Solo alternative artist Ryan Oakes releases his label debut album Wake Up while announcing a supporting tour. The album is a decade in the making, seeing Oakes alternate between hip-hop, pop-punk, and seemingly everything in between. It’s resulted in a versatile collection appealing to fans across the scene’s spectrum. “The biggest message for my fans is with this album, I’m this guy who got up to a million and a half monthly listeners with no music deal,” Oakes says. “I signed. I’m in the industry now. It’s time for you guys to wake up and pay attention.”
Oakes says the album features more hip-hop than many of his singles; songs like “SLEEPWALKER” and “WAKEUP” reflect that notion. But there are alternative emo and pop-punk vibes interlaced in “TOMORROW NEVER CAME” and parts of “NIGHTMARE.” It’s fitting for a self-described “rap nerd but a pop-punk kid at heart.” But it’s the five collaborations that really make the album pop.
“It’s been a lot less stressful than it’s normally been…but the nervousness is at a higher level than ever just because of the high-profile features all across the album,” Oakes says. “I think we nailed the feature selections… I’m really satisfied on the project as a whole.” Wake Up is full of big-name artists. But it’s independent musician Abigail Osborn’s work on “Spaceship” that stands out. Oakes says he hopes to highlight at least one independent artist “who deserves more shine” on each of his future projects. He also hopes, above all, his songwriting stands out. “With this album the evolution of being able to write really good choruses and being super original with that stuff, I think I nailed it,” Oakes says. “And that excites me. Whether or not fans notice, that is kind of up in the air. But I want to be known as a lyricist.”
Oakes spent six years as a rapper, releasing hundreds of songs. He then fell back into pop-punk, familiar turf after he spent his school years in a band. Some of his most popular songs- “DRINKING ABOUT YOU” and “NUMB” – simmered for years. His fans knew them, but the broader music industry kept doors closed. Oakes credits another rapper-turned-rocker, Machine Gun Kelly, for breaking the glass. “MGK is kind of the best thing to ever happen to me. Because I started putting pop-punk stuff out about two months before him. Then his stuff exploded and all my stuff started getting suggested. And my stuff started exploding. People give him a lot of flack…but I’m one of those people he probably helped progress more quickly,” Oakes notes.
Oakes says he’s opened for more than 100 shows, learning from established artists along the way. “How to win crowds over. If I’m opening for someone now, I’m not nervous because I know how to work a crowd and win fans. But it’s humbling. Sometimes you don’t get a merch table…you got to start from the mud as an opener. And man did I start from the mud as an opener. I’ve always just tried to enjoy the journey.” Now, he’s headlining his own tour in support of Wake Up. “Ticket sales have been fine. But if only ten kids did show up, I probably would still be stoked,” Oakes says. “This is my moment.
You can check out Ryan Oakes music and learn where he is playing next here.
You can pre-order Wake Up in the Slumberland web store.
