Allan Rayman’s Rise to Fame Proves Musicians Don’t Need a ‘Like’ To Be Liked

The "most mysterious man in music's" social (non)-presence is the key to the brooding singer's success.

Date January 27, 2017

One quick Google search of “Allan Rayman“ doesn’t bring up much — and that’s exactly how he wants it.

The cryptic performer, who currently lives in Lost Springs, Wyoming (but is believed to be from Toronto), is excruciatingly private. He refuses to give interviews and his Twitter page is meant solely for promotion of his music, films and merchandise (the latter of which doesn’t have his name emblazoned on it). Even Rayman’s Instagram account barely shows his face (his heavy beard serves almost as a mask), but rather, grainy artistic photos that Kim Kardashian would be jealous of, given her “new aesthetic.”

A post shared by roadhouse (@allanrayman) on Sep 23, 2015 at 9:56pm PDT

But the “most mysterious man in music’s” commitment to keeping his private life private is exactly what makes him so intriguing, especially in a world that’s become so obsessed with oversharing. He forces us to focus on what matters to him the most: his music.

And truthfully, the music is enough. Through his gritty, raspy vocals and seductive R&B beats fused with folk influences and blues-y undertones, Rayman engages his listeners through his lyrical storytelling, often on themes of love and death, something which he, as evidenced through his songwriting, believes is intertwined. His short films add to his mysterious allure, serving as the only real insight into the world that is Allan Rayman.

His sole focus on his art is refreshing, to say the least. When was the last time a new musician came onto the scene so, well, un-publicly? These days, most popular singers (and actors, and reality stars, etc.) rely on social media and publicity to remain relevant, and often times, they lose their original passion in a quest for fame.

The wildest part is, Allan’s strategy to create and keep up this mysterious persona is working in his favour and is resonating with others. Since releasing his debut album Hotel Allan on Spotify in 2015, he’s accumulated over 15 million streams, reached #2 on the Viral Chart, and was named a “Spotify Spotlight Artist.” He is signed to Communion Records, the independent label founded by Mumford & Sons’ Ben Lovett, and is set to release his second album, Roadhouse 01, on Feb. 24 (his first commercial radio single, “13,” premiered yesterday on Interview). He’ll also be kicking off his North American “Hotel” tour this March — and if it’s anything like his most recent sold-out Toronto show, expect to be treated to a rare glimpse of Allan in his element, aggressively roaring into the mic, only stopping to take swigs of wine straight from the bottle.

Not too bad for a person who does no press, right?

Perhaps it just proves that we are slowly steering away from this excess of information that’s presented to us on a daily basis, whether it be news, Instagrams, tweets, Snaps or Facebook posts. It’s true that pulling back on this need to overshare actually adds more allure, as seen by Kardashian’s social media recluse late last year.

Allan’s rise to the top may just be the reassurance we all need that real, raw talent and passion can prevail on its own. Or at the very least, it’s just damn good music to listen to.