Ricky Dillon

{{short description|American YouTuber}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2020}} {{infobox YouTube personality | name = Ricky Dillon | image = Ricky Dillon (cropped).jpg | caption = Dillon at VidCon 2014 | birth_name = Richard Porter Dillon Jr. | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1992}} | birth_place = Greenville, North Carolina, U.S. | nationality = | occupation = {{hlist|YouTuber|comedian|singer}} | youtube_handle = rickydillon | youtube_display_name = | youtube_handle2 = rickydillonextra | youtube_display_name2 = | youtube_years_active = 2009–present | youtube_genre = {{hlist|pop|pop rock|R&B}} | youtube_subscribers = 2.92 million | youtube_views = 383 million | stats_update = August 8, 2025 }} '''Richard Porter Dillon Jr.''',<ref>[https://twitter.com/rickypdillon/status/544568355768639488 "Ricky Dillon on Twitter"]. Twitter.</ref> nicknamed as Ricky Dillon, is an American YouTube personality and singer. Over his ten years on YouTube, Dillon has amassed over 2.9 million subscribers on his channel, as well as more than 383 million views on his videos.

== Early life and education == Dillon was born in North Carolina. His family moved to Tuscumbia, Alabama when he was one year old. He has two older sisters, named Tara and Lexi. Dillon attended high school at Hoover High School where he also marched in the band. Dillon then attended college at Auburn University to study film but dropped out after three years.<ref>{{cite web|title=Draw My Life: Ricky Dillon|via=YouTube|url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTLBJ0K9Itc|access-date=September 8, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Stone|first1=Madeline|title=Meet Ricky Dillon, The Amazing 23-Year Old YouTube Star With Millions Of Fans|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/meet-ricky-dillon-the-22-year-old-youtube-star-with-millions-of-fans-2014-9|website=Business Insider|access-date=December 25, 2014}}</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/rickypdillon/status/451937233860169728 "Ricky Dillon on Twitter"]. Twitter.</ref>

==Career== Dillon began his career on YouTube, uploading his first public video to his channel, PICKLEandBANANA, in 2009. Dillon also gained exposure due to the YouTube supergroup Our2ndLife where he, Connor Franta, JC Caylen, Kian Lawley, Trevi Moran and Sam Pottorff went on an international tour and amassed a total 2.7 million subscribers before the group broke up in December 2014. He is also partnered with Fullscreen and has participated in their InTour festival.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Spangler|first1=Todd|title=JennXPenn, Connor Franta and Other YouTube and Vine Stars Featured in Fullscreen's First In-Real-Life Festival|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/sns-201407180909reedbusivarietyn1201264574-20140718-story.html|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|access-date=December 25, 2014|archive-date=December 25, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141225035203/http://www.chicagotribune.com/sns-201407180909reedbusivarietyn1201264574-20140718-story.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Dillon uploads original songs and covers, as well as music videos on his channel. He also starred in a scripted Sour Patch Kids series, titled ''Breaking Out''.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Gutelle|first1=Sam|title=Ricky Dillon, Andrea Russett Star In Sour Patch Kids' Scripted Series|date=October 10, 2014|url=http://www.tubefilter.com/2014/10/10/sour-patch-breaking-out-ricky-dillon-andrea-russett/|publisher=tubefilter|access-date=December 25, 2014}}</ref>

In 2014, Dillon released his debut single, titled "Ordinary".<ref>{{cite web|last1=Anitai|first1=Tamar|title=Ricky Dillon's Got His Cheap Shades On And Is Ready To Party In The Pool In His Star-Studded 'Ordinary' Video|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1817649/ricky-dillon-ordinary-video/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140720114301/http://www.mtv.com/news/1817649/ricky-dillon-ordinary-video/|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 20, 2014|publisher=MTV|access-date=December 25, 2014}}</ref> Dillon's debut EP, titled ''RPD'', was released on January 26, 2015.<ref>[https://twitter.com/rickypdillon/status/546761986173067264 "Ricky Dillon on Twitter"]. Twitter.</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Ricky Dillon Details Upcoming Debut EP|url=http://www.fuse.tv/videos/2014/12/top-20-ricky-dillon-interview|publisher=fuse|access-date=December 25, 2014}}</ref> In July 2015, Dillon released his sophomore single titled "Beat".<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Frere|first1=Jackie|title=YouTube Star Ricky Dillon on New Single & Success: 'It Kind of Freaked Me Out, But in a Good Way'|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6641844/youtube-ricky-new-single-video-beat|magazine=Billboard|access-date=July 24, 2015}}</ref> In an interview with ''People'' magazine at VidCon 2015, Dillon hinted towards a new personal song called "Gold", told to be featured as one of the tracks on his second EP.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Emmanuele|first1=Julia|title=Ricky Dillon Reveals How Miley Cyrus Inspired His New Music Video at VidCon|url=http://www.people.com/article/ricky-dillon-miley-cyrus-vidcon|website=People|access-date=July 24, 2015}}</ref>

