Mitchell Tenpenny believes TikTok is his golden ticket to stardom.
The singer/songwriter known for hits including “At the End of a Baar” with Chris Young and “Truth About You,” told iHeartRadio that the powerful platform has changed the trajectory of his music career.
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“It’s been an awesome way for me to get my music out there in a different way, especially during the pandemic,” explained Tenpenny. “I mean, it literally chose our single ‘Truth About You.’ It would not have been a single on the radio without TikTok. I will 99% guarantee that.”
Tenpenny has raked in more than 3.9 million likes and 521,000 followers on TikTok alone for his authenticity. The Nashville-based artist uses TikTok as a helpful resource, teasing new music to see if it aligns with his audience and to collect “instant data.”
Tenpenny explained that the positive praise on TikTok initially encouraged him to share “demos that probably would never see the light of day.” If the unreleased tracks “hit,” it’s a green light to explore and include the song on a project.
Tenpenny also used TikTok to cultivate his sophomore album. The 20-song project includes “We Got History,” “Bucket List,” and the viral hit “Truth About You.” Most recently, Vavo transformed “We Got History” into a club-ready remix.
“We Got History” was one of many songs Tenpenny played at “Beat The Burn,” a live TikTok concert. He has transformed his online community into an adoring fan base, which was evident at the acoustic concert (May 24) in Tennessee. He described the gig as “really unique.”
“I wanna engage,” Tenpenny told the outlet. “When I’m on stage, that’s what I’m trying to do. I’m trying to engage and make people have fun. So, I just didn’t wanna leave anybody out. So, I was constantly moving around.”
Tenpenny is gearing up for the Highway Desperado Tour with Jason Aldean. The vocalist is scheduled to appear at several festivals and the Grand Ole Opry before embarking on the nationwide tour starting September 7.
Photo by Matthew Berinato – Courtesy Schmidt Relations
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