A Dirty Dozen with RYAN OAKES – September 2026

Photo credit: Brayten Bowers

According to a recent press release: “Genre-blurring alt-rock and hip-hop artist Ryan Oakes has unleashed his fierce new single, “LIGHTS OUT,” featuring Cody Carson of Set It Off. The high-octane anthem marks an electrifying collaboration that pairs Ryan’s signature razor-sharp lyricism with Set It Off’s dynamic rock sensibilities. The result is dripping with swagger, tension, and defiance, capturing the exact moment someone decides to stand their ground, flip the script, and take control. Built on a foundation of fierce small-town Virginia ambition and an unwavering independent work ethic, Ryan Oakes has carved out an incredible, self-made trajectory in the alternative music scene. He famously transformed a humble $20 Best Buy microphone into a massive powerhouse catalog of over 300 released songs, capturing more than half a billion global streams and countless sold-out crowds along the way. Known for his unfiltered honesty, Ryan has earned a fiercely loyal fanbase by tackling heavy realities like depression, industry pressure, dissociation, and the modern paradox of being highly visible online yet entirely misunderstood. With Scary Stories After Dark, he continues to push the boundaries of what alt-rock and hip-hop can achieve, solidifying his status as one of the most prolific and compelling voices in modern alternative music.” We get Ryan to discuss new music, influences, and more…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release. What might a fan or listener not catch the first or second time they listen through? Are there any hidden nuggets you put in the material that only diehard fans might find?

Just that it’s such a good blend of everything the fans are looking for. I have fans from my pop-punk-sounding days, my rock-sounding days, and my rap-sounding days. It may take a few listens to hear all the influences in the way they’re presented, as on some songs it’s definitely not as obvious. But I think after a few listens, you would absolutely see the vision.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

Honestly, the day I discovered “’Till I Collapse” by Eminem in the 7th grade, I literally picked up a notebook and started writing. Hearing how you can express yourself in such a cool way really inspired me to try and do it myself.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

Oops, totally spoiled this answer in the previous one, haha! But I had also been a guitarist in some pop-punk bands that never went anywhere growing up, so the blend of punk/rap/rock was ingrained in me at a super young age.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

Man, the list could be endless. I think doing something with Mike Shinoda or Eminem would be absolutely legendary, but I would also love to bring in someone like Wes Borland on my stuff because I think he’d understand what I am going for and we’d make something absolutely wild. Mac Miller gets an honorable mention for sure (RIP).

5. What is your favorite activity when out of the studio and/or not on tour? What do you like to do to unwind?

I genuinely enjoy exercise, but you can’t do that all the time. So to be honest, if I’m really looking to unwind, I’ll pop a little edible and binge-watch something on Netflix. I literally work so hard every day just so I don’t feel guilty about sitting on the couch watching a show from dinnertime until I go to bed, haha!

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or disagree with?

“If Linkin Park and Eminem had a baby” is always my go-to. You get the aggressive rapping that Eminem is universally known for and the hard-hitting hooks that Linkin Park built a legendary catalog with.

7. When your band is hanging out together, who cooks, who gets the drinks in, and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

Honestly, we tour so much that when we’re home, it’s our break from each other, haha! That’s not to say we get sick of each other, but it’s usually, “Alright, see ya guys in a month or so.” We’ve been on the road constantly. However, if there’s a large lull in touring, I would say Ryan 2 (the drummer) is the guy that’s gonna get the drinks in, and I’m gonna be the one focused on getting some absolutely fire eats.

8. When was the last time you were starstruck and who was it?

Back in the party days of first moving to LA, I was told I fell asleep on Post Malone’s shoulder at a bar after too many drinks. I can’t confirm this claim because I remember nothing, but I’m sure if it’s true, I was unbelievably stoked!

9. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

Since I’m so good at the marketing / social media side, if I wasn’t a musician, I imagine I’d be doing some sort of influencer gig or helping other artists/creatives build their brand on social media.

10. What is one question you have always wanted an interviewer to ask – and what is the answer? Conversely, what question are you tired of answering?

I would say last-meal questions are fun! Haha, like what you’d eat if it was your last meal on Earth. A question I’m tired of answering… hmmmmmm… I don’t do many interviews, so I think I haven’t hit question burnout just yet.

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over,” even if it didn’t change your current situation?

Not necessarily. I wish I wasn’t such a slow learner, but it is what it is, and I always seem to figure it out in the end. It took me about 14 years to figure out the correct way to blend all the sounds I was going for (which is what this album is). Now that we’ve done it, moving forward, there’s so much cool stuff I think we can do with it, so it ends up being a blessing in disguise.

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

I mean, it’s gonna either be Thriller by Michael Jackson or literally any The College Dropout session with Kanye West (although it does suck he’s lost his mind). Anything like those, I would be a kid in a candy store soaking up as much knowledge as I possibly could.

RYAN OAKES LINKS:

OFFICIAL SITE

FACEBOOK

INSTAGRAM

Category: Interviews