Rory Rodriguez

Influences

• Linkin Park — Rodriguez has repeatedly cited Chester Bennington as the blueprint for his entire vocal delivery. You can hear the influence in the way he transitions from a vulnerable, whispered clean vocal straight into a soaring, gritty belt on tracks like 'Neon Grave'. It is the classic quiet-to-loud dynamic perfected by Bennington in the early 2000s.
• Silverstein — Before Rodriguez was sharing stages with them, Ontario post-hardcore veterans Silverstein set the standard for the melodic-to-screamed balance he adopted early in his career. Dayseeker later collaborated with them on the track 'Without Me', solidifying a direct lineage from the mid-2000s emo boom. The sharp, emotional urgency in his lyrics traces right back to Shane Told's songwriting style.
• The Weeknd — Rodriguez has openly pointed to Trilogy-era Abel Tesfaye as a major inspiration for his vocal phrasing and the dark, nocturnal R&B vibes that crept into Dayseeker's later work. This influence is all over the sleek vocal runs and moody synth basslines on the Hurtwave tracks. It represents a massive departure from standard metalcore vocal patterns.
• Deftones — The atmospheric, shoegaze-heavy guitar textures that Chino Moreno and company pioneered are a massive part of Dayseeker's sonic DNA. Rodriguez utilizes that same sense of space and brooding tension in his choruses. You hear it specifically in the massive, wall-of-sound guitar tones on Dark Sun.
• Michael Jackson — Rodriguez grew up on classic pop and has cited Jackson's rhythmic vocal delivery and high-register runs as a foundational influence on his clean singing style. The rhythmic bounce and falsetto transitions in Sleeptalk's pop-leaning moments are a direct result of this influence. It is what separates him from the standard screamer trying to sing a hook.