Bryson Tiller facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Bryson Tiller
Tiller in 2018
Background information
Birth name	Bryson Djuan Tiller
Also known as	Pen Griffey
Born	(1993-01-02) January 2, 1993 (age 32) Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
Genres	R&B hip-hop trap
Occupation(s)	Singer rapper songwriter
Years active	2011–present
Labels	RCA
Children	2
Signature

Bryson Djuan Tiller (born January 2, 1993) is an American singer and rapper. He started his music journey in 2011 with a mixtape called Killer Instinct Vol. 1. He became famous after releasing his song "Don't" in 2015. This song reached number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also sold millions of copies, earning a "septuple platinum" award.

The success of "Don't" led him to sign with RCA Records. They released "Don't" as the first song from his first album, Trapsoul (2015). This album quickly became popular, reaching the top ten on the Billboard 200 chart. Trapsoul also received a "triple platinum" award. It included other hit songs like "Exchange" and "Sorry Not Sorry." "Exchange" even earned him a Grammy Award nomination.

His second album, True to Self (2017), went straight to number one on the Billboard 200. In the same year, he was featured with Rihanna on DJ Khaled's popular song "Wild Thoughts." This song reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100. His third album, Anniversary (2020), also made it into the top ten. His first holiday album, A Different Christmas (2021), also appeared on the Billboard 200. His fourth album, Bryson Tiller (2024), reached number 11 on the chart. It featured the song "Whatever She Wants," which was a top 20 hit.

Tiller has won several awards, including two BET Awards. He won for Best New Artist and Best Male R&B/Pop Artist. In March 2016, the mayor of Louisville gave him the key to the city. He has received three Grammy Award nominations in total. Two of these were for his work with singer H.E.R. on her song "Could've Been" and her album Back of My Mind.

Early Life and Beginnings
Music Career Highlights
Musical Style and Influences
- Who Inspired Bryson Tiller?
- What Kind of Music Does He Make?
Personal Life
Discography
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Beginnings

Bryson Djuan Tiller was born on January 2, 1993, in Louisville, Kentucky. His mother passed away when he was four years old. After that, his grandmother raised him. He lived with his cousins, Ryan and Kevon Smekrud, until he was 17. Bryson has three brothers. He went to Iroquois High School and started singing and rapping when he was 15.

Music Career Highlights

Early Success and Trapsoul

Tiller in 2016

In 2011, Bryson Tiller recorded a mixtape called Killer Instinct Vol.1. It had 21 songs. In 2013, Tiller became a father. He took a break from music to work at Papa John's and UPS. He did this to support his daughter, Harley.

In October 2014, Tiller put his first song, "Don't," on SoundCloud. Music experts online started to notice it. The song was officially released in May 2015. It became the main song from his first album. "Don't" reached number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Other artists like K Camp and Mila J even made their own versions of the song.

Famous artists like Timbaland and Drake praised Tiller's music. This led to many record labels wanting to sign him. He chose to sign with RCA Records on August 25, 2015. Tiller was even offered a chance to join Drake's OVO Sound label, but he decided not to. In September 2015, Rolling Stone magazine named Tiller one of the "10 New Artists You Need to Know."

On October 2, 2015, Tiller released his first studio album, Trapsoul. It started at number 11 on the US Billboard 200 chart and later reached number eight. The second song from the album, "Exchange," reached number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also earned him a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Song. "Sorry Not Sorry" was the third song from Trapsoul. It reached number 67 on the Billboard Hot 100. Many magazines listed Trapsoul as one of the best albums of 2015.

Tiller performing during the Stavernfestivalen in July 2016

In January 2016, Tiller began the Trapsoul Tour to promote his album. On March 12, 2016, the mayor of Louisville, Greg Fischer, gave Tiller the key to the city. He also declared March 12 as "Bryson Tiller Day." In May 2016, Tiller performed "Exchange" on the Late Night with Seth Meyers show. This was his first time performing on US television. On June 26, 2016, he performed at the BET Awards. He also won awards for Best New Artist and Best Male R&B/Pop Artist. In July 2016, DJ Khaled released his album Major Key. It included the song "Ima Be Alright" featuring Tiller and Future. In September 2016, Tiller was also on the song "First Take" by Travis Scott.

True to Self and Collaborations

In January 2017, Forbes magazine included Tiller in their "30 Under 30" list. This list features successful people under 30 years old. In the same month, Tiller announced his second album would be called True to Self. On April 12, 2017, Tiller shared that his second album was finished. On May 11, 2017, he showed the album cover and said True to Self would be released on June 23, 2017. He also released three new songs: "Honey," "Somethin Tells Me," and "Get Mine." The last song featured rapper Young Thug. On May 26, he released True to Self earlier than planned. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. It was Tiller's first album to reach number one in the country.

