
Show Notes
“If it makes me curious, then maybe it’ll make someone else curious, too.” — Patrick Hicks
What started as a 30-day content challenge became a storytelling movement powered by rock, raw honesty, and curiosity.
In this episode of The Storytelling Lab, Rain Bennett speaks with Patrick Hicks, creator of a viral TikTok account (@patrickhicksmusic), where he tells the stories behind the songs that shaped our lives. With over half a million followers and a growing book project, Patrick has built a creator career that feels authentic, soulful, and sustainable.
They discuss how Patrick’s background in marketing, music, and punk DIY culture gave him the tools to grow his audience without losing his voice. You’ll hear how he balances content creation with a full-time job, why he never polishes his videos, and how he structures stories to connect emotionally—without chasing algorithms.
This episode is a masterclass in following your curiosity, honoring your influences, and building something meaningful on your own terms.
In this episode, you will learn to: Turn a simple idea into a large, loyal audience by following your own curiosity Tell better stories by pairing emotional narratives with musical memory Structure short-form content that resonates without being overproduced Build trust and authenticity by leaning into your quirks and imperfections Balance creative pursuits with real life while still growing your platform
Follow Patrick on: TikTok Instagram
or subscribe to his Substack here!
And for more storytelling tips and tricks,
Visit rainbennett.com or thestorytellinglabpodcast.com Follow on TikTok @rainbennett.storyeller Follow on Twitter @rainbennett Follow on Instagram @rainbennett Follow on Facebook @thestorytellinglab Subscribe to the YouTube Channel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
More from The Storytelling Lab
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"Advertising is the loudest, most publicly visible, and highest-stakes storytelling that your brand will do. And one misaligned ad can destroy and erode years of trust that you have built." — Rain Bennett
"Storytelling is local. But we are a global brand, so we do need consistency — and enough flexibility that everything can be used at a local level, because what resonates in China is not the same thing that resonates in Kenya." — Sydnye White
"You do the story that you want to do because you believe in it and it will find an audience. You have to be passionate about something and not try and hop off what's already out there. You have to absolutely 1000% have a vision." — Leslie Zemeckis
"The best of the writers know structures are important. And then they forget that they've been intuitively following a structure and tell the world you don't need structure. The rest of the people think they don't need structure and realize by the hundredth page they don't know what the story is going to be." —Anubhav Srivastava