Verdes began treating everything as if it were an investment with zero return. From stand-up comedy, to podcasting, acting and modelling (“I literally tasted everything”). For four years, while slumming it on a couch in a friend's living room, he invested his time and winnings into all corners of the entertainment industry. His plan was simple: Move to LA and use the money to try everything.

“I look back on it and the entire time I was there I was like ‘I'm here for the money and I'm going to be bigger than every single motherfucking person on this show’,” he told VICE.Īt the end of his time on the show, Verdes ended up with $50,000. But unlike some who were trying to find love, Tai was there with one intention: To win the money. When Verdes was 21, he auditioned for Are You The One?, a multi-national dating show where contestants can win thousands of dollars if ten pairs figure out their perfect match. Artistry mightn’t sit on the backburner, but there are some things more important: consistency, practice, the right songs and the right marketing. It’s the kind of thing this new generation of songwriters and artists have had impressed into them. Everything is meticulously laid-out in front of him with a formulaic mentality, with the idea that he is a “business” at the core. He’s the type of guy that has his future mapped for 10 years. His songs have millions of streams on Spotify and his single, “Stuck in the Middle”, has made its rounds on TikTok – an artist’s ultimate tool in going viral. It’s a mindset that to this point has pushed him far into the music lexicon.

Stuck in the middle tai verdes