Cooper Alan Reflects On His 'Wild' Ride To Stardom After Posting TikTok Videos: 'I Never Thought In A Million Years This Is Where I Would Be'

Cooper Alan is still pinching himself that his music career has taken off after he posted videos on TikTok a few years ago.

"It’s wild for sure! I never thought in a million years that this is where I would be. In fact, I was an anti-social media guy all through college. I’m fortunate that my fiancé, as well as my producer, pushed me towards the app when the world shut down in 2020. The TikTok community has been everything to my music career thus far, and I’m very grateful for the amazing people that have clicked follow on my page," the singer exclusively tells OK! while talking about his hometown bakery Dewey's.

"TikTok has really created an organic consumption of music that I don’t think has ever existed on such a massive scale. It truly is a 'fans first' approach to the music industry, and I think it’s been life changing for everybody. I appreciate the fact that I know what fans desire even before I release a song. At the end of the day, all of us artists and music industry folk work for the fans. While gaining a big following has been an incredible journey, it is also the translation into ticket sales and the live shows that has meant the most to me," he adds.

The rising star credits his followers for listening to all of his tunes. "My fans are incredible! I love getting them involved in my creative process. Often times, I tease demos of songs before I ever decide to release them. If fans like the song, I’ll move forward. I really think this an interaction has allowed a special relationship to develop between us. I wouldn’t be able to do any of this without the fans so I want them to always know how much I value and appreciate them!" he gushes.

Ever since Alan started his band in 8th grade, he knew he wanted to pursue singing. "There was never a plan B for me!" he exclaims.

These days, the country artist loves to tour and meet his fans "face to face."

"Nothing beats the energy of a packed venue full of good people singing country music! I know some people shrug off the notion of being a 'TikTok artist.' I, however, am honored by the title. TikTok has broken a lot of barriers and allowed so much democratization in the music industry. I’m proud to be a part of a community that has changed a lot of things up!" he says.

Going forward, Alan hopes to work with Eminem — "dream big!" he says — in addition to winning some big awards.

"My ultimate goal is to be a CMA Entertainer of the Year. I’ve always been inspired by concerts and the way they make me feel, and I hope to able to make people feel the same way night in and night out. Music is one of the most powerful and positive forces in the world, and I think we all need a night to rock out at a concert. Obviously, being an Entertainer of the Year would mean doing all of this on the largest scale. While that’s my big goal, I am happy as long as I am making a room full of people smile when leaving my show," he shares.

In the meantime, Alan is promoting his new song "The Fridge." "This song is definitely a fun track. We drew inspiration from the classic 'Because I Got High' by Afroman and put an original country twist on it. I hope people smile when they hear this song and feel the urge to party at least a little bit!" he says.

But Alan is thrilled to be teaming up with his hometown bakery. "Working with Dewey's has been a dream come true! The Winston-Salem, N.C., bakery in my hometown has always been such a big part of my community. Growing up, we would always look forward to spending our allowances on something tasty from Dewey’s. I’ve loved watching the bakery start to do big things on a national stage in grocery, and I’m just honored to be a part of their growth. EVERYBODY needs to be eating these cookies in my opinion," he notes.

He concludes, "My favorite thing about these cookies is their big, bold taste without feeling guilty. The cookies pack a ton of flavor but are more of a permissible indulgence. As somebody who travels a ton on the road and has a big sweet tooth, I really value being able to have a lower calorie dessert that doesn’t sacrifice taste. Most importantly, however, I love the people at Dewey’s. They have been incredibly supportive of my career."