Exzavier Whitley, an upcoming singer-songwriter, composer, and musician from Denver, has captured the hearts of fans beyond his hometown. With his original video for ‘Finally Happy’ gaining over 16k views online, Whitley’s popularity continues to grow. His 4-song EP, ‘Gone West,’ showcases his talent alongside fellow singers Lisa Von H and Helen Rae Glindemann. Notably, his singles ‘Spilled,’ ‘Where To,’ and ‘Stop Cutting’ have resonated with teenagers across the US. What sets Whitley apart is his ability to connect with young teens, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Having overcome a difficult upbringing and involvement in street violence, Whitley found solace in music and is now dedicated to building a better life through his passion.
Quick Facts
- Also Known As: Exzavier Shakur Whitley
- Age: 26 Years, 26 Year Old Males
- Height: 5’11” (180 cm), 5’11” Males
- U.S. State: Nebraska
- City: Omaha, Nebraska
Personal Life
Exzavier Whitley was born on May 24, 1997 in Denver. Not much is known about his parents and education. The popular comedian Vargus Mason is his uncle and actor Bradley Whitford is his step-cousin.
Through his social media platforms, where Whitley is moderately popular, we get the knowledge that he has been through many challenges and struggles in his young life. In his Facebook posts he often talks about his painful childhood and all that he had had to endure while growing up. Even from his soulful music and poignant lyrics we can make out that this talented singer has many painful memories. His music comes as a blessing to hordes of teens who themselves grew up in difficult circumstances. His rise to success at such an early age serves as an inspiration to youngsters that despite the challenges in your life, one can always emerge triumphant if they are determined enough.
Trivia
- Exzavier Whitley’s guitar playing style often draws comparison with that of Bruce Springsteen.
- He has a keen interest in cooking and trained for five months at Katie’s Cooking School based in Encino, California.
Career
Exzavier Whitley fell in love with music at a very tender age. Even as a school boy he used to write poems. In fact, he won an award for best poem writing in 2005 when he was in elementary school. His early life was fraught with difficulties. Writing poems was the only way he could express his sorrows and find strength to cope with all the challenges life threw at him.
Eventually he started writing lyrics. He got his first guitar in 2008 when he was 11 years old. He started playing it by himself and was soon able to play quite well, despite not receiving formal lessons.
As a young boy he experienced street violence and even faced problems with gangs. His early youth was as much, if not more, difficult as his childhood. However, by now he knew where to turn for solace: music! Hard-working and determined despite his young age, he resolved to build a respectable life for himself with the help of his musical and acting abilities.
By 2010, he had started recording short songs and snippets on his phone. Even though he was deeply into music, he was not yet confident to share his talents with the world. Around this time, he also got involved in theater work at the Inside Out Community Arts Program in Culver City. Since his uncle Vargus Mason is a professional comedian, Exzavier got the chance to appear in a short pilot named ‘Movies 4 yo broke a’ alongside his uncle.
Coming to his musical career, he started participating in stage shows and song writing contests while continually working on improving his skills on the guitar. Once he gained enough confidence, he started working with American rock band Crown of Thorns bassist Michael Paige with whose help he recorded his very first single ‘This Way.’ This song was however never released. Nonetheless, Paige was greatly impressed by the skills this young boy possessed and introduced him to the internationally renowned guitarists Micki Free and Carlos Santana.
Eventually, Whitley’s career as a musician picked up and he proceeded to release a 4-song EP called ‘Gone West’ which gained moderate attention. He has also released a standalone introductory album called ‘Backroads.’ His song ‘Drifting Away,’ featuring singer Lisa Von H was played on KCTL 93.3, Denver Colorado’s premier rock radio station. He achieved another milestone when his original performance video of his song ‘Finally Happy’ amassed over 16k views. Currently he is busy working on an upcoming acoustic folk and blues album titled ‘Oppressed’ that will feature artistes Lee Nelson, Lisa Von H, and John Bilyk alongside Whitley.
Entrepreneurship
In addition to being a singer-songwriter and a musician, this ambitious young guy is also an entrepreneur. In 2012, he launched his own media and music label OneThrone Productions LLC.