Millions Follow Tayler Holder. Now He Wants Them to Listen. | Tayler Holder
Tayler Holder already knew what it felt like to have millions of people watching him.
The harder question was what he wanted them to watch him do next.
Tayler Holder during his Heart of the Gulch interview at CMA Fest 2025 in Nashville.
When Tayler joined Heart of the Gulch at CMA Fest 2025, he was in the middle of turning the page from the viral content and massive social following that first introduced him to millions of people. This time, the focus was country music — and proving that his move into the genre was about much more than bringing an existing audience along for the ride.
With Texas roots, a debut EP on the way and time on the road opening for Post Malone, Tayler is building the next version of his career around something that's been there all along: music.
Heart of the Gulch host Tony Mendoza interviewing Tayler Holder during CMA Fest 2025.
Inside Tayler Holder’s Heart of the Gulch Interview
Welcome to Heart of the Gulch, a Nashville-based interview show and country music platform featuring artists, singer-songwriters and personalities shaping music and entertainment. Host and creator Tony Mendoza sat down with Tayler Holder during CMA Fest 2025 to talk about his transition into country music, his Texas upbringing, touring with Post Malone and the debut EP marking a new chapter in his career.
More Than the Guy From TikTok
Tayler Holder built an enormous audience online long before country music became the center of his public career.
Country artist Tayler Holder appearing with Heart of the Gulch during CMA Fest 2025.
That kind of following can open doors, but it can also create expectations. For Tayler, stepping fully into music meant showing people there was more behind the viral videos and millions of followers.
During our conversation, he opened up about making that transition and wanting to build something authentic enough to last beyond the internet fame that first made his name recognizable.
Texas Never Really Left
Before the followers, stages and life in the public eye, Tayler grew up in Alvarado, Texas.
Those small-town Texas roots continue to influence the stories he wants to tell and the kind of artist he's becoming. Even motocross — a major part of his life growing up — helped shape the grit and mentality he now brings into his music career.
Country music, as Tayler explained it, doesn't feel like some calculated reinvention.
It feels like coming home.
Learning From the Road With Post Malone
One of the biggest experiences of Tayler's growing music career came from opening on tour for Post Malone.
Going from creating content for a screen to performing in front of massive live audiences is a completely different challenge, and life on the road has given Tayler an opportunity to learn what it takes to build a career as a touring artist.
Now, with his debut EP on the horizon, he's taking those lessons into the next stage of his career.
A Different Kind of Beginning
Tayler Holder doesn't have to figure out how to get people's attention.
He's already done that.
The challenge now is showing them who he is as an artist.
From Alvarado, Texas, to opening for Post Malone and making his way to CMA Fest in Nashville, Tayler's path into country music certainly isn't the traditional one.
But maybe that's exactly what makes the next part interesting.
Watch Tayler Holder on Heart of the Gulch
Watch our full CMA Fest 2025 conversation with Tayler Holder as he discusses country music, his Texas roots, his upcoming debut EP, touring with Post Malone and moving beyond the viral fame that introduced him to millions.
Tony Mendoza is the Nashville-based host and creator of Heart of the Gulch, featuring conversations with country artists, singer-songwriters and personalities from Nashville and beyond.
