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It can be a little difficult to be happy when everything around you seems like it’s falling apart. Or… maybe more than just a little bit difficult. But when you’re listening to Rilan’s new single “Sad,” it’s definitely difficult to not be in a good mood!
As a kid growing up in New Orleans, Rilan Roppolo was heavily involved with theater. It was a way for him to break out of his shell early on, but it also led to a strong desire to remain in the spotlight for as long as possible. Especially while in high school, Rilan knew the stage was where his heart belonged. He was a part of his school’s choir, but he often felt as though those around him weren’t quite understanding his visions. Once Rilan graduated, he knew exactly where he had to go in order to bring those visions to life: Los Angeles.
Upon moving to LA, Rilan wanted to show everyone what he was capable of doing creatively. Although at times it felt like many people were still not understanding his visions, Rilan just kept pushing. He was cast in season 6 of Glee as a Warbler, all while continuing to focus on his own music. In 2014, he released his first single “Chemical,” and an EP was soon to follow.
Since then, Rilan has continued to release his music independently. His 2019 single “Love or Drugs” peaked at #15 on Billboard’s Dance Club chart, and he’s still going strong. Nothing in this world can dull Rilan’s shine!
“It’s comfortable to stay in a rut,” says Rilan. “When you get your hopes up and get let down time and time again, you tend to greet sadness as an old friend and see happiness as the unattainably perfect, popular kid in school who you hate but are secretly jealous of. I think now more than ever people can relate to the comfort of being sad. After all, we’re all in this together whether we like it or not, so we might as well make the best of it, or at the very least make fun of it. I also love creating music that’s sonically lighthearted but lyrically dark. Pop dichotomy is my thing.”
Rilan, please keep doing your thing. Listen to “Sad” below!
“My favorite musical is Chicago. I’ve always been heavily inspired by musical theatre, especially the work of Bob Fosse. I personally feel like the Mr. Cellophane of pop music, so “Sad” is his off-off-Broadway, one night only, black box theatre debut that no one came to.” – Rilan
