Jake & Shelby are the new band stealing hearts and playlist spots.

Originally from Nashville, the duo has already had a whirlwind of a career. From coordinating a video for Khloe Kardashian's birthday party to singing with Michael Bublé, they've been recognised by fans and celebrities alike. Luckily for us, they aren't done creating. With frequent releases, listeners aren't forced to sit and wait for the next drop; most recently, Jake & Shelby released 'Shut Up and Kiss Me,' a song tailor-made for rom-coms and doe-eyed daydreaming.

Knight from Management

In this exclusive article with The Teen Magazine, Jake & Shelby reflected on their school group beginnings, musical inspirations, and words of advice.

Their Beginnings

The duo wasn't brought together by producers or agents. Instead, Jake & Shelby met by playing in a school cover band. Meanwhile, they were also singing in the same a cappella group. Surprisingly, it wasn't love at first song; they barely spoke due to the two-year age gap.

Eventually, they partnered up to sing Madison Cunningham's 'Pin It Down,' and the ball started rolling. Jake wanted to get into songwriting, and his dad pushed him to write with Shelby. They started writing every Friday for a year, becoming friends through the process, and finally became an official duo.

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'Made it' Moments and New Skills

When I asked if they had experienced any 'Made it Moments,' they were both quick to answer. Shelby told me that the memory was singing with Michael Bublé after covering his song 'Sway.' Their cover, posted on TikTok, led them to find themselves backstage at Bridgestone in Nashville, Tennessee.

Shelby said, "Just being backstage alone, that was already a huge deal for me cause I had never done that before." She followed it with a more personal remark about the famous singer, saying that she appreciated "the way that he made us feel so at home, like just talking to him was just really cool too."

Bridgestone was big for Jake & Shelby for a lot of reasons, another one being the realization of just how many people were following their growth on social media. The area hosts 20,000 people, and they have significantly more followers. They said that "it really put it into perspective."

When turning a passion into a career, you need to pick up some unexpected skills. Jake & Shelby really emphasized communication. Both of them are self-admittedly shy, so the constant communication with their team, each other, and any other necessary parties has been a struggle they've learned to overcome.

Luckily, the social aspect of their professions has been more of a blessing than a curse. They talked about how much they love meeting fans and how supportive their team is. It's been a learning journey, but one that they're grateful to have been on.

On Tour Necessities

For the superstitious people in the world, something like a pre-show ritual is essential. Jake & Shelby completely agree. Besides warming up, the duo also has a handshake they perform before every show. Jake said that "it helps [them] just feel like we're having fun and get loose."

This habit started at the very beginning of their partnership. While packing up after playing at a family friend's birthday party, they decided that they needed a handshake. Since then, it's stuck with them as they've grown in popularity.

Meleika from Management

In terms of material objects, Jake & Shelby agree that mints are an on-tour necessity. Their last tour had long days, long nights, and a long time on the road. When you're constantly moving and playing, it's easy to catch some bad breath. To combat that, they both keep mints in their tour bags for after-show conversations.

Obsessions and Inspirations

Sometimes it's important to learn the personalities behind the albums; Jake & Shelby shared their recent non-musical obsessions to keep us all in the loop. For Jake, it was Motts Applesauce. Specifically, the mini organic ones.

For anyone, food hyperfixations are no joke, so he said he eats one or two a day. Shelby took a different route and went with organisation. She said that since touring, she's been obsessed with keeping her apartment clean and peaceful.

Inspirations are essential for any creative, so I asked the duo what songs they wish they had written. Shelby chose Waiting Room by Phoebe Bridgers. Her reasoning was: "Just the way that she was able to portray just what it feels like to be so deeply in love with someone and just have so much desperation to be with them." She talked about the beautiful metaphors laced throughout the lyrics.

Jake chose Role Model's newest album: Kansas Anymore. He said any of the tracks would fit the criteria, but he specifically pointed out 'Writings on the Wall.' He said that it was such an incredible opening song for an album, and how it set the rest of the album up perfectly.

All of their choices had me nodding my head in aggressive agreement. With such incredible inspirations, it's no wonder that Jake & Shelby's music is so hard-hitting.

Pieces of Advice

As rising stars, Jake & Shelby have had to learn a lot along the way. They said that before they joined the creative industry, they wished someone had told them to make sure they're staying inspired and not comparing themselves to other artists. Jake said, "It's really easy to get caught up in just like the daily grind. And that's a good thing, but it's easy to forget to actually just listen to music or to go to a show just to enjoy it." They both agreed that they do their best work whenever inspired.

Knight from Management

In terms of what they would advise young artists, they repeated their sentiments on inspiration. They also said that it's important to be willing to grow and learn. New musicians should understand that it's normal to want to be perfect, but it's okay to ask questions and to fail.

They said, "Just go out there and be ready for that. When you're ready, you can learn, and it can be fun. There's joy in that."

"Shut Up and Kiss Me"

I got a chance to listen to Jake & Shelby's newest single, "Shut Up and Kiss Me," before it was released. I also got a sneak peek at the music video, which definitely belongs in a rom-com.

When creating that song, Jake said that they had been listening to a lot of Role Model and felt compelled to make something fun. They started with the guitar part and came up with the rest through a brainstorming session. They said it "honestly came out of nowhere, but it felt so fun."

Now, "Shut Up and Kiss Me" is available on all streaming platforms, and the music video can be found here.

Follow Jake & Shelby's Rise to Stardom

I was so honored to interview Jake & Shelby. They were truly so sweet and open: traits that are reflected in their music. To keep following the duo's growth, check out their website, Instagram, and stream their music under Jake & Shelby on all streaming platforms.

Make sure to pre-save their debut album!