In June 2017, Tiller worked with Nike, Inc. to create a new park for kids and teens in Wyandotte. In the same month, DJ Khaled released "Wild Thoughts." This song featured Tiller and singer Rihanna. It was from Khaled's album Grateful. "Wild Thoughts" reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100. It also hit number one on the UK Singles Chart. In August 2017, Tiller released a song with singer Jazmine Sullivan called "Insecure." This song was the title track for the HBO TV show Insecure. In January 2018, he performed "Wild Thoughts" with Rihanna and DJ Khaled at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards.

Recent Projects: Anniversary and A Different Christmas

Throughout 2019 and 2020, Tiller was featured on several songs by other artists. In 2019, Tiller mentioned he was waiting for permission to use music samples for his album, Serenity. In April 2020, he released the song "Slept on You" on SoundCloud. On September 3, 2020, Tiller released "Inhale." He also announced that a new album would come out in fall 2020. The second song, "Always Forever," was released on September 23. A special version of Trapsoul came out on September 25. This was to celebrate his third album, Anniversary, which was released on October 2, 2020. This marked five years since his first album. It included a song with Drake. A deluxe version of Anniversary was released on February 26, 2021. It had five new songs and a feature from Big Sean.

On October 21, 2021, Jack Harlow released "Luv is Dro" as a single. It featured Tiller and Static Major. On October 31, 2021, Tiller released a mixtape called Killer Instinct 2: The Nightmare Before. He shared it with his fans through a private link. This mixtape had many freestyles over popular songs.

On November 10, 2021, Tiller announced his first Christmas album, A Different Christmas. It was released on November 19. Tiller said the project was inspired by Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber. Justin Bieber is featured on a song called "Lonely Christmas." Tiller's daughter, Halo, also appears on the last song of the album.

On September 8, 2022, Tiller released a new song called "Outside." It uses a sample from The Ying Yang Twins' 2005 hit song "Wait (The Whisper Song)." On October 18, 2022, Tiller released a music video for "Outside." The video featured The Ying Yang Twins.

Latest Album and Future Plans

Before his fourth album, Tiller released a mixtape called Slum Tiller on SoundCloud on August 18, 2023. He released two more parts of this mixtape in late 2023 and early 2024. On April 5, 2024, Tiller released his fourth studio album, Bryson Tiller. Critics liked the album. It debuted at number twelve on the Billboard 200. That summer, Tiller and Chris Brown were featured on Jeremih's song, "Wait on It."

In January 2025, Tiller was featured on "305" with Jordan Adetunji. On February 12, 2025, Tiller hinted at a mixtape called Solace on Instagram. On May 27, 2025, Tiller announced he would release two albums at once. One is Solace and the other is The Vices. Tiller said both albums are finished. He is waiting for permission to use music samples before releasing them.

Musical Style and Influences

Who Inspired Bryson Tiller?

Omarion (left) and The-Dream (right) were two of Tiller's biggest inspirations while growing up.

Tiller has said that singer Omarion was a huge influence on him. He explained that his uncle introduced him to Omarion's first album. That album made him want to start singing. He listened to Omarion every day and sang along. Singer The-Dream inspired him to write songs. Tiller said he listened to The-Dream a lot. That's when he really got into writing. He liked how The-Dream put lyrics together. Tiller originally wanted to be a songwriter, not an artist.

Other artists who influenced him include R. Kelly, Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, and Drake. Tiller also mentioned Jazmine Sullivan, Usher, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, The Notorious B.I.G., and Mary J. Blige as important to his music.

What Kind of Music Does He Make?

Tiller describes his music as a mix of "trap and hip hop-influenced R&B." He calls it "the perfect marriage between hip hop and R&B." Tiller also raps. He says there are some things he can express better through rapping than singing. Music critics have compared Tiller's style to artists like Drake, Jeremih, PartyNextDoor, and Tory Lanez.

While making his album True to Self, Tiller faced depression. He believes this can be heard in the music. He explained that R&B is his first love. He fell in love with hip-hop through Lil Wayne. He wanted to mix these styles together.

Personal Life

Bryson Tiller has two daughters. As of 2018, he is in a relationship with Kendra Bailey, who is the mother of his second child. Tiller graduated from Iroquois High School in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, in June 2020.