Whitcomb was born inPeace River, Alberta, but raised in Nanaimo, British Columbia.[4] Growing up, he primarily listened torap music, includingEminem,Swollen Members, andMadchild.[5] Around the age of seventeen, Whitcomb left home and moved toKamloops, where he began working on theTrans Mountain Pipeline.[4] Around the same time, his brother introduced him toJohnny Cash, and Whitcomb subsequently began singing after becoming a fan ofTyler Childers.[5] At nineteen, while continuing to work on the pipeline, Whitcomb began to postkaraoke videos of himself singing onReddit.[6]
In 2022, anAmerican Idol executive found a video of Whitcomb singing onReddit and reached out to him.[7] He subsequently competed onseason 20 of the show, and reached the top 20 of the competition before being eliminated.[8][9] Whitcomb decided to seriously pursue a career in music after exiting the show.[10]
In 2023, Whitcomb released the song "Shoot Me Dead".[11] He then signed a record deal withAtlantic Records and released the song "Rocking Chair" in May 2024.[12] In July 2024, Whitcomb released the single "Quitter". The song was sent to radio formats in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia, and later became his first charting entry on the all-genreCanadian Hot 100.[2][13][14] He released his debut extended play, also titledQuitter on September 27, 2024.[15] In November 2024, Whitcomb released the song "Medusa".[16] He embarked on his headlining "Quitter Tour" throughout late 2024 and early 2025 in the United States and Canada.[17][18] Whitcomb released the song "Hundred Mile High" in January 2025, and he is set to return to the U.S. on his "Hundred Mile High Tour" in March and April 2025.[19][20] In March 2025, he released the song "Options".[21] In the spring of 2025, he released the songs "Bad Apple" and "Gasoline & Matches".[22] In September 2025, Whitcomb performed at the2025 Canadian Country Music Association Awards, where he tied for the most nominations with six in total, and won Breakthrough Artist or Group of the Year and the Fans' Choice Award.[23][24]
Whitcomb released his debut albumThe Hard Way on September 26, 2025.[25] He is set to supportHardy's "Country! Country! Tour" in North America in early 2026.[26] In May 2026, Whitcomb will head toAustralia andNew Zealand for his headlining "The Hard Way Tour".[27] He is nominated for five awards at theJuno Awards of 2026, including for Album of the Year and Juno Fan Choice.[28]
Whitcomb admitted in an interview that he has struggled withaddiction since he was twelve years old.[5] His song "Quitter" was inspired by his battle with addiction, and becoming sober.[5] Whitcomb currently lives inPort Alberni, British Columbia.[29]
