Interview with YouTube Cover Artist, Tyler Folkerts
Recently I got to interview Tyler Folkerts, an American YouTube cover musician. We talk about covers, his perfect day, 90’s covers, and his first concert!
Tell me about yourself.
Tyler: I’m a college student graduating this summer with a Biology degree from Northwest Missouri State University. I graduated high school in a small town in southwest Iowa (Bedford population about 1500). I’ve been very active in sports my entire life and played about every sport I had time to play. My music background started at a young age. I started taking piano lessons when I was 5 and continued taking lessons until I was in middle school. I was too shy to sing in front of anyone so my singing career didn’t start until my college years when I decided to teach myself guitar and start putting covers on YouTube.
How did you realize you wanted to do music?
Tyler: I’ve always loved listening to music and singing when no one was listening so it was just natural to start sharing my love for music with others once I finally worked up the courage to show my abilities to others.
What kind of songs do you normally choose for covers?
Tyler: I try to choose songs that I really like and also that other people are going to like to listen to. It’s always a balance of playing songs I enjoy performing, and playing songs that are currently popular. I don’t cling to any particular genre and generally my covers are an extension of what kind of music I am listening to and in to at that time.
What is your favourite cover you’ve done?
Tyler: Favorite cover is probably The Freshman which I just posted a week or so ago. It’s one of those songs that every time I hear I wonder why I haven’t been listening to it more. I love singing songs where I have to push myself to really go and get some of the notes in order for it to sound good and that song has plenty of opportunities to do that.
How would you describe your perfect day?
Tyler: Hmm, I don’t know.. I like when days are full of pleasant surprises. Any day where I get to spend time with family and friends and enjoy good weather is a good day in my book.
What is your favourite moment so far?
Tyler: Favorite moment so far might have to be a concert I just played at the nearby lake a few weeks ago. It was my first time being on stage and getting to do sound checks and all that fun stuff. I was super nervous for it but now that I know I survived I am actually looking forward to the next opportunity to do something similar!
A twitter question from @sarahjoh_ is “What’s the five year plan?”
Tyler: My five year plan would include finding a good job, a good woman, and continuing to play good music! I’m not big on planning so I wont be any more specific than that! 🙂
What would we find on your iTunes? Any guilty pleasures?
Tyler: A little bit of everything, I’m a big fan of 90’s alternative stuff. I love incubus, matchbox 20, and other similar music. Lots of country of course and lately I have really been digging some blues and blues rock stuff. I am determined to start learning to play a little blues guitar also!
Who are some of your inspirations?
Tyler: As above, matchbox 20, incubus, goo goo dolls, and stuff like that might be my biggest inspirations. In high school I listened to a lot of rock like breaking benjamin and three days grace. Now I primarily listen to new country.
What’s next for you?
Tyler: Next for me will be searching for jobs and trying to decide how serious I would like to pursue music. I had no intentions when starting the youtube thing to ever make any money playing music. But now opportunities are starting to come my way and I may have to see where I can get playing music!
You can check out Tyler Folkerts on YouTube here!