Cooper Alan harnessed his warm baritone and country-pop instincts to achieve swift prominence in 2020 through tracks such as “New Normal” and “Climate Change.” The North Carolinian paired relatable themes and sturdy melodies with contemporary production values that resonated especially with social-media listeners, fueling further success for 2021’s “Tough Ones” and the 2022 Filmore and Seth Ennis collaboration. His style turned more contemporary still on 2023’s hard-hitting “This Ain’t Country” and the electronics-infused “To the Bar,” while the following year brought two additional EPs, among them Feel Like Hell Today.
A Winston-Salem native, Alan balanced studies at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill with frequent performances alongside his band. Upon completing his degree he relocated to Nashville, where producer and songwriter Victoria Shaw (Garth Brooks, Lady A) recognized his potential and extended a publishing agreement. He first appeared in 2019 with “Climate Change,” a memorable single that likens global warming to the fading warmth of a relationship; listeners responded by streaming the track into the millions. Modest traction greeted 2020 offerings such as “Warm Beer” and “Pink Umbrella Drinks,” yet “New Normal” became a streaming-chart leader and social-media phenomenon. Rather than issuing albums or EPs at the outset, the artist maintained a consistent flow of singles, including 2021’s “Tough Ones,” which climbed to number 23 on Billboard’s Hot Digital Singles chart, and 2022’s “First Rodeo,” recorded with Filmore and Seth Ennis. A bolder direction surfaced on 2023’s “This Ain’t Country,” while “To the Bar” adopted a country-rap edge that same year. Alan closed 2023 with the five-song EP Take Forever, centered on its romantic title track. Following the 2024 Brett Kissel duet “Two of Us,” he released the three-song EP Feel Like Hell Today, whose title track reached number 12 on the Hot Digital Songs chart.
