JACOB WHITESIDES

Every song is personal, but 'Ohio,' on my first EP, was on another level. I really opened up about the lack of relationship I had with my father. We stopped talking about four years ago, and I haven't had a father figure in my life since.

I appreciate a lot of singer-songwriters that the normal person doesn't, but I feel like everyone thoroughly enjoys an Ed Sheeran show.

I feel like that's so important, to enjoy my own music. Because if I'm not passionate about my music, then it's going to show to the fans.

I never really wanted to be a singer, because I was a super-shy kid. Singing made me feel awkward, and I was really insecure.

On a good day, I usually tweet 50 to 100 times.

I love pop music, but I feel like the genre is overpopulated - there was so much bubblegum for a while, but I feel like Sam Smith and Ed Sheeran are bringing good, real music back to the radio.

I started homeschooling when I was 13. I wasn't really doing the social media thing yet; I didn't have any fans, but I knew that public school wasn't the place for me. It was draining my creativity, and so both my parents supported me in being homeschooled, and they really gave me a chance to focus on getting good at guitar.

I stay up late; I'm like a vampire. I stay up until, like, 6 A.M. and then sleep till 4 P.M. I lay in bed till it's dark, and then I come alive in the night.

I think a lot of people think it's easy to just post stuff. They think it's the easy way to fame nowadays, but it's been hard. You have to film the video, which takes forever because I'm super picky about all my takes and stuff. Then you have to edit it and upload it, and doing that three times a week is very, very difficult.

I'm a Fritos Burrito guy. Me and Taco Bell have a love relationship on Twitter; they follow me. Out of 16 people they follow me, so I'm very loyal to my girlfriend, Taco Bell.

I'm afraid of the dark because I picture things; I see things. I'm a freak. I see, like, little demons coming out of the floor and other little things running around. It's scary.

My cat Isabella, she doesn't get along with anyone else. She's kind of like me: like, very anti-social and fierce. So we speak to each other on a spiritual level, and we cuddle every night. So it's pretty serious.

The control game has just been changed. The artist has a lot more control than the label, which is special. I feel like the fans crave that. I feel like they can tell when it's not genuine.

I have an amazing crew, so it makes life so much easier. It's fun being around a bunch of my BFFs on the road.

Being able to tour and experience all of the stuff that comes from touring, and then being able to come back to Nashville, it's almost like therapy to be able to get into a session and talk about all of the things that I'm going through. It's so much more real to me.

I'm still finding myself as an artist. I'm still experimenting a little bit.

I ended up having my first girlfriend when I was 13, and she was obsessed with Justin Bieber. I remember watching the 'Baby' music video and being so jealous of him. So I posted a cover of 'One Time' on YouTube, and she loved it.

I feel like a hit will come whenever it does, but I don't want to sit in a studio trying to figure out the magic formula and mixing spices and trying to come up with the perfect song.

Playing in those bars where people really don't care about your music really gives you an appreciation for when you get to a concert, and people are singing your original music - it's been a great journey, but I definitely didn't have an interest in music as a kid until I was a teenager.

You put Drake on anything, and it's money.

Every day, I'm working hard to improve my craft as an artist, my connection with the best fans, and keep pushing my work ethic. All those things make me happy.

It seems obvious to say, but I really admire the creative sides of Steve Jobs.

I actually like spending time alone - it doesn't bother me at all.

I started playing guitar when I was 14 and eventually gained the confidence to start singing a little bit.

Although the views have gone up and the comments have gone up, I never drop a project and disappear.