Jawny

Jacob Lee-Nicholas Sullenger (born December 23, 1995), known professionally as Jawny (stylized in all caps; formerly Johnny Utah), is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He first received recognition after the release of his 2019 single "Honeypie" and was signed to Interscope Records in January 2020. He made his major-label debut with the mixtape For Abby.

Early life and education

Sullenger was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. He first learned how to play guitar at the age of 6 and began composing songs in his early teens. He briefly attended college where he studied nursing but dropped out to pursue music. He also managed a pizzeria in New Jersey to pay bills.

Career

At the age of 20 in 2016, Sullenger moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he began making music under the alias Johnny Utah. The pseudonym was a reference to Keanu Reeves' character in the 1991 film Point Break.

In January 2018, he released a self-titled EP via Z Tapes Records. He released several more singles that year, including "Folding Like Honey", "Patty", and "Crazy for Your Love". His songs also appeared on Spotify's "Bedroom Pop" playlist. In November 2018, the tracks were compiled by Z Tapes Records into a second EP entitled Big Dogs.

In April 2019, he released the single "Honeypie", which was later featured on Spotify's "Fresh Finds" and "Ultimate Indie" playlists. That exposure led to the song accruing millions of streams on the platform.

Sullenger was signed to Interscope Records in January 2020 and around that time changed his stage name to Jawny, a reference to a Philadelphia slang term. He also relocated to Los Angeles, California.

In February 2020, he released the single "Anything You Want". He released his Interscope debut project, For Abby, in October 2020. Jawny described the 10-track project as a mixtape rather than an EP. One of the collection's singles, "Sabotage", premiered at number 34 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart in January 2021.