Rising country star Cooper Alan has built his career in a way that feels distinctly modern while staying rooted in the genre’s storytelling traditions. Blending sharp songwriting with humour, viral-ready creativity and a blue-collar relatability, Alan has carved out a loyal global following, amassing millions of fans through both his music and his online presence. His debut album ‘Winston-Salem' marked a defining moment, capturing the spirit of his North Carolina roots while showcasing a versatility that moves easily between heartfelt reflection, tongue-in-cheek anthems and crowd-ready singalongs.
Now, as he prepares to take his music across the Atlantic for his first-ever UK and Ireland tour, (ticket links at the bottom of the interview) Alan finds himself at the start of another major chapter. Fresh off the release of ‘Winston-Salem' and stepping into life as a new father, he’s balancing career momentum with personal transformation — all while gearing up for what promises to be a rowdy and memorable run of shows overseas. In this conversation, Alan reflects on the journey so far, what fans can expect from the live experience, and why this long-awaited trip feels like both a milestone and a beginning.
Cooper, it’s great to catch up with you again — I know you’re on the road right now heading to a show, so I really appreciate you taking the time. How are you doing, and how busy has life been in the lead-up to this next chapter?
I’m doing good, man — really good. It’s definitely busy, but it’s the kind of busy you want. We’re actually in the car on the way to a show right now, and my wife was kind enough to switch with me so I could jump on this call. It’s a lot of moving parts at the moment, but all good vibes. We’re excited, we’re rolling and we’re just looking forward to what’s ahead.
You’re about to head over for your first-ever UK and Ireland tour, with Dublin kicking things off this week. This has clearly been a long time coming — what does it mean to finally bring your music overseas?
It feels awesome. This has been years in the making. I think I said the first time we spoke that I’d been wanting to do this for a long time, so now that it’s finally happening, it’s just exciting. We’re stoked to get over there. And it’s not just the tour — it’s turned into a full family trip. We’re celebrating my dad’s 65th birthday, playing some golf with him and my brothers, and then my mom, my wife, and my daughter are all coming over to meet us in London. So it’s really become this big family experience as well as a tour, which makes it even more special.
That’s incredible — and your daughter’s coming along too. It feels like quite a milestone moment both professionally and personally. How has that been, travelling as a new dad and introducing her to life on the road?
Yeah, it’s pretty wild. We actually just took her on her first flight down to Florida, and she crushed it — she’s been awesome so far. She’s at a great age for it, honestly. It’s just really cool getting to share these moments with her and with the whole family. A lot of us have been to Ireland before, but London and some of the other cities will be new, so it feels like we’re all experiencing something fresh together.
What are your expectations for UK and Irish audiences? There’s always that stereotype that crowds might be more reserved — but country music fans here tend to prove that wrong.
Yeah, I’ve heard that stereotype, but honestly, I expect the opposite. Every time we’ve played internationally, the crowds have been incredible — sometimes even more energetic than what we see back home. I think people are ready to have a good time, and I’m expecting it to be rowdy in the best way. I think it’s gonna be loud, I think it’s gonna be fun, and I think it’s gonna be one of those experiences where the crowd really brings it.
Are you changing anything in the live show for these dates — or will fans be getting the full Cooper Alan experience, mashups included?
They’ll definitely get the full experience. We’ve got some mashups in there, for sure — those are always fun. But since we haven’t really played over there before, a lot of the show will feel new anyway. One thing I’m really excited about is the encore — normally we close with ‘Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue,' but since we’re not in the States, we’re switching it up and doing ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)' by The Proclaimers. That just feels right for over there.
Looking back a little, your album ‘Winston-Salem' has now been out for around six months. With some distance from it, how do you feel about that record now?
I still feel really good about it. I think as an artist, you kind of move on the day it comes out — you’re already thinking about what’s next — but when I go back and listen to it, I’m still really proud of it. It still means a lot to me. I think there’s still a lot of life in those songs. It was a really honest record, and I love that. But at the same time, it’s exciting to move forward and start creating new stuff.
