Jacob Whitesides to Release 'Why?' 9/9, 'Focus' Video Premieres Today

Why? is a powerful thirteen-track collection of songs, brimming with standouts like the finger-clicked soul-pop of "Lovesick" ("A fun song about getting in trouble with your girl") and "You Told Me So," which deeply reflects on the stresses of a long distance relationship. Whitesides' songs are, by and large, heartfelt and relatable. Sometimes they're lighthearted, but even when they're upbeat, there's often another level to the lyrics as the listener dives deeper into the music. "Love Slow" was inspired by the struggle of being 18 and in a relationship, and on "Bury Our Love" when he sings, "I was old before I was young" the line rings particularly true, echoing his musical talents and accomplishments.

"I feel like I've come a long way since I first learned to write and play music," said Whitesides. "My fans have been with me since the beginning of this journey and I'm excited that I get to finally share my album with all of them."

Today Whitesides also unveiled a new music video for his song "Focus". The clip, shot in just one continuous take, features a steadfast performance amidst an array of unpredictable distractions invading the screen throughout. Watch the video now HERE.

Why? is the follow-up to Whitesides two chart-topping EPs A Piece of Me and Faces On Film(both which stood for days at #1 on iTunes Singer/Songwriter chart in 2015). A Piece of Meproduced the unintentional hit "Not My Type At All." The track became the No. 1 most requested on Radio Disney and received heavy rotation on Sirius XM's "Coffee House" alongside such heavyweights as Coldplay, Paul Simon, and Ray LaMontagne. Additionally, Jacob enters his debut album campaign as the only artist to be chosen as MTV's "Artist to Watch," Radio Disney's "Next Big Thing," Pandora's "Artist to Watch," and Spotify's "Artist to Watch" for 2016, all concurrently.

This past May Whitesides kicked off his Lovesick World Tour, and many of the dates SOLD OUT along the way. Whitesides recently announced more live dates on his Lovesick World Tour that will bring him to more cities in the United States this summer and back to Europe this fall. Praise for the tour includes: Seattle Music News: Catchy as hell, melodic tunes are undeniable. Tiger Beat: Jacob Whitesides is about to become your new obsession. Daily Californian: Whitesides endears with wide-eyed wonder. Girls Life: If you haven't heard his name yet you surely will be hearing a lot of it soon. NYC Monthly: Our Favorite. LA Guest List: Humble, Gracious and Genuine. Jukely: Jacob's undeniable talent, entrepreneurial skills, along with a genuinely devoted dialogue with his devoted fan base have led him to an unprecedented independent success. A full list of tour dates can be found below.

Jacob Whitesides has built an artist identity and brand as his own singer/songwriter and thought leader, alongside his ever-growing worldwide fan base. From being his own CEO (Double U Records, partnered with BMG) to creating unique fan interactions, live experiences & contests - Jacob, at 18, is challenging the music business as we know it.

Jacob and his younger sister were raised in humble upbringings by his strong, selfless mother in the smoky mountains outside of Knoxville, Tennessee. After learning guitar at a young age and honing his vocal skills, Jacob started winning over fans with cover videos and, soon after, his original songs. Jacob's undeniable talent, entrepreneurial skills, along with a genuinely devoted dialogue with his zealous fan base (aka Whitesiders), have led him to unprecedented independent success, including writing and recording two chart-topping EPs. Jacob's impressive social media numbers are not solely from one platform, but all of them and they continue to grow organically around the globe (2 million Twitter followers, 1.6 million Facebook likes, 1.3 million Instagram followers, 888K Vine followers, and 366K YouTube subscribers with over 15 million views). His international fan base spans beyond North America to everywhere from the Philippines to Portugal, Scandinavia to South America, UK to Lebanon, Europe to Australasia, and more. Jacob's first ever European tour (Copenhagen, Hamburg, Amsterdam, Cologne, Paris, Antwerp, and London) sold out all dates, with London and Paris declared SOLD OUT in only 8 minutes.