I have been in mourning recently, but not the type of mourning you readers are thinking. Rather, I’ve been mourning an integral part of my adolescence. On Feb. 27, the boy band formerly known as Why Don’t We and one of the greatest obsessions of my teen years sadly lost a lawsuit against their former management company, Signature Entertainment. The band, which disbanded in 2022 due to the legal battle, lost official rights to their name and all their music. 

In a joint statement, all members of the band — Jonah Marais, Daniel Seavey, Zach Herron, Corbyn Besso and Jack Avery  — signed as “formerly known as Why Don’t We.” Seeing that sentence was like a nail in the coffin to not only the band but all the memories in which I had obsessed over them.  

I had never been a big boy band girl — which, if you know me, is quite surprising. I somehow avoided the One Direction frenzy that swept the nation during my childhood and thought I was in the clear after that. Flash forward to 2021. I was a freshman in high school, spending half my days at home during the pandemic. I was lonely and anxious trying to find my footing in an unfamiliar environment. When I am feeling overly stressed in my daily life, I usually find something to obsess over which helps distract my mind from daily stressors. So, in the second half of my freshman year, I was the perfect amount of stressed and overwhelmed that I was in dire need of an obsession.  

One of my best friends has been a fan of Why Don’t We since their beginnings in 2016. After a bit of a break, the band announced that they would be releasing new music. My friend introduced me to their new song, “Falling,” and I almost instantaneously became obsessed. I honestly couldn’t even tell you why, but there was something about the band that I just immediately fell in love with.  

From then on, I went on a deep dive. There was never a moment when I wasn’t listening to their music. I watched every single TikTok and YouTube interview with the band — my screen time skyrocketed as my obsession grew. I spent late nights staying up watching music video premieres and even woke myself up at 3 a.m. on New Year’s Day to watch their performance live. With the promise of a new album, the excitement only grew.  

After months of waiting, their new album “The Good Times and the Bad Ones” finally came out, and I spent hours analyzing and gushing over the new music. The album became the soundtrack to my life, as I would play the songs on the drive to swim practices and school each day. Following the album, the band announced that they were going to go on tour, and I immediately began dreaming about being able to see them in person. My dreams of going to see them in person were immediately squashed when the band announced that they would have to cancel their tour due to their legal battles. Following the cancellation, the band went on a hiatus, leaving me heartbroken.  

Sitting here almost four years later and hearing the news that Why Don’t We is officially over left me devastated. Although my obsession faded over time, I am so thankful for Why Don’t We for giving me comfort during an uncomfortable time in my life. What really saddens me with this entire situation is the fact that all the blood, sweat and tears that the boys put into creating a brand and music was stolen from them.  

Seavey, my favorite member, wrote in a statement about his devastation with losing ownership over his music, “I have to face the reality that songs I poured my heart into — songs about love, heartbreak, my deepest anxieties and struggles with self-worth, are not mine.” To pour your heart into something and have it wrongfully taken away is saddening.  

I’ve always been the creative type, always drawing, writing and playing music growing up. To create art, to write or to compose a musical piece is to take a piece of yourself and put it on full display. Through your art, you feel like you have borne your soul, showing others a hidden part of yourself. That’s why I can understand the devastation the band must be feeling right now, having such intimate pieces of themselves taken away.  

Especially now since I have written more in college, I love showing different sides of myself through my work. I pour every emotion into my writing as it is something I am so incredibly passionate about. From small school assignments to blog posts, my writing is so personal to me and is something I cherish. If someone else were to take ownership of a piece that I am so deeply proud of, I would be in total disarray. The Why Don’t We lawsuit was extremely eye-opening to me in realizing just how connected I am to these creative aspects of my life.  

While the end of Why Don’t We will forever be heartbreaking, I am so grateful for my insane obsession and the impact their music has had on me. During a pivotal period of my life, their band was a source of comfort to me when I needed it most. So, although their name and work may have been taken from them, they can never take away all the memories they have given their fans, including myself.  

This situation has also reinforced just how deeply personal creativity is, whether it’s music, art or even writing. It has also reaffirmed my own commitment to protecting and valuing my creative voice, as it truly is a special part of me.