Russ Praises Newcomer Tommy Richman: ‘Kudos To Him’

Russ has expressed admiration for Tommy Richman’s proactive approach following the success of “Million Dollar Baby.”

The single made an impressive debut this year, hitting No. 2 on the Billboard 200 after gaining attention from snippets shared online. However, rather than resting on this achievement, the Los Angeles artist swiftly released a new single last Friday (June 14) titled “Devil Is a Lie.”

“Devil Is a Lie” has already garnered over four million streams on Spotify, accompanied by a music video that has surpassed 1.3 million views on YouTube.

Known for his independent success, Russ took to X (formerly known as Twitter) on Monday (June 17) to commend Tommy Richman for his proactive approach and ability to capitalize on the momentum.

“He’s moving with urgency and capitalizing on momentum unlike many artists who ride one song’s success for too long and miss their moment,” Russ commented. “Kudos to him and his team.”

He emphasized the importance of recognizing artists who are well-prepared for success versus those who are not, urging them to act confidently as if success is inevitable.

Russ’ remarks were prompted by news of Tommy Richman’s upcoming debut album, Coyote.

When a fan accused Tommy Richman of being an “industry plant,” Russ swiftly defended him, dismissing such claims as rooted in ego and asserting that it’s unreasonable to expect everyone to know an artist before they gain popularity.

In October of last year, Russ shared his independent success story, highlighting his substantial earnings from owning his music catalog. He emphasized that one can achieve significant financial success without needing radio play or a major label, so long as one consistently produce quality music and maintains ownership.

“For inspirational purposes,” Russ stated. “This is the money I made this week off just the masters of my independent catalog.”