Ryan Jillian Santiago, known professionally as Royal & the Serpent, is an American singer and songwriter.
Early life Ryan Santiago was born in New Jersey and was raised both Catholic and Jewish. Santiago took up competitive dance as a child, until she "shattered both [her] heel plates" after jumping off a stage while performing when she was 14 years old. She subsequently delved into musical theater. In her teenage years, Santiago learned how to play the guitar and began writing songs. She attended her first concert on Britney Spears' Oops!... I Did It Again Tour at the age of six.
Career At the age of 18, Santiago moved to Los Angeles, where she attended art school and worked as a bartender in a restaurant. She has credited encouragement from a co-worker, who later became her first manager, for motivating her to pursue a professional career as a musician.
In 2017, Santiago independently released "Temperance", her debut single under the stage name Royal & the Serpent. On her moniker, she has explained that "'Royal & the Serpent' translates to 'Me + My Ego'". In 2018, she released her second single, "Together", and was featured on the song "Wicked" by music producer Tommee Profitt. By the end of 2019, she had signed with Atlantic Records.
"Overwhelmed", Royal & the Serpent's first single on Atlantic, was released in June 2020, and her debut EP get a grip was released in October. That year, she joined English singer Yungblud's Weird Time of Life virtual tour as a supporting act. Royal & the Serpent's second EP Searching for Nirvana was released in June 2021.
In January 2022, Santiago was featured as a guest vocalist on "Pity Party" by Stand Atlantic. Her third EP, If I Died Would Anyone Care, was released on January 28, 2022. Later that year she performed as a supporting act for Demi Lovato on her Holy Fvck Tour as well as grandson on his Death of a Tour tour.
In 2023, Santiago performed as a supporting act for Fall Out Boy on their So Much (for) Stardust tour. Instead of releasing a full album, she plans to release a dual-single every month from May 2023 through the end of the year. While on tour, she released a limited-edition compilation album featuring songs from her previous EPs If I Died Would Anyone Care and Happiness Is an Inside Job.
In 2024, Santiago contributed to the soundtrack of Arcanes second season with the track "Wasteland", which was released through Riot Games Music in conjunction with the season's last three episodes.
In 2026, Santiago performed as a supporting act for Ashnikko on her Smoochies (album) tour. https://www.instagram.com/p/DXqJM3IINnY/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Discography
Studio Albums TitleDetailsEmptiness is GodlyReleased: May 8, 2026 Label: Atlantic
Compilation Albums
+TitleDetailsHow to Grow a RatReleased: June 23, 2023 Label: Atlantic Formats: LP
Extended plays +List of extended playsTitleDetailsGet a GripReleased: October 16, 2020 Label: Self-released Formats: DLSearching for NirvanaReleased: June 4, 2021 Label: Atlantic Formats: DLIf I Died Would Anyone CareReleased: January 28, 2022 Label: Atlantic Formats: DL Happiness Is an Inside JobReleased: October 28, 2022 Label: Atlantic Formats: DL
Singles As lead artist Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album USAlt. USRock "Temperance" 2017 — — rowspan="7" "Together" 2018 — — "Weddings & Funerals" 2019 — — "Salvador Dali" — — "IDK" — — "Underneath the Mask" — — "MMXX" 2020 — — "Overwhelmed" 6 20 RIAA: Gold MC: Gold Get a Grip & Searching for Nirvana "Bad Kids" — — "I Can't Get High" 2021 — — Searching for Nirvana "Fuck U" — — "Go F*ck Urself" — — rowspan="2" "Chips" — — "I'm Not Sorry" — — If I Died Would Anyone Care "Lucid Dreams" — — "Fuckboi Rejects"2022 — — If I Died Would Anyone Care "Happier in Hell" — — "Im Fine" — —Happiness Is an Inside Job "Death of Me" — — "Love Abuser (Save Me)" — — "Happiness 4 Dummies" — — "Astroturf" 2023 — —Rat Trap I: The Blueprint "One Nation Underdogs" — — "Junkie" — — Rat Trap 2: The Burn "Slug" — — "Utopia" — — Rat Trap 3: The Band-Aid "Sweet Tooth" — — "U Ruined Frank Ocean 4 Me" — — Rat Trap 4: The Burden "Separation Anxiety" — — "Oops" — —"American Spirit"2024 — —Rat Trap 5: The Beginning"Dog" — —"Death Do Us Part"2025Emptiness is Godly"Carry Me Home""Euphoria""Young As This""Steering (So Fast)"2026 "—" denotes releases that did not chart.
As featured artist + List of singles as featured artist, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name Title Year Peak chart positions Album USDance "Wicked"() 2018 — Cinematic Songs (Vol. 4) "Nectarines" 2020 — "Wild"() — Woman "Eat Spit!" 2021 — rowspan="3" "Sound the Alarm" 29 "ABCDEFU" — "Starphucker" — Boys Do Cry "Talk" 2022 — To Believe "pity party" —F.E.A.R. "Bitch" () — Dichotomy "Eat Me" —Holy Fvck "Be Happy" — Complete Collapse "SOS"2023 — God Save the Teen "Punkstar" — Ladybug"Kinda Smacks"2024— rowspan="2" "Blame Brett"—"Inner Gold"—Duality "—" denotes releases that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Other charted songs + List of other charted songs, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name Title Year Peak chart positions Album NZHot "Wasteland" 2024 16 Arcane League of Legends: Season 2
References
External links