just so.
- [27:40]
B
It's kind of gone now in My opinion? Well, I feel like from its peak at least.
- [27:44]
A
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, 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. But like, I mean I, I've never drank in my life, man. I've never done. Really. I mean I smoke weed. That's like, oh, dude, 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 the clubs and like snorting coke off like strippers asses and stuff like that, dude. And 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 and you piss the wrong people off that like have videos of you guys doing that stuff or have stories and know they start. That's when cancel culture becomes a thing and like everyone's like scrambling to try.
- [28:46]
B
To fix the dating tapes.
- [28:48]
A
Yeah, that block, dude, I, I, dude.
- [28:50]
B
Did you get invited any weird parties like that?
- [28:52]
A
Dude? So I got, I got invited to a party long time ago. Never went though.
- [28:57]
B
Did party.
- [28:58]
A
Yeah, never went. But I, I did get invited to one long time.
- [29:02]
B
What was the invite? Like word of mouth or.
- [29:04]
A
Yeah, yeah, just, I mean back then, dude, I mean 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. Yeah, yeah. It wasn't like Denny, bro. 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.
- [29:24]
B
And you got a bad feeling.
- [29:25]
A
It was always actually, I think I, I was just I think at the time I was in a relationship, and I think we. It was. It was. So 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 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 said. I was like, I'm just gonna sit. I've also never been like a big partier anyways. Whenever I first moved to la, kind like when you first come to Nashville, you're like going down Broadway, poking hard. But I went just because I was like. I just wanted to meet everybody. I wanted to 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.
- [30:10]
B
Yeah, I'm not a big partier, too. People assume because I live in Vegas, I go out every night.
- [30:14]
A
But, oh, bro, I've lost so much money in Vegas. God dang it.
- [30:17]
B
You're a big gambler, huh? That's your vibe?
- [30:19]
A
I try to, man. I. 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.
- [30:29]
B
What's your game?
- [30:30]
A
Blackjack. Blackjack. I cook on. I'm actually really good at blackjack, but we had a good day in. Where was. A couple 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.
- [30:44]
B
They got.
- [30:44]
A
They got online, like, DraftKings, like online gambling, right? And the Z and them showed my mom DraftKings, and she was like, I want to gamble on this thing, dude. And she starts playing. I think she was playing the slots on DraftKings or whatever. Started with a hundred bucks, cashed out eight grand. Dude, I swear to God, slots 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. And I turned 300 into 6. 6500 at the Blackjack table. And I'm telling you, cooked, bro. I had Little Z walking out with money. We had my. My guitar player, Sevy. Sevy 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.
- [31:35]
B
That's nuts. Yeah, good.
- [31:36]
A
You want to gamble? I'd say gamble in Pittsburgh.
- [31:39]
B
It's hard to win in Vegas, man. Yeah, they just know too much. I feel like they're experts. Yeah, they've been doing it so long. I mean, mean, Dana White wins sometimes, but. Yeah, I don't see many people winning like that.
- [31:49]
A
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, steal. 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. 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.
- [32:09]
B
Nah. Especially when you work so hard to make it.
- [32:11]
A
Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
- [32:12]
B
Dude, you got a new song coming out soon.
- [32:14]
A
We do, man. We. We've been teasing a song called California Fit in Tennessee. And it's a. It's a really cool one, man. It's. It comes out on the 28th of this month. It's. I was in a four year long relationship when I was in LA and with someone that at the moment in my life, I thought I was going to marry them and I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life with them. And when I moved to Nashville, the distance, a long distance, didn't work out. 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 it's honestly, like, lyrically 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, but what she song, the new girl. She. She really likes it, man. She's awesome. She's so supportive of everything we're doing, man. And. 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. It's been amazing. And she. She understands all of it, dude. She. She's right there with me and. 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 snares. I also keep her in the loop with everything, man. And. And the girl that obviously the song's about. Everyone knows who it with that online because we were obviously a very big relationship. But she, like, she's with somebody. I'm with somebody. We both very. Are respectful about that. We've been in contact recently and we. We have nothing but respect for each other. And. And you know, I even. I even let. Let everyone know and let Zoe know and let let her know that, like, I sent. I sent Char text about like the. The song being like, hey, I'm putting the song out. Char knows about the song. Etc. I was like, if I step on any toes while I'm promoting it, please let me know. Like, we. It's all. It's all civil and it's all good, man. So it's really cool.
- [34:12]
B
Communication is important, dude.
- [34:13]
A
And especially whenever you have someone awesome right there with you that like, supports it and understands it as well, it's cool because it's. It's really easy, I feel like, to. To not be that. Oh, easily.
- [34:23]
B
Yeah. Do you keep the current girlfriend private or is it a public relationship?
- [34:27]
A
Public. Yeah.
- [34:28]
B
Look, yeah, I heard about mixed opinions on public first private.
- [34:33]
A
But, you know, I. 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, what did I See, everyone saw or found out that, like, I think it was Meg Maroney 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 saw 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 just. I'm open about everything on the Internet, man, and whatever is new. If. If I'm winning a relationship, if I'm not, if I'm. Whatever's part of. Yeah, I'm just. You're like, hey, this is what's going on.
- [35:19]
B
Yeah.
- [35:19]
A
So there's no confusion, bro.
- [35:21]
B
Internet detectives. There's Reddit communities that solve murders.
- [35:25]
A
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.
- [35:32]
B
Don't sleep on Reddit, man.
- [35:34]
A
That's what I heard.
- [35:34]
B
I found her for restaurant recommendations.
- [35:36]
A
Oh, for real?
- [35:37]
B
Yeah, because everyone's anonymous, so they'll give the most honest feedback, you know, they're not scared of being canceled or something.
- [35:43]
A
Dude, it's so weird. Like, these communities, bro. You know what I found out the other day? What is that? What's that? You guys might know, but. 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, are we dating the same guy? Thing, or whatever. Oh, I've heard of that. Have you found. 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. 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, on their lives or they got good things to say about it. I'm like, like, is that what this world has came to now? That's so weird to me.
- [36:18]
B
Yeah. Each city has one of those groups, so there's one in Vegas, there's one in Nashville.
- [36:22]
A
That's wild. 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, dude.
- [36:27]
B
I was like, don't end up there, man. Yeah, nuts.
- [36:31]
A
Nah, man. I got. I got an awesome one, and we're keeping her around for a long time, man. So.
- [36:35]
B
Hell yeah, man. Well, where are you touring next? Where can people keep up with you, man?
- [36:37]
A
We, we're finishing off our. Our headline tour right now. We have two more weekends left. We've got Nashville this weekend actually and then. And then we go right into festival season and so we're hoping. We're hoping to get another tour for into year like fall something. Something like around there. But right now, man, we're just focused on getting a lot of music out, man. 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 going to be the coolest thing in the world. I'll tell you guys off camera but. And just lots of music, man. We've been. We've been really working, dude. So love it, man. We'll.
- [37:08]
B
We'll link your website below. Thanks for coming on, dude.
- [37:10]
A
Thank you guys so much for having me appreciate.
- [37:12]
B
Check them out, guys. See you next time, guys.
- [37:14]
A
Boom.