From Spotlight Stage to Main Stage: Russell Dickerson on His C2C Journey

Russell Dickerson speaks to LiveWithLP at OVO Hydro ahead of C2C Festival in Glasgow.

He's no stranger to C2C Festival, starting on the Spotlight stage in 2018, to opening the main stage in 2022 and this year, the final act before the headliner. Russellmania has officially landed in Glasgow, and LiveWithLP caught up with the Means to Me hit maker backstage in Glasgow. 

Russell Dickerson, it has been a WHILE since you were last here in Glasgow, what was it, two years? 

A couple of years, yeah, we were here with Miranda and Kip, but now we’re back with Keith. Keith Urban.

I caught him pre-C2C, and the crowd sure does go wild for Keith.

I mean... He has that effect on me, too, actually.

A lot has changed in the years since you were last here in Glasgow. Records, touring and a few viral moments… 

Yeah, we got a little viral dance for Happened to Me, and it was so amazing cause the first time we were here, we were the first artist on stage - and now we’re right before Keith Urban, so it’s a great feeling to come back on a direct support slot. 

Well, we are glad to have you back! Tell me a little bit about the latest record, which, thanks to you, I’ve never spelt B.O.A.T more in my entire life. It is a summer anthem. 

Oh, that song is something! The EP is Spring Break EP, so it gives it time to climb up in time for peak summertime. This is the second summer project I’ve done, and I don’t know. I just feel like a different side of my music needs to come out. A lot of it is country, and then there are radio hits, but this is more of a chill nostalgia vibe - so for me, this was a record I could have fun making - it’s just so fun putting it together piece by piece instead of like right, let's get the whole band in the studio together. It’s a totally different recording process.

We’ve certainly seen an evolution in your sound as well over the last few years, and a few kinds of pop punk covers that we see springing up online. You put the Y’all in Y’alternative Russell. 

Yeah, I do! 

Is there any way you could delve more into that sound? I used to love the Punk Goes Pop albums - Pierce the Veil, Memphis May Fire.

Oh, you’re throwing it back, YO! 

I just think.. Country goes punk.. There's a market for it! 

I would LOVE that! It’s an actual passion project of mine - mixing country and pop punk - Y’all Time Low, YellowKorn, Ernest had a bunch of good ones - That’s What I Love About Taking Back Sunday. Shout out to my boy Ernest! 

That's what I love about the internet sometimes - is people being like ‘try this and try that’ and I have to ask, have you heard of a band called Sleep Token? 

Dude. Ok. I posted a video of me singing Fetty Wap and everyone was like, this sounds like Sleep Token. I don’t know what a Sleep Token is, I need one - especially right now, I am so jet lagged! But I looked up Sleep Token, they’re pretty vibey.

The whole mystery around ‘Who is behind Sleep Token’ is what we want to know, and your name has been thrown in the ring. 

I mean… You never know… 

The vibes you bring to your shows are incredible - so much energy, and it is impossible to put your music on and not feel like a million dollars. What do you hope people take away from an RD Party? 

Oh, the energy needs to be 12/10. I just love that I get to play music with my best friends, and we just always have a blast on stage every time, it’s called an RD Party for a reason! 

Across your Glasgow shows, we’ve seen a real venue progression - starting at The Old Fruit Market, to Saint Luke's and now the biggest music arena in Glasgow. 

I love that, and I cannot wait to keep coming back and bringing Russellmania to Europe. 

One thing I would love to know is who someone is who is on your radar at the moment that you think I should be listening out for/ keeping an eye out for in the future. 

100% it's Adrian Nunez, he’s coming with me to a bunch of shows this year - he is so dope. Also, Blake Proehl has a song called Hail Mary that is absolute gas. Those are two that I recommend getting on your playlists. Big things are coming. 

I love that - there’s always a bit of a break between artists in America making their way over to the country scene in Europe, but the Spotlight stage is great for that - look at yourself and Drake Milligan all those years ago! 

And now I'm opening for Keith Urban, I love C2C. 

I’ve got to say, 2026 we’re hoping to throw it back to 2016 with a Fetty Wap collab - but what is coming for Russell Dickerson in 2026

Well, I’m still manifesting a collaboration! The RussellMania tour is kicking off in April, and Adrian will be on some of those dates along with Niko Moon. We’re playing Red Rocks. I don’t know if you know about that venue, but it's incredible. Along with the Greek in LA and a birthday bash at the Amphitheatre in Nashville, it’s a tour of bucket list venues that I’ve been wanting to do for years, and it’s finally happening. 

Worth Your Wild EP is out now.