MINNEAPOLIS — When Minnesota music artist Tristan Price posted his first TikTok Duet, he hoped it would boost his career, but he didn't expect it to reach the "Tonight Show" with Jimmy Fallon within just a few weeks.
Price reflected on the national moment while visiting a legendary Twin Cities studio Wednesday, Winterland Studios, exactly one week after the video aired on NBC.
"All of a sudden, 'By Tristan Price, 'Closer,'' [came out] of Jimmy Fallon's mouth," Price said. "I'm like, 'Oh no that's crazy! Let's go!'"
A graduate of St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists, Price started his music career with an open mind. He's studied opera and was once in a group called Local Swag with his friends. Now solo, he wrote "Closer," last year. Price credits SIXZIN for producing the beat.
"Just thinking about the environment we were in at the time — whole pandemic that we're still in right now — just thinking about connection and being close to people," Price said. "That's where it kind of sparked from."
Although the song was ready, he didn't release it right away. Instead, he posted it as a TikTok Duet.
"I think it was off of Russ," Price said. "He posted a TikTok Duet and then when he dropped the song, it was like number one song on iTunes or something. So I'm like, 'Okay, well let me try it.'"
"I do my little singing bit on the one side and then they do their singing bit on the other side and that's kind of how you create a TikTok Duet," Price continued. "So, I just uploaded that. I'm just going about my day. I look on there and I'm like, 'Okay, it's starting to get numbers.'"
As fellow artists began to create their own verses, the video gained around 15,000 views. Then came an unexpected e-mail.
"It was from one of the producers from NBC just asking me like, 'Hey, Joe Jonas and Jimmy Fallon want to use your track and your TikTok on the 'Tonight Show' on Wednesday," Price said. "Then it was like right at the beginning of that show that night."
Since then, Price has dropped "Closer" on various streaming platforms. This week, he recorded a music video for the track.
"Things are definitely coming my way and I definitely appreciate all the love and support from fans," he said. "The next goal is to be on Jimmy Fallon in person, on the stage."
But before his voice reaches that national platform again, he hopes Jonas will consider recording a verse with him.
"Joe Jonas, remix," Price said. "Let's do the remix. Let's get it poppin'."
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