Royal & the Serpent is the stage name of Ryan Jillian Santiago, a singer-songwriter from New Jersey who relocated to Los Angeles to build her sound. Signed to Atlantic Records, she broke through in 2020 with the RIAA Gold-certified single "Overwhelmed" - a TikTok-driven hit that spent 22 weeks on Billboard's Alternative Airplay chart. Her music blends indie pop, electropop and pop-punk, with lyrics that circle around anxiety, mental health and emotional turbulence. In May 2026 she released her long-awaited debut full-length album, Emptiness Is Godly, a 17-track concept record on Atlantic.
Royal & the Serpent released her debut full-length album Emptiness Is Godly on May 8, 2026 via Atlantic Records - a 17-track concept record built around a fictional character named "R".
She announced the Emptiness Is Godly Tour, covering the US in June and moving to the UK and Europe in September 2026.
Santiago performed as a supporting act for Ashnikko on her Smoochies tour.
She performed "Wasteland" live at The Game Awards in December 2024, the track being part of the Arcane: League of Legends Season 2 soundtrack.
Royal & the Serpent appeared on select dates of the sold-out Vans Warped Tour in 2025 and released the Young As This EP.
