The Truth About Cooper Alan

If you're on TikTok and into all things country, then you likely have heard about Cooper Alan and know about his internet success. Soon you'll get to see him on TV, too. In a press release received by The List, Alan will be going from your phone screens to your TV screens with his upcoming debut appearance on this weekend's CMT Hot 20 Countdown.

Alan has over 2.5 million internet followers to his credit, along with millions of views across social media. The 25-year-old singer-songwriter, who was featured in Music Mayhem Magazine as one of the "16 viral TikTok country artists to watch," said that the pandemic helped put life in perspective. Talking to MusicRow last August about his song "New Normal," Alan said that "While the pandemic has caused a lot of struggle and hardship, we all found that we have experienced little blessings along the way."

In addition to "New Normal," which hit No. 1 on the iTunes country chart (and peaked at No. 6 among all genres, via MusicRow), Alan's other hit singles include "Too Soon," "Climate Change," and "Tough Ones."

"I'm excited Cooper is part of our CMT Hot 20 lineup this weekend," host Cody Alan said. "Always fun to introduce our audience to the fresh faces like Cooper making great country music." You can catch this week's CMT Hot 20 Countdown on Saturday, April 3, at 9 a.m. ET/8 a.m. CT.

Born and raised in North Carolina, Cooper Alan grew up a student of music. He changed genres at age 11, switching from the trumpet to the guitar. Mike Bennett, his guitar teacher and owner of B String Guitars in Winston Salem, told The Winston-Salem Journal, "He really picked it up pretty quick. There were times after, say, a year of lessons he would learn three or four songs in one lesson."

In college, Alan would continue his pursuit of music, even as he studied business. He attended and graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill. The campus, known for its college bar scene, proved to be beneficial for Alan's music career. He soon became sought after and was hired for several gigs by local entertainment venues.

Right after he threw his graduation cap into the air, he added another tassel to his cap when he made the brave decision to move out to Nashville and pursue his passion for music. As fate would have it, there Alan would meet songwriter/producer Victoria Shaw, who would sign him "within weeks" to a publishing deal (via Cooper Alan Music).

Alan's latest single, "Too Soon," released on April 2, hit the top spot on the iTunes country chart — his third No. 1 single overall to date, and just in time for him to talk more about when he visits CMT's Hot 20 Countdown on Saturday. "Too Soon" is written by Cooper Alan, Matt Nolen and Skip Black. The song is produced by Victoria Shaw and Chad Carlson.