Jake Whiskin Releases New Single ‘The Mess I’ve Made’ Ahead of Forthcoming EP

Photo Credit: Holly Whitaker

Leeds singer songwriter Jake Whiskin returns with his latest single “The Mess I’ve Made”, the final release ahead of his forthcoming EP Over The Edge, arriving on 2 October 2026. Following the recently released “Sabbath Deep Cuts”, the new track offers another glimpse into the emotional and sonic world of Jake’s upcoming project.

Centred around excess, nostalgia, heartache, bad habits and the different ways we attempt to escape ourselves, Over The Edge explores the messier sides of being human. On “The Mess I’ve Made”, Jake turns his attention to excess, regret and the negative patterns we can carve out in our own lives, using the backdrop of a relationship struggling to stay afloat beneath the weight of its consequences.

Speaking on the track, Jake explains: “‘The Mess I’ve Made’ is a song about excess, regret and the negative patterns you can carve out in your own life. This song plays out a relationship that’s struggling to stay afloat under the weight of the consequences of those patterns, but the emotional well it’s drawing from runs much deeper than just those surface issues.”

That contrast between darkness and euphoria sits at the heart of Jake’s songwriting. Across Over The Edge, vulnerable lyrics are paired with expansive, melody led arrangements, creating a sound that can feel both deeply personal and widescreen. On “The Mess I’ve Made”, that tension becomes particularly pronounced as the music mirrors the emotional cycle at the centre of the song.

Recorded in Los Angeles with James Flannigan, the track also draws from Jake’s long standing love of Americana. “It was recorded out in Los Angeles and wears its Full Moon Fever era Tom Petty influence on its sleeve,” Jake says, “but still with my Northern accent rearing its head occasionally in the vocal.”

The result is a track that feels rooted in the widescreen Americana of Jake’s influences while remaining distinctly his own. His Northern voice and contemporary approach bring a different perspective to the classic sounds that have shaped his musical identity.

Born in Leeds but raised by proxy by America, Jake traded Sunday League football for sifting through his dad’s record collection. Teaching himself to play guitar, he developed an early obsession with Nirvana and The Smashing Pumpkins before discovering the Americana of Neil Young and Tom Petty. That combination of alternative rock and Americana continues to inform his music today, where despondent, picturesque songwriting meets expansive, melody led arrangements.

Jake’s confessional approach has already built an impressive track record across streaming, radio, press, sync and live performance. His music has received significant editorial backing from Spotify in both the UK and US, including New Music Friday nine times, alongside The Most Beautiful Songs In The World, Lost in the Woods, Duvet Day, The Indie List, Hot New Bands, Garden Indie, Undercurrents, My Life Is A Movie, Fresh Finds: Pop, Fresh Finds: Rock & Folk, Fresh Finds: UK & Ireland and Modern Eclectic.

He has also been featured on Apple Music’s New Music Daily UK, with further support from YouTube tastemakers including Alex Rainbird, Indie Vibes and Ethereal. Radio support has included multiple BBC Radio 1 plays through Jack Saunders’ Future Artists, alongside ongoing backing from BBC Introducing and BBC 6 Music.

Saunders previously praised Jake’s songwriting and vocal ability, saying: “Just like Springsteen, just like Elliot Smith, just like Sam Fender. When you are blessed with a voice that sounds as good as this, there isn’t much else you need to do… Just pick up the instrument, write the songs and your voice will do the talking. Jake Whiskin feels like he’s got something real special.”

Press support has included The Independent, where Jake performed a Music Box Session, alongside DORK, Clash, Metal Magazine and more. His music has also crossed into film and television, with sync placements including Amazon Prime’s Culpa Mia, Channel 4’s Made In Chelsea and Shudder’s Little Bites. The Culpa Mia placement has since become one of his biggest streaming moments.

Live, Jake has performed at SXSW, Vestrock and Live at Leeds, most recently completing a sold out European and UK support run with Barns Courtney. It is another indication of his ability to take the intimacy of his songwriting and translate it into a compelling live setting.

Now, with “The Mess I’ve Made” marking the final preview of Over The Edge, Jake Whiskin continues to build on the sound and storytelling that have defined his journey so far. Drawing from personal experience, Americana and alternative rock, the forthcoming EP promises another deeply human chapter from an artist whose music continues to find the space between vulnerability, regret and hope.

Connect with Jake Whiskin

Spotify | Instagram | TikTok