George Birge is quickly paving a path for himself in the country music industry. His new single "Cowboy Songs" just landed at No. 1 on the charts. He even got to tour with his idol Gary Allan. The path forward is looking bright for this singer.
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He's come a long way from those early TikTok days. His viral song "Beer Beer, Truck Truck" took him from 50 followers to 130,000 in the beginning. It ended up accumulating around 3 million views. But it was the impact off the platform that really transformed Birge and his career.
Speaking with Wide Open Country, Birge reflected on the impact that TikTok and social media has had on his career. He called social media the great equalizer when it comes to helping new artists get their voices heard and a chance to actually make a career out of singing.
He said, "There's a lot to unpack there with TikTok. There are positives and negatives. I think the cool thing is that it removes a barrier of entry. Music is expensive. It's expensive to promote. It's expensive to make. The gear is expensive. So that takes away a lot of people's opportunities, who have as much talent or more than anybody."
He continued, "Social media in general has been a very cool leveler of the playing field. You don't need a record label, and you don't need a big producer, and you don't need all these things that would previously keep what were otherwise talented people from getting to have the same exposure. I think it's very special to just let the cream rise to the top."
George Birge On TikTok Ban
Of course, TikTok is proving to be a bit controversial these days. The U.S. government is preparing to ban the platform in January. While he doesn't have an overall thought on the ban, Birge insists that social media will continue to play a role in helping new artists.
He said, "As far as it being banned, there's obviously a lot that goes into it that maybe I'm not familiar with. I obviously want what's best for America and make sure we're not put in a tight position there. I do think whether it's TikTok or Instagram or whatever the platform is, the fact that people can put out music and be raw and real and have the chance to go from zero to superstar just based on talent alone is pretty cool."