Were there any songs on the album that connected with people in ways you didn’t expect?
Yeah — ‘Drunk Drink,' the sea shanty-style drinking song actually surprised me a lot. It performed really well, and I didn’t necessarily expect that. I loved it, but I knew it was a little different — kind of weird in a way I like. I’ve got a feeling people in the UK and Ireland might have had something to do with that one connecting. It kind of fits that vibe.
Since we last spoke, your life has changed in a big way — you’ve become a dad. Congratulations to you and your wife. How has that experience been?
Thank you, man. It’s been even better than we thought it would be. It really is the best thing ever. She’s a sweetheart, and my wife is absolutely crushing it — she’s doing the heavy lifting. I’m just trying to be there and support however I can. But it just keeps getting better. You think the first moment you hold them is the best thing, and then they smile, and that becomes the best thing. It’s just this constant cycle of new, amazing moments.
Has becoming a father changed you creatively? You’ve already been teasing new material like ‘The Whole World in His Hands' that feels inspired by this chapter.
Yeah, absolutely. I’ve always tried to write about what I’m going through, and right now, this is what I’m going through. It’s such a powerful experience, so of course it’s gonna come out in the music. That new song — it means a lot to me. It makes me emotional listening to it, honestly. I think it’s really special and I’m excited for people to hear it.
Your song new song ‘Work' has really struck a chord — it’s fun, but there’s also that underlying commentary about taxes and the everyday grind. You joke about the IRS a lot… do you ever feel like you’re on their radar at this point?
(Laughs) I mean, I hope they’re not looking into us too much. Luckily, we follow the rules — I just like complaining about it. But yeah, you’re probably right, they’ve probably got a little red flag on me somewhere. I think they’re just waiting for me to slip up. It’s one of those things everybody relates to though — everybody’s working hard, everybody’s paying taxes — so it’s just something I like to have fun with in the music.
A lot of your songs tap into blue-collar themes — independence, hard work and sometimes a bit of scepticism toward both sides of politics and the folks in Washington. At a time when things feel quite divided, how do you approach that in your music without getting pulled too far into it?
Yeah, I try not to get too political with it. I’ve got my personal beliefs like anybody else, but at the end of the day, I really think it’s more about us together versus them, rather than us versus each other. I think we’ve got way more in common than people realise. There’s a lot of stuff out there that kind of benefits from people being divided and arguing, and I just don’t think that’s helpful.
I’ve got friends on the left, friends on the right, friends in the middle — that’s just how I was raised. So for me, it’s about bringing people together. That’s what I love about music — and honestly, sports too — it’s one of the few things that can still do that. You get people in a room, at a show, and none of that other stuff matters. Everybody’s just there to have a good time together, and that’s really what I’m trying to be a part of.
Looking ahead, what does the next phase of your music look like? If ‘Winston-Salem' was one chapter, how would you describe the one you’re stepping into now?
I think it’s just the next step in figuring out what I want to say as an artist. What I loved about Winston-Salem was that it was exactly what I wanted it to be — different sounds, different kinds of songs, just very authentic. I think the next chapter is going to follow that same philosophy. It might sound similar, it might sound totally different — but it’ll be whatever feels right in the moment. At the end of the day, it’s about doing what feels honest and what fans are connecting with. It’s always fan-first for me, and then what I want to say comes right after that.
Finally, with everything happening — the tour, the new music, becoming a father — what are you most looking forward to in the months ahead?
Honestly, just getting out there and experiencing it all. Playing these shows overseas, seeing new places, doing it with my family — that’s what it’s all about. Every show, every trip, it all feels like a bucket list moment right now. And we’re just getting started.
Catch Cooper Alan on tour in Ireland and the UK from 17th April – this week!!!! The dates and tickets are on sale right here
