Blake Whiten

Artist Information

Blake Whiten lives the songs he writes. The recording artist often finds inspiration from his upbringing. Born in Six Mile, South Carolina, where the population hovers below 800 people, the 21-year-old singer-songwriter writes what he knows. An old Yamaha six-string was all he had It’s an old hand-me-down piece he got from his dad And everybody always knew that he’d leave town So he got the next train ticket, and he was Tennessee bound Whiten rhythmically sings these autobiographical lyrics alongside delicate strums of an acoustic guitar on “He’s Gone.” The song is one of five memorable tracks he penned solo on his independently released 2025 debut EP, Six Mile. “I like country music better than anything,” Whiten says on a rainy day in Nashville several months after moving to town. This passion for the genre is evident throughout his descriptive storytelling and the country cover songs he’s shared online over the years. Many of those videos have since gone viral, racking up millions of views. Whiten credits his father, a former preacher, for introducing him to the guitar when he was seven. In his soft South Carolina drawl, Whiten recalls his dad putting a six-string in his hand and showing him four chords. It would take a few years and several cover songs before music took hold of the youngest Whiten. Most of the music played around his South Carolina home included classic country and classic rock as well as early 2000s country and rock music. Acts like Keith Whitley, Alan Jackson, Lynyrd Skynyrd, AC/DC, and Mötley Crüe were in heavy rotation. The first time his father played Muscadine Bloodline, Whiten took notice. Fittingly, the first cover he posted on TikTok in early 2021 was the duo’s “Porch Swing Angel.” Donning a gray beanie, the then-teenaged Whiten strums his acoustic guitar while his gravelly and emotive vocals captivate viewers. It was around this time that Whiten says he found his voice. He recalls singing around the house in his early teens but was hesitant to perform in front of others. He says he always admired how Chris Young sings and paid close attention to Morgan Wallen’s ascent in country music. As a result, Whiten would spend countless hours watching Wallen’s performance videos before he decided to share his own music with the world. Whiten’s father, mother, and older twin brothers always encouraged him. “If you’re ever going to make anything out of music, you have to sing in front of people,” Whiten recalls his father’s early advice. He then suggested: “You might as well start with us.” “I’m still nervous every time I get in front of a crowd,” Whiten, whose first public performance was in October 2024 in South Carolina, says. “I think it keeps you on the edge a little bit.” Whiten spent years performing for his parents and posting cover songs online before he got his big break. After his June 2024 cover of Wallen’s “I Guess” went viral and amassed over 10 million views, managers, record labels, and publishers came calling. Within 24 hours, he was on a flight to Music City with his mother, taking meetings and being placed in writing sessions. Co-writes with Erik Dylan, Sam Ellis, Wyatt McCubbin, Taylor Phillips, and Dallas Wilson set the tone for Whiten’s new music. A 2024 cut with Bailey Zimmerman (“Holding On”) also put him on the map as a songwriter on the rise. All the while, Whiten’s solo writes continued to pick up steam. His poignant debut single “Breakin’ My Heart” and massive follow-up, “Rollin’ Stone” (31 million+ cumulative streams since its October 2024 release), highlight his prowess as a songwriter. I’m the gas, you’re the match I’m the ball, you’re the bat Girl, you’re knocking it out of the park Breakin’ my heart Even before Whiten released “Breakin’ My Heart,” he was making waves. A teaser of the track garnered over one million views on TikTok pre-release. Subsequent festival dates (CMA Fest, Country Jam) and opening slots for Whiskey Myers and Waylon Wyatt continue to showcase Whiten as an adept storyteller and engaging frontman. “I’ve always been a very lyric-based writer,” says Whiten, who wrote his first song at 14. “Sad music is my thing. It’s a lot easier to write a sad song. You can tell somebody all about pain, but you can’t show somebody what happiness is.” Songs like the heartfelt “Carolina,” written with Sam Ellis and Matt Jenkins through the lens of missing home, paint a picturesque image of Whiten’s hometown. These 615 skies don’t match your shade of blue,” he sings in his signature rasp. “You always hear about Carolina blue skies,” Whiten notes. “People say that all the time. South Carolina is a very beautiful place. Every time I get to go back there, I go.” The singer’s hometown of Six Mile is upstate South Carolina, near Clemson. Located in the top corner, right where North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee meet, Six Mile inspires his music. Whiten says all the stories and things he did as a kid are embedded within his songs. “Growing up in South Carolina, you can write about everything,” he says. “There are creeks, trucks, bonfires, storms. Country people are everywhere.” Many of these topics and themes are featured throughout Six Mile. The six-track EP was recorded and produced in Leiper’s Fork, Tennessee, at Lattitude Studio South by owner Michael Lattanzi, GRAMMY Award-winning mixer and engineer Ryan Hewitt (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tom Petty, Noah Kahan), and producer-songwriter Micah Wilshire (Jason Aldean, Tim Montana). While Six Mile introduces Whiten as a skilled singer-songwriter wise beyond his years, his new set of music sets the stage for the country newcomer’s undeniable rise to stardom. “Made For Goodbyes,” his first official release with Warner Records, embraces Whiten’s love for sad songs combined with powerhouse vocals, vivid imagery, and haunting musical accompaniment. Chasin’ your ghost like I’m walking down a dead-end road So I’m telling goodbye hello It’s these lyrics that Whiten says are his favorite in the song. It took a few writing sessions and a studio session to complete the song. “Made for Goodbyes” was written by Whiten, Nick Bailey, and Benny Negrin. Whether it’s his ear-grabbing covers or his unique original songs, listeners and music industry executives are taking notice. Whiten hopes this next set of music impacts listeners. When announcing new tour dates on social media, he writes: “Can’t wait to meet y’all and play my music and hopefully change lives.” “Music can always get you through a tough time,” Whiten says. “I prayed that I would get to meet people and do music successfully. Two months later, I was here after one video. I want to do music the way I envisioned, stay humble, and hopefully one day sell out stadiums doing it.” Nearly six years after posting his first cover song on Instagram and tens of millions of views later, Whiten is one step closer to doing exactly that.