Dillon has mentioned in multiple interviews that Demi Lovato is a major influence to his musical career. He has covered several of her songs on his YouTube channel some of which were released to iTunes.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Grassullo|first1=Stephanie|title=The Next Big Star is Actually One of Your Favourite YouTubers!|url=http://www.teen.com/2015/08/11/celebrities/ricky-dillon-new-music-youtube-interview-quotes/|website=Teen.com|publisher=Defy Media|access-date=August 11, 2015|archive-date=June 9, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170609005407/http://www.teen.com/2015/08/11/celebrities/ricky-dillon-new-music-youtube-interview-quotes/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On December 1, 2015, Dillon announced the release of his debut album ''Gold'', which was released on January 15, 2016. The 10-track set (produced by Bobby J<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/youtube-ricky-dillon-gold-album-problematic-video-snoop-dogg-6843932/|title=Ricky Dillon – Chart history {{!}} Billboard|magazine=Billboard|language=en|access-date=February 15, 2017}}</ref>) is preceded by the lead single "Steal the Show" (featuring Trevi Moran) released on December 28. Snoop Dogg and fellow YouTube personalities Trevi Moran and Shelby Wadell are featured on the album. The music video for the second single "Problematic" (featuring Snoop Dogg) was released on January 15.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KOjSmPYiY8|title=SO I MADE AN ALBUM...|last=Ricky Dillon|date=December 1, 2015|via=YouTube}}</ref>

==Personal life== Dillon, who has previously dated both men and women, posted a video in September 2016 entitled "My Sexuality", in which he said that, "If I were to label myself, I would be the closest to asexual."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFA4hsSDbhc|title=My Sexuality|last=Ricky Dillon|date=September 7, 2016|via=YouTube}}</ref> In a February 2019 video named "My Coming Out Video Was a Lie", Dillon distanced himself from earlier comments on his asexuality, remarking on the 2016 video that "I no longer 100% relate to that video, I don't have a label for myself for the time being, I am figuring myself out, and I don't label myself as asexual".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-cDa4zG-RA|title=My Coming Out Video Was a Lie|last=Ricky Dillon|date=February 13, 2019|via=YouTube}}</ref> In February 2020, Dillon posted a video in which he came out as gay (titled "I'm Gay").<ref>{{cite web|url=https://youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=_TlO9Q0T71g|title=I'm Gay|last=Ricky Dillon|date=February 27, 2020|via=YouTube}}</ref>

==Discography==

===Studio albums=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |+ List of studio albums, with selected chart positions |- ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album details ! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak chart positions |- ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| US Indie <ref name="history">{{cite magazine | url=https://www.billboard.com/biz/search/charts?f[0]=ts_chart_artistname%3Aricky%20dillon&f[1]=ss_bb_type%3Achart_item&type=2&artist=ricky%20dillon|title=Ricky Dillion – Chart history | magazine=Billboard | access-date=October 22, 2016}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" | ''Gold'' | * Released: January 15, 2016 * Label: EGR Music Group * Format: Digital download | 10 |}

===Extended plays=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |+ List of extended plays, with selected chart positions |- ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album details ! scope="col" colspan="3"| Peak chart positions |- ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| US <ref name="history"/> ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| US Digital <ref name="history"/> ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| US Indie <ref name="history"/> |- ! scope="row" | ''RPD'' | * Released: January 26, 2015 * Label: Independent * Format: Digital download | 70 || 20 || 11 |}

===Singles=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |+ List of singles, with selected chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year ! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album |- ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| US Pop Digital <ref name="history"/> |- ! scope="row"| "Ordinary" | rowspan="2"| 2014 | 29 | rowspan="2" {{N/A|Non-album singles}} |- ! scope="row"| "Nobody" | 47 |- ! scope="row"| "Ignite" | rowspan="4"| 2015 | — | ''RPD'' |- ! scope="row"| "Beat" | 48 | {{N/A|Non-album single}} |- ! scope="row"| "Steal the Show" (featuring Trevor Moran) | — |rowspan="2"| ''Gold'' |- |- ! scope="row"| "Problematic" (featuring Snoop Dogg) | — |- | colspan="4" style="font-size:9pt" | "—" denotes a title that did not chart, or was not released in that territory. |}

==Filmography==

===Television=== {{unreferenced-section|date=December 2014}} {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- !Television !Year !Role !class="unsortable" | Notes |- !scope="row"| ''The Soup Investigates'' | rowspan="2"|2013 | Himself | Episode #1.4 |- !scope="row"| ''AwesomenessTV'' | Various | Himself |- !scope="row"| ''Teen Wolf'' | 2014 | {{N/A}} | Episode "More Bad than Good" |}

===Films=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- !Film !Year !Role !class="unsortable" | Notes |- !scope="row"| ''#O2LFOREVER''<ref>{{cite web|last1=Dickey|first1=Josh|title='Our 2nd Life' Documentary Will Go Inside the Lives of the YouTube Supergroup|date=June 11, 2014|url=http://mashable.com/2014/06/11/our-2nd-life-documentary/|publisher=Mashable|access-date=December 25, 2014}}</ref> | 2015 | Himself | Documentary |}

==Bibliography== * ''Follow Me: A Memoir in Challenges'' (2016)

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dillon, Ricky}} Category:1992 births Category:21st-century American LGBTQ people Category:21st-century American musicians Category:American gay musicians Category:Fullscreen (company) people Category:Hoover High School (Alabama) alumni Category:LGBTQ people from Alabama Category:LGBTQ people from North Carolina Category:LGBTQ YouTubers Category:Living people Category:People from Morrisville, North Carolina Category:YouTubers from North Carolina