It takes all of 10 seconds to understand the appeal of Jacob Whitesides. For starters, there’s the easy smile, that roguishly furrowed brow, but all of that would be nothing without the rest. His voice — with just the right amount of grit— is perfectly matched to his oeuvre of sometimes-soaring, sometimes-tender, hook filled pop songs. Still only 19-years-old, Jacob has been organically garnering an impressive fanbase for the past four years (his YouTube channel has 19 million plus views). But with the release, in 2015, of the two EPs, A Piece of Me and Faces on Film, (both of which reached #1 US iTunes Singer-Songwriter chart), a clutch of successful tours, plus his debut album out in September 2016, this preternaturally savvy young artist is solidifying the foundation for a career set to endure well beyond flash-in-the-pan hype.
Raised at the foothills of the Smokey Mountains, three hours from Nashville, Jacob experienced a fairly average early school life. But 13 was the turning point for the nascent singer: thanks in part to an inspiring Chris Stapleton concert, and close proximity to Nashville’s rich history of storytelling through song, he picked up his first guitar and performed on stage with his father, who played in a band that frequently performed at local bars.
Doing what is now standard, he began posting lo-fi covers on YouTube. Jacob knew that dedicated fans would be critical to his success, so when his videos first began to gain even a trace of traction, he made it a point to interact with every single burgeoning Whitesides devotee. Tirelessly responding to comments, setting alarms to hop on Facebook to chat with fans in different time zones, offering advice, and words of encouragement, and even opinions on outfits (when requested), even to this day he manages to maintain a level of tailored interaction that’s practically unheard of. And the metrics are proof, given that today his fans number in the several millions (over 5M in aggregate) and cover every corner of the planet.
On September 9, Jacob released his debut album “Why”. Recorded, mixed, and largely written in Nashville in six swift weeks, it was, funnily enough, this daunting timeframe that the 19-years-old says pushed him to his full potential. A powerful thirteen-tracks collection, it’s brimming with standouts, like the new soul-pop single “Lovesick” (A fun song about getting in trouble with your girl).
Consider that for all the impressive stats, all the downloads shifted, and all the followers amassed, Jacob could have easily signed to a Major and handed over his future to the bigwigs. But he’s too discerning for the handcuffed strictures of a traditional 360-deal. Instead, he created his own label, Double U Records, working in conjunction with BMG.
Jacob’s story is typically modern : the rise of an immensely likable, warm-hearted Tennessee boy from a modest background, who, for all his pin-up appeal has revealed he’s a remarkably shrewd talent to boot. While his business acumen is both fascinating and, to a degree inspiring, it’s Jacob’s music—honest, unabashed pop songs—that are the crux of his appeal. Ask him what drives him to compose and perform and the reasoning is the same as when he first picked up the guitar at 13.