In Bridge Creek, everybody knows everything that’s happening in your life. “I couldn’t deal with it,” he sighs. “People would make fun of me because my parents got divorced. I broke up with my girlfriend, and everybody kept reminding me of it. I was left in the dust. My grandpa passed away. I was in a mental hell, and I felt super alone. So, I was going to parties and drinking a lot. It got to the point where I was even doing shots before school.”

In the haze of a hangover, Cole Phillips penned what would become his breakthrough track “Drinking Alone.” Loose guitar underlines an incisive, yet irresistible refrain. It highlights his gritty, right-from-the-gut delivery and straight-from the-heart songcraft.

It went from being his “class song” to organically exploding on TikTok with millions of views. Now, Cole is amplifying an “Oklahoma story” as loudly as possible.

“I just want people to know somebody else has been there before,” he leaves off. “No matter how alone you feel, you’re not. You can always come out on the other end.”