Why Don’t We has taken over 2019 one month at a time, literally. Their new single “What Am I” is the eighth release out of twelve to come this year and has already grossed over 27M streams on Spotify. To celebrate the song’s release, the band has been making their way across the U.S. debuting exclusive “What Am I” merchandise for their loyal fans, the Limelights. In addition to selling new merch, the guys have also been playing a string of intimate performances which showcase their new singles and of course some fan favorites.
For those who are unfamiliar with the band, Why Don’t We is composed of 5 members. Jonah (21), Corbyn (20), Daniel (20), Zach (18), and Jack (20) who all came together in 2016 after pursuing smaller solo careers. We had the pleasure of catching up with the guys at their pop-up shop in NYC to discuss their new single, their amazing fans, and much more. Here’s what they had to say!
Can you tell us a little bit about your new single ,“What Am I?,” and how the song came about?
Jonah: “‘What Am I’ is about the beginning stages of love. That sort of cat and mouse game that is sometimes played in the early on flirting stages.”
Ed Sheeran wrote this song and passed it off to you guys to record. What was that experience like?
Jonah: “When Ed sent this song over, it was just obviously such a great song. We are all such massive Ed Sheeran fans so it was an absolute honor that he thought of us for this song.”
Piggybacking off the title “What Am I?” – Can you talk a little bit about who you guys are as a band and how you’ve grown in the last few years?
Corbyn: “The past few years have been insane for us. It’s like one of those stories you always hear about, but instead we’re telling it now. I dunno how we got this lucky, but we wouldn’t trade what we have now for the world. Our fans are the sole reason this has happened for us so shout-out to them!! Best in the world.”
You guys have been releasing a song a month. What has that been like vs. dropping a few singles and then a full album? Have the fans reactions been different for each release?
Corbyn: “Dropping a song a month has been really cool because we’ve had the opportunity to try a bunch of new things. Usually an album is pretty cohesive and follows the same vision, but we’ve felt like every single this year has had its own moment. We plan on releasing an album next year! Be on the lookout, we always got something comin’.”
Is there a specific song from the last few months that got more hype than you expected? Do you have a favorite to perform?
Daniel: “‘Big Plans‘ got a lot more love than anyone saw coming. We were honestly nervous to put the song out because it pushed past our normal sound, but people ate it up. It’s now actually our 2nd most played song behind ‘8 Letters’, so I guess the moral of the story is always take chances. My favorite song to perform is ‘Brazil’. Fans go crazy for that song live.”
Rapid Fire with Why Don’t We!
Which 5 emoji’s represent the overall sound of all the singles you’ve already released & have yet to release?
Daniel: “????
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Which songs get you hyped up before you perform?
Jack: “I usually listen to Jaden Smith or Travis Scott if I want to get hype.”
If you could trade places with anyone else in the band for the day, who would you pick and why?
Jack: “Jonah so I could see what it’s like to be tall.”
You guys are headed off to Europe in a few weeks. Are there any cities you’re especially excited to visit?
Zach: “I’m so excited to be going back to Europe, every city is always so fun but i’m really looking forward to go back to London and Manchester.”
Do you have any crazy or recent fan stories that are worth sharing? We know your fans are super dedicated.
Zach: “I think the craziest fan story I have was on the 8 Letters Tour and a mom literally ran on stage and started dancing right behind us. Honestly I was kinda freaked out, but looking at the videos after was so funny.”
