Check out our interview with talented YouTube guitar sensation Cole Rolland who just released his debut original single and music video “Ignite.”
Hailing from Toronto, Canada, Cole has made a name for himself with his transformative guitar covers on YouTube. Cole has garnered a dedicated following of over 1.2 million subscribers and over 209 million views on YouTube with covers ranging from the classics like Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” to the classical like Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” and everything in between. His top-notch audio and video production skills along with his professional branding knowledge have made him a reputable artist in both studio and live performance settings.
Follow Cole @ColeRolland
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Hi Cole, please tell us a little about you?
Of course! My name is Cole Rolland and I’m a professional musical artist and producer. I’ve been predominantly known for my unique guitar abilities for the majority of my career however, as of recent, I’ve been transitioning into more of a frontman role on my own original music. I have passions for many forms of art from music to video games to graphic design. I love fitness and spending time with friends, my girlfriend, and our cat. I’m a huge nerd on many levels and love to share that with the world.
We’re sure you have been asked this a million times but how did you get into the music industry?
I got started doing music on a more serious level quite unexpectedly. In 2009, at age 15, I posted a video of me playing a guitar cover of Through The Fire and Flames by DragonForce to YouTube. It must have been in the right place at the right time because it went viral on the platform and really ignited my desire to continue mastering the instrument. Shortly after, I went off to college and started uploading guitar covers of pop songs that my friends and I would listen to at parties. This really kickstarted everything that followed such as sponsors, live show opportunities, collaborations, and more.
Describe your sound in 3 words?
Disney Pop Punk
Tell us about your new single and video for “Ignite”.
“Ignite” is a special one. Firstly, it’s my first original piece of music in a frontman role. I’ve released original songs in the past, but I’ve never felt so personally connected to a project before. The lyrics and message behind Ignite come directly from personal experience. There’s a high level of relatability for many people feeling lost or burnt out in the current climate of the world. Deeply understanding this, I geared the premise of the song towards uplifting and inspiring the listener to find a way out of that dark state of mind. There’s always a light at the end of the tunnel and that’s what I consistently visualize whenever I hear “Ignite”.
The video was done by Collective Films Co. and I couldn’t be happier with how they brought my vision to life. I wanted the video to be heavily ‘performance-based’ with clear delivery of the inspiring message I wanted to convey musically and lyrically. I feel like they accomplished this even better than I could have imagined. Personally, it’s still weird (in the best way) to see myself singing lead vocals on an original song. “Ignite” in its entirety is such an incredibly personal project. The team we had for the video was absolutely phenomenal and they never once told me my ideas were too crazy. They made it work like true rockstars!
What does it feel like to have over 1.2 million subscribers and over 209 million views on YouTube? That’s amazing. Congrats!
Thank you! It’s so important to reflect on your achievements no matter how big or small. I didn’t do this alone. I’ve had more people than I can count helping me from day one. Whether it was friends in high school/college volunteering their time to help me shoot a video or teams we’ve brought on board professionally, this was not a solo achievement. It feels extra special to share my victories with people I love. We’ve come a long way from shooting videos on my parent’s camcorder in a freezing cold garage in Canada haha!
What is the most rewarding part of your work?
The timing of this question couldn’t be better. With the release of “Ignite” I would say this has been one of the most rewarding milestones in my career. This is the first time I’ve deeply connected with people through a song and lyrics that I’ve personally written. I can’t wait to perform this song live and hear people sing it back to me. The thought of that gives me chills.
Another rewarding part is the fact that I’ve been able to connect with so many talented and hard-working people over the years. I always walk away from an in-person collaboration experience having learned so many new skills. I’ve made life-long friends through my passion for music and that’s priceless to me.
What would you say are the greatest lessons you learned so far?
A growth mindset is essential. When I compare what I’m doing now to what I was doing even two years ago the amount of growth, both personal and career, is astounding. Like I mentioned, you can learn something from everybody that you meet. It’s incredibly important to consistently challenge yourself and step outside of your comfort zone. The tricky thing about the comfort zone, as an artist especially, is that it’s ever-changing. I’ve made a point of taking at least one new course per year to keep my learning skills sharp. The course doesn’t even have to be music-related. I just love to learn and I think that’s something that will continue to serve me well.
What’s next for Cole Rolland in 2022?
More original music baby! These are the most rewarding projects that I release by far. Especially with the reception of “Ignite”, this has just proven to me that I’m on the right path. To all of my core fans from over the years, don’t worry, the face-melting guitar solos aren’t going anywhere. I’m most looking forward to collaborating with producers that I’m a huge fan of. In addition to original music, I’m looking forward to working with brand new artists and sharing our knowledge. That electric feeling of pulling off a memorable collaboration is something I constantly strive for.
What is your own definition of happiness?
That’s a great question. I feel the happiest when my life is balanced. It’s so easy to lose sight of how important some aspects of our lives are. Taking care of myself physically and mentally has become an absolute top priority. Making the extra effort to plan events and gatherings with friends and family. I’m in a very fortunate position where I truly love what I do for a living, but that will never discount the importance of living a healthy and balanced life.
Favorite…
Song: Every Time We Touch – Cascada
Book: 12 Rules For Life – Jordan Peterson
Movie: Anything by Christopher Nolan. Inception, Interstellar, the Batman Trilogy.
Food: Stir Fry & Sushi
Place to Travel: I haven’t found this yet. We’re going to Italy in the spring so that might be the new answer!
Quote: If your dreams don’t scare the sh*t out of you. They’re not big enough.
Where we can follow you?
@ColeRolland on everything! YouTube & Instagram are my favorite platforms.
