A band like no other on the pop landscape, Why Don’t We brings together five supremely talented singer/songwriters who have each built up a passionate following all on their own
Date/Time: Jul 30 2017, 8:00 pm to 10:30 pm
Vancouver, The Rio Theatre | Event calendarCost: $20.00
Find tickets: here
After crossing paths through a series of national tours in recent years, Daniel Seavey, Zach Herron, Corbyn Besson, Jonah Marais, and Jack Avery decided to join together and deepen their powerful connection with fans around the world. And as shown on their debut single “Taking You,” Why
Don’t We’s potent chemistry makes for undeniable pop perfection.
Here’s the story behind each member of Why Don’t We:
Hailing from Portland, Oregon, 17-year-old Daniel Seavey made it to the top 10 of American Idol’s 14th season. After venturing into music by writing songs on his sister’s toy piano, he moved on to playing cello, violin, saxophone, and guitar along with several other instruments, in addition to singing. “For a long time I’d only sing alone in my room, but in middle school I decided to sing for a talent show at school,” says Daniel. “I was so nervous, but it ended up going really well—afterward all these girls were following me home.” That response inspired him to begin busking in downtown Portland, which quickly drew major crowds.
Following his turn on American Idol, Daniel focused his attention on creating his own original music. The youngest member of Why Don’t We, 15-year-old Zach Herron honed his musical talents by studying at Septien Entertainment Group (a training facility for musicians and entertainers) in his hometown of Dallas. During his time at Septien, Zach developed a following by posting Instagram videos revealing his strong vocals and self-taught guitar skills. “One time at school a girl who’d seen my videos asked me to sing—and there was a rule there that if someone asks you to sing, you’ve got to do it,” says Zach. “So I sang ‘Stitches’ by Shawn Mendes, and all these people in my class started recording me.” A video of that impromptu performance almost immediately went viral, racking up more than 10 million views and rapidly widening his fanbase. In addition to releasing original tracks like the early-2016 single “Timelapse,” Zach has since performed concerts throughout the U.S.
Raised as a military kid who spent his childhood living in many different cities, 17-year-old Corbyn Besson has a lifelong passion for music that’s mainly influenced by his mom (a harp player) and dad (a New Orleans-bred guitarist). By first grade he’d learned to play Mozart concertos on piano, but eventually shifted his focus to guitar. “In seventh grade I stole my dad’s guitar, this old acoustic he’d had forever, and started teaching myself how to play it,” says Corbyn. “Ever since then I’ve just been playing guitar all the time.” Corbyn soon began sharing an eclectic mix of acoustic covers, including everything from Rihanna’s “California King Bed” to “Cliffs of Dover” by guitar legend Eric Johnson. Within months of debuting on the broadcasting platform YouNow in 2014, Corbyn gained a devoted following that helped fuel his selection as an “Editor’s Choice” for top talent in the site’s Musicians category. Corbyn also drew massive attention by posting his music to SoundCloud, with his cover of Jake Miller’s “First Flight Home” receiving praise from the artist himself.
Another product of a musical household, 18-year-old Jonah Marais grew up going to see his father’s rock band at gigs around town in Stillwater, Minnesota.
Along with occasionally appearing with his dad onstage, Jonah first explored his vocal talents by singing in church, and later taught himself to play piano. “One day in fifth grade I stayed home sick, looked up how to play my favorite songs on
YouTube, and just rolled with it from there,” he says. In 2014, Jonah joined YouNow and began posting covers of tracks like Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud,” which soon won him a heavy fanbase. The following year, he headed out on the cross-country DigiTour. He also organized several tours of his own, and in spring 2016 channeled his classic pop and singer/songwriter sensibilities into a debut EP titled When the Daylight’s Gone.
Like Corbyn, 17-year-old Pennsylvania native Jack Avery mastered piano at an incredibly young age and later took up guitar. “My dad is an amazing pianist and always played for me, so that was a big part of my life right from when I was born,” he says. “When I was around 12, I quit piano lessons because I just wanted to play guitar. My sister had this pink guitar that she never played, so after a while I was like, ‘All right, I’m taking it.’ I went on YouTube and learned how to play, and practiced every single day after school.” Also a singer since the age of 8, Jack shared his soulful covers of Jason Mraz and Justin Bieber songs on YouTube. With those covers earning him an extensive following, Jack has performed at legendary venues around the country, including the famed Bluebird Café in Nashville.
An acoustic-guitar-laced, beat-driven blend of R&B and pop, “Taking You” spotlights each Why Don’t We member’s stunning vocals and showcases the band’s heart-melting harmonies. Now at work on their debut album, Why Don’t We are also set to deliver an unstoppable live show that’s destined to expand their audience all across the globe.
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