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Corbyn Besson, former member of American boyband Why Don’t We, is still very much in the game. The group officially ended in 2025, a verdict that shocked Besson’s identity as he struggled to understand who he was or who he wanted to be. “I didn’t know anything in the industry besides being part of something bigger than myself,” explains Besson.

With inspiration from big names like Justin Timberlake, Bieber, Chris Brown, and Michael Jackson, Besson started writing music and trying to find a version of that energy that truly felt like him. “Tenroc started a drum loop, played some synths, and pretty quickly we had the chorus melody,” Besson continues. “That was one of those light-bulb moments where I was like, This is super different than anything I’ve done before—but it feels really sick. That song became the catalyst for the whole EP.”

For Besson, his goal is always to write his next favorite song. If he’s not listening to his own music more than the world’s music, then it’s not good enough yet. But his newest EP “Head First” shows he’s hit that mark.

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Before the charts, the tours, and the arena crowds, what first pulled you toward music—and when you look back now, what part of that early spark still lives inside you?

I was forced to take piano lessons when I was in kindergarten or first grade, like a lot of kids are. My mom went to college for music theory, and my dad grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana, which is a very musically rich city. So I think since birth there has been a little bit of music in my bones. When I really started taking music seriously was around age 12. My parents bought me my first electric guitar because I was playing a lot of Guitar Hero and I was pretty good. So I stopped playing piano to start playing guitar because I thought it was cooler and I thought the girls would like it more. I regret quitting piano at that time, because piano is way more versatile for creating music—but I still have some muscle memory.

Then Justin Bieber came onto the map around that time, doing big things as a young kid close to my age. I really gravitated to his music and started wondering if that was something I could do. I started singing in Call of Duty lobbies on Xbox as a joke, and people online started telling me I was actually pretty good. So I picked up my dad’s acoustic guitar—this old $99 guitar—and started learning Bieber songs, Shawn Mendes, Ed Sheeran…just learning to sing and play. Eventually I got decent and realized this could really be a thing for me. I’ve always loved pop music since I was very young, and I guess it found its way into my heart and into my life.

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Growing up in the public eye as part of Why Don’t We shaped so much of your creative life. At what point did you start feeling curious about who Corbyn might sound like on his own?

Low-key, I think I’d always been thinking about it. When you’re in a band, you’re focused on making the band the biggest and best it can be—but there’s always that thought in the back of your head about what happens when it ends. With boy bands, there’s usually a shelf life.

I dropped some records in 2024 that are good songs, but they’re not who I am now. There’s been a lot of growth and a lot of conversations about trusting your gut. I worked with some amazing people and got really good advice. Once the light bulb clicked that I could really be whoever I wanted to be, that’s when the EP started coming together…I kind of just let go and let the universe take the reins.

Your debut EP, Head First, just dropped this January 16th. Was there a moment during the process when you realized this project was unlocking a new side of you?

Yeah—definitely. It was when we wrote “Tied Up”. That was the first song for the project. I went into the studio with Tenroc, who produced five out of the six songs on the EP. And then I worked a bunch with the producer Hit-Boy, whose rap and R&B discography is legendary. And so I was nervous going into the studio that day because I had never really worked with people like that before. We talked about pushing boundaries and being okay with being uncomfortable, because that’s how you grow. And I think for a little while I was searching for comfort in music because the rest of my life was a little bit uncomfortable.

**Left:**
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**Right:**
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The EP carries a feel-good, R&B-pop energy that feels warm and nostalgic. What kind of emotional space were you hoping listeners would land in when they press play?

Life is pretty good for me right now—I’m pretty happy. My goal was to make music that makes people want to dance. I want people smiling, dancing in their kitchens, just feeling good. There’s always room for sad songs, but I wanted my debut moment to feel joyful. There’s not enough dancing in the industry right now, especially on the male side. I just think there's something so special and fun about going out to dance with your friends. It's very primal, it's very human. So I just wanted to kind of convey that energy with my music…it seems like people are really enjoying it. So seeing all that feedback after living with these songs for so long has been really, really tight.

Across various collaborations with artists like Jeremih, Hit-Boy, Tenroc, and Trevor Muzzy, you worked with very different musical approaches. What did you learn about staying true to your own voice through those collaborations?

They were really good at asking me what my vision was and helping bring that to life. I wanted their sauce and flair on the tracks, but the intention was always: What do we want people to feel? What's going on in my life that feels like it's worth writing a song about?

The best part of music is collaboration—being in the room with people who love it as much as you do and aren’t afraid to tell you if an idea is terrible or amazing. My goal is always to write my next favorite song. If I’m not listening to my own music more than the world’s music, then I feel like it’s not good enough yet.

How do the outfits you choose, onstage or off, reflect the artist and person you’ve become in this new chapter?

Yeah, for sure. I’ve always had a thing with fashion. It's the first impression—it’s expression. It’s art you get to wear. Even when I was in my boy band, I started dressing pretty loud from a young age. I love baggier stuff, blazers with sneakers, fitted hats. I try to match my image with the music I make. I have a big shopping addiction, so that helps—but hurts.

Releasing songs like “Tied Up” and “Summer,” and then stepping onstage at Lollapalooza with Two Friends, introduced fans to you in a new live context. How did those moments reshape your confidence as a performer on your own?

Huge. Especially Lollapalooza. Two Friends, they've been so good to me. And they play such big shows. I hadn’t performed in four or five years. So getting back on stage was a big reminder: This is what I do. Right before going out, my in-ears cut out—no sound, no mic, nothing. I walked out in front of 30,000 people basically blind. I was like, All right, we’re winging this. Thankfully it turned out great, but for 20 seconds I thought it might be a train wreck. And it wasn't, we pulled through.

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Now that Head First has been released, what do you hope longtime fans hear in this music that maybe they haven’t heard from you before?

I hope they’re able to connect with me in these records. And I hope they find a little bit of themselves in them too. I want the songs to add light to their lives and give them an escape. Some of my best memories are tied to the music I was listening to—and I hope these songs become that for them

When you imagine where this new chapter could lead—musically, personally, even spiritually—what does “going head first” mean to you now?

This EP is my first real dive into the industry as a solo artist. It’s my confession to the world: This is who I am and this is what I do, and I’m not holding anything back. Either get on the train or get out of the way. I started working on this over a year ago, and now it’s just the first step. We’ll be touring—probably the whole world this year. I’ve been sitting at home doing laundry for too long. And I’m not built for that.

CREW CREDITS

Talent: Corbyn Besson
PhotoBook Editor-In-Chief: Alison Hernon
PhotoBook Creative Director + Photographer + Producer: Mike Ruiz
Fashion Stylist: Alison Hernon at Exclusive Artists
Groomer: Francis Rodriguez
Set Design: Jasin Cadic
Photo Assistant: Dani Sax
Assistant Fashion Stylist: Sabrina Diaz
Fashion Stylist Intern: Christian Jeanty
Tearsheets by Daniel López, Art Director, PhotoBook Magazine
Interview by Brya Sheridan, Assistant to Editor-in-Chief, PhotoBook Magazine
Studio: LOFT ELEVEN TEN

How Corbyn Besson Went From Singing in Call of Duty Lobbies to His Newest EP, ‘Head First’