Chart-topping singer/songwriter Jacob Whitesides will perform at the 90th Annual 2016 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. Fans can tune in to NBC on Thursday November 24th to catch this special performance from Nickelodeon’s Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtles float.
Following his appearance at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Whitesides will perform at The Boston Common Tree Lighting on Friday, November 25th. Whitesides will close out the holiday season with a headline performance at the 12th annual Hershey New Year’s Eve in Hershey, PA on December 31, 2016. Additional details will be shared in the coming weeks at www.hersheynewyears.org.
Later this month, Jacob Whitesides will appear at the 2016 Nickelodeon HALO Awards, a concert special honoring four young community leaders who are changing the world by “Helping and Leading Others” (HALO). Led by host, creator and executive producer Nick Cannon, the one-hour musical event will also feature performances from Jason Derulo, Hailee Steinfeld, Zedd, Alessia Cara, and Daya. The 2016 Nickelodeon HALO Awards, held at New York’s Pier 36, will be simulcast Sunday, November 27, at 7:00 p.m. (ET/PT), across Nickelodeon, TeenNick and Nicktoons.
Jacob Whitesides recently released his highly anticipated debut full length album Why? via his own Double U Records. The album debuted at no. 1 on the iTunes singer/songwriter chart and is available now HERE. Produced by Nashville-based David Spencer, Why? showcases the soulful singing and songwriting of an 18-year old whose independent approach has captured the attention of critics and industry taste-makers as well as connecting with millions of fans around the world.
The album 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 “Focus,” which reflects on the stress of a love in our current culture of distraction. 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.
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 Me produced 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 entered 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.
About Jacob Whitesides
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, 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.