Cyril Riley: Darwin-based producer first Aussie to top TikTok Global Sound chart

From posting videos from his bedroom to becoming an internet sensation, Darwin’s CYRIL has taken out an Australian-first on TikTok.

DJ and producer Cyril Riley has become the first Australian to reach the acclaimed top spot on the TikTok Global Sound chart. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

It has been quite the year for Top End DJ and producer Cyril Riley and it seems he is still getting to grips with his success.

The Palmerston artist, known under his stage name CYRIL and for his iconic bucket hat, first rose to top of the charts last year with his 2023 release Stumblin In.

His later remix of Disturbed’s cover of Sound of Silence racked up over 440 million streams and within a week of releasing Tears Dry Tonight in April with singer-songwriter James Blunt, it was already being picked up by BBC Radio 2 and had amassed a million streams.

But it did not stop there.

DJ Cyril Riley and James Blunt celebrating the release of their new single Tears Dry Tonight.

In the middle of touring and enjoying the release of the new single, a demo with the artist Moonlight of There She Goes by The La’s went viral on TikTok.

In April, the track was being used around 10,000 time a day to create new clips and was picked up by the likes of Meghan Trainor and P!NK.

And now it seems since producing and releasing the single There She Goes, CYRIL has made Australian history being the first Aussie to climb to Number 1 on TikTok’s Global Sound chart.

“It’s pretty surreal,” said CYRIL.

“I started out just posting videos from my bedroom, never imagining where it could lead, and now I’ve become the first Aussie to reach No. 1 on the TikTok Charts.

“It’s been an incredible journey, and I’m so grateful for all the support along the way.

“I was really excited for this one especially because Moonlight and I made it in October 2024, so I was listening to it heaps, playing it in my sets, and to have The La’s original vocal on it was super cool.”

CYRIL said this year’s BASSINTHEGRASS set was one of his favourites. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

The Aria award nominee is in the middle of a European and UK tour.

While CYRIL has been enjoying his travels, he said “there’s no place quite like Australia”.

To celebrate arriving home, he has announced some upcoming show dates in September in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.

Despite enjoying a whirlwind year, he said one of his most memorable moments was coming home to Darwin and playing at this year’s BASSINTHEGRASS.

But he remained tight-lipped on when his next Top End set would be.

“BASS has to be one of my all-time favourite sets,” he said.

“It was the first time in ages I got the chance to perform back home, and having my friends and partner there made it even more memorable.

“As for my next show in Darwin, I’m keeping it under wraps for now but rest assured, I’m working on something incredibly exciting.”