Country artist Dylan Jakobsen saw the light in a disheartening situation when he wrote his song “Six,” which appears on his latest project, Set Fire To The Night. Today, the fast rising singer is premiering the music video for the track that embraces nostalgia and a lot of emotions in one sitting.
Ahead of his complete 2021 project, the Washington native released two country radio singles that showcased his abilities as a songwriter: “In America” and “I Am,” which almost earned him a spot in the Top 15 on Music Row for the first time in his career.
As a newcomer in the music industry, reaching any goal, no matter how big or small, is a reason to celebrate. Being so close to achieving something that you set your mind to and then losing it in the blink of an eye can be devastating. Jakobsen experienced this pain first hand when his 2019 song, “I Am,” was dropped from a radio station’s playlist for a week. This small decision had a major impact on Jakobsen as it left him six spins short from claiming a spot in the Top 15.
He found himself feeling so hopeful sitting in the Top 40 on Billboard before realizing it wasn’t meant to be this time around. It may not have turned out the way that he envisioned, but in the end he felt inspiration to write a new song, which ended up being called “Six,” after the lost spins.
“’Six’ is a special one for me and one that I’m very proud of,” Jakobsen told Music Mayhem.
“The cool thing is though, it not only gave me the idea for this song ‘Six,’ but it developed into a whole deeper meaning behind the number,” he continued. “How it’s played a role in my life in so many ways over the years, in a nostalgic and positive way. In the verses, talking about youth with the ages 6 and 16, there’s this very intimate, small stage spotlight feel. The chorus is the exact opposite; like the doors burst open and suddenly you’re standing in an arena immersed in the rock anthem of my 26th year.”
The music video, directed and shot by Matt Bacnis of Classic 77, takes place in Capitol Theatre in Lebanon, TN, a venue built in 1949. Sitting with his guitar, bright lights from the old videos flash behind him. Jakobsen finds himself reminiscing on his life, as a young 6-year-old, followed by footage of each phase of his life and his career. He looks at the images unfolding before him, singing this powerful song and wishing he could “go back in time,” as he sings in the chorus. The heartfelt video begins and ends with the original dialogue from the home videos, showcasing a young Jakobsen’s passion for music that’s already shining through.
“We believe it was the perfect location to capture the raw emotion and energy of the song,” he said. “The fact that we were able to have home video footage put together on the big screen behind me while performing, made for something really remarkable. Everyone involved in this video did an incredible job of putting it together and I’m excited for it to finally be seen!”
Set Fire To The Night was released on June 29, 2021, via Silver Dog Records. The collection of songs featured on this record portrays a positive outlook on life and embracing the ability to do what you choose with the opportunities that are presented to you.
“I don’t think I fully realized it at the time, but I think in all the songs I was writing for Set Fire To The Night, I was subconsciously finding ways to cope with everything going on in society,” Jakobsen admitted. “I needed to be able to step back and say ‘hey, there may be some crazy stuff going on, but I think with the right outlook and a clear headspace, it can make a world of difference. How can I take this negative situation that I have little to no control over and turn it into something hopeful, something motivational,’” he asked himself. “With ‘Six,’ that shows when I think about what the original song idea was and what it morphed into through the writing process.”
Jakobsen took to social media at the beginning of the year to tease that the process of putting together his next album has already begun.
