After hearing “Burn, Burn, Burn” by Zach Bryan on his way home from work, Dylan Cotrone posted his cover on TikTok, not expecting much out of it. The 23-year-old singer had wanted a career in music for his whole life, but was unsure of how far he could go.
Today, the video sits at 15 million views.
“It took off out of nowhere,” Cotrone said. “Record labels started to reach out to me, and now I just do music full time.”
Launching off this viral success and the recent release of his new EP, the Bradenton, Florida, native has begun his Weekend Religion Tour. He stopped in Gainesville this Thursday, Sept. 25, to play at Signal.
Cotrone posted his cover in December 2023, and he wasted no time after his unexpected success, releasing his debut single, “Lazy,” in April 2024. Today, Cotrone has amassed a following of nearly 760,000 followers on TikTok, and his most popular song, “Dog House,” has over 1 million streams on Spotify.
While his TikTok might seem like a lucky break, Cotrone has faced challenges throughout his career. Entering college at Florida Atlantic University from a sheltered private school environment, he was introduced to hundreds of things at once — including drugs and alcohol.
“I tried everything, and I lost myself,” Cotrone said. “And it's so easy to get lost in that, because I didn't grow up in it. I didn't have anyone around me doing that until I figured it out for myself.”
Lacking direction, Cotrone dropped out of college in his senior year and went home to the Gulf Coast to bus tables. Through it all, music was an escape. Even today, Cotrone’s relationship with substances remains rocky. His newest EP, “Weekend Religion,” is focused on the push and pull between his religious values and partying with friends.
“I still go back to those drugs, or the problem that I once had in college, because it brings me peace,” he said. “And as bad as that sounds, I think it’s relatable to a ton of people.”
Relatability is a key component of Cotrone’s work. Even when the production quality of a TikTok might be lower, he said, the videos where he’s singing live consistently outperform the lip-synced ones. Singing live is more personal, he said, and viewers prefer the authenticity.
Cotrone draws inspiration for his songwriting from his everyday life, using experiences and thoughts to generate ideas for music and lyrics. His music tends to be laid-back and easygoing, like his song “Florida California (State of Mind).” But that doesn’t mean he’s afraid of diving deeper. His upcoming song “History” deals with a much heavier topic — relapse.
Some songs, he says, just come from the “music gods,” like when he ended up writing a song about his bandmate’s girlfriend’s name, Destiny.
“I want the fans to just realize that I'm a relatable, normal human being that has everyday experiences like them.” Cotrone said. “And I think a lot of my songs are a lot about that, just the normal, everyday f***-ups and messy life.”
Indeed, one of the key components of Cotrone’s success is his relatability. Opening up to his audience creates a feeling of familiarity, and his laid-back music acts as the perfect accompaniment.
Cisco Adler, one of Cotrone’s producers, thinks his stripped-back easy-going style is what makes him so unique.
“He’s not like a slicked-up popstar making pop songs,” Adler said. “He’s not a f***ing cool kid indie rocker. He’s just a dude with a guitar telling stories, which has worked since the dawn of time.”
For Cam Jensen, Cotrone’s touring agent, the musician is a beacon of authenticity in a world full of algorithmic popstars. For now, maintaining Cotrone’s momentum is his top priority.
The Weekend Religion Tour will continue through Oct. 11 with upcoming shows in Jacksonville and Orlando. Cotrone has opened for tours before, but now he’s making his mark with his first headline event.
“He has an unmatched energy about him,” Jensen said. “You sit in a room with him and you just come away saying, ‘This guy’s a star.’”
Contact Christopher Rodriguez at crodriguez@alligator.org. Follow him on X @ChrisRodri29386
