Daniel Seavey

Season 14 · Eliminated (9th)

Where are they now

As of 2026

Daniel Seavey, a season 14 finalist, was a founding member of Why Don't We from September 27, 2016 until the band ended on February 27, 2025. The band's albums 8 Letters and The Good Times and the Bad Ones debuted at numbers 9 and 3 on the Billboard 200. His solo album Second Wind was released on March 7, 2025, and reached number 7 on the ARIA albums chart dated March 17, 2025.⁠[1][2][3][4][5]

Key figures

Known for

  1. 8 LettersWhy Don't WeSingle · 2018⁠[6][7]
  2. Trust Fund BabyWhy Don't WeSingle · 2018⁠[6][7]
  3. Big PlansWhy Don't WeSingle · 2019⁠[2][6]
  4. I Don't Belong in This ClubWhy Don't WeSingle · 2019⁠[2]
  5. What Am IWhy Don't WeSingle · 2019⁠[2]
  6. Fallin' (Adrenaline)Why Don't WeSingle · 2020⁠[6]

Career

During or around the show

  1. 2015In the summer of 2015, Daniel Seavey opened for Harry Connick Jr.⁠[1]

After the show

  1. 2016Daniel Seavey was a founding member of Why Don't We, formed on September 27, 2016. The band ended with the February 27, 2025 verdict.Why Don't We⁠[1][2]September 27, 2016 – February 27, 2025
  1. 2017Daniel Seavey co-wrote all five songs on the Why Don't We EP Why Don't We Just, released June 2, 2017.⁠[1]June 2, 2017
  1. 2018Why Don't We released the album 8 Letters on August 31, 2018, through Signature Entertainment and Atlantic in the United States.Why Don't We⁠[3]August 31, 2018
  2. 20188 Letters debuted at number nine on the Billboard 200. The chart is dated September 15, 2018.Why Don't We⁠[3][10]September 15, 2018
  1. 2020Fallin' (Adrenaline) debuted at number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100.Why Don't We⁠[2]
  1. 2021The Good Times and the Bad Ones debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200.Why Don't We⁠[4][11]
  2. 2021Daniel Seavey co-wrote, co-produced, and played instruments on all 10 songs on The Good Times and the Bad Ones.⁠[1]January 15, 2021
  3. 2021Why Don't We released The Good Times and the Bad Ones on January 15, 2021, through Signature Entertainment and Atlantic.Why Don't We⁠[4]January 15, 2021
  1. 2022Daniel Seavey released the single Can We Pretend That We're Good? in 2022. Sources give two release dates, September 30 and November 25, 2022.⁠[1][12]
  2. 2022On July 6, 2022, Why Don't We announced a hiatus and cancelled the tour.Why Don't We⁠[2]July 6, 2022
  1. 2023Daniel Seavey released the EP Dancing in the Dark on August 11, 2023, on Atlantic.⁠[1]August 11, 2023
  2. 2023The Dancing in the Light tour was announced to begin in October 2023, with 23 stops across North America.⁠[1]October 2023
  1. 2024Dean Lewis and Daniel Seavey released the promotional single Fix You in 2024.⁠[1]
  2. 2024In 2024 Daniel Seavey supported Benson Boone's European dates in June and Dean Lewis's Epilogue World Tour in October.⁠[1]June 2024 – October 2024
  1. 2025In January 2025, Daniel Seavey announced the Second Wind Tour with the album.⁠[1]January 2025
  2. 2025Daniel Seavey released the album Second Wind on March 7, 2025, on Atlantic.⁠[1][13]March 7, 2025
  3. 2025Second Wind reached number 7 on the ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart dated March 17, 2025.⁠[1][5]March 17, 2025
  1. 2026In 2026 Daniel Seavey released the singles Time to Time (Annie), Love's a Gun, and Dream Crusher.⁠[1]

Discography

TitleTypeYearLabelRIAA certificationU.S. sales
Only the Beginning⁠[2]Why Don't WeEP2016
Something Different⁠[2][14]Why Don't WeEP2017
Why Don't We Just⁠[2][14]Why Don't WeEP2017
Invitation⁠[2]Why Don't WeEP2017
A Why Don't We Christmas⁠[2][14]Why Don't WeEP2017
Trust Fund Baby⁠[6][14]Why Don't WeSingle2018Gold⁠[6][7]
8 Letters⁠[3][6]Why Don't WeSingle2018Platinum⁠[6][7]
8 Letters⁠[3][14]Why Don't WeAlbum2018Atlantic Records
Big Plans⁠[2][14]Why Don't WeSingle2019Gold⁠[2][6]
I Don't Belong in This Club⁠[2][14]Why Don't WeSingle2019Gold⁠[2]
What Am I⁠[2]Why Don't WeSingle2019Gold⁠[2]
Fallin' (Adrenaline)⁠[2][14]Why Don't WeSingle2020Gold⁠[6]
The Good Times and the Bad Ones⁠[4][14]Why Don't WeAlbum2021Atlantic Records
Can We Pretend That We're Good?⁠[1][12]Single2022
Dancing in the Dark⁠[1][12]EP2023Atlantic Records
Second Wind⁠[1][12][13]Album2025Atlantic Records

Awards

Checked October 8, 2026; none found.

Data notes

  1. a. Certified single units (RIAA)
    • Not counted: Trust Fund Baby. Credited to Why Don't We. The membership role (founding member) does not name the lead vocalist.⁠[6][14]
    • Not counted: 8 Letters. Credited to Why Don't We. The membership role (founding member) does not name the lead vocalist.⁠[3][6]
    • Not counted: Big Plans. Credited to Why Don't We. The membership role (founding member) does not name the lead vocalist.⁠[2][14]
    • Not counted: I Don't Belong in This Club. Credited to Why Don't We. The membership role (founding member) does not name the lead vocalist.⁠[2][14]
    • Not counted: What Am I. Credited to Why Don't We. The membership role (founding member) does not name the lead vocalist.⁠[2]
    • Not counted: Fallin' (Adrenaline). Credited to Why Don't We. The membership role (founding member) does not name the lead vocalist.⁠[2][14]
    • Why Don't We band total: 3,500,000 certified single units. It belongs to the band and is not counted here.⁠[2][6][7]

Sources

14 sources

  1. Daniel Seavey — Wikipedia, updated September 22, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 7, 2026.
    Cited parts (8)
    • Lead: “'''Daniel James Seavey''' (born April 2, 1999)”
    • Second Wind: “Released: March 7, 2025”
    • Singles, 2026: “|"Time to Time (Annie)"”
    • Lead sentence: “born April 2, 1999”
    • Infobox, Born line (birth_date): {{Birth date and age|1999|04|02}}
    • Dancing in the Dark: “Released: August 11, 2023”
    • Solo album and EP details: “Label: [[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]]”
    • After American Idol: “a short stint as the opening act for [[Harry Connick Jr.|Harry Connick Jr]]. on his summer 2015 tour”
  2. Why Don't We (Wikipedia revision 1376171699) — Wikipedia, updated September 22, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 8, 2026.
    Cited parts (8)
    • History: “The band originally formed on September 27, 2016”
    • Dissolution: “With this verdict, the band officially ended.”
    • Big Plans: “a gold certification from the [[Recording Industry Association of America|RIAA]] in April 2020.”
    • I Don't Belong in This Club: “It was certified gold by the RIAA in August 2020.”
    • What Am I: “The song was certified gold by the RIAA in June of the following year.”
    • 2017: “In September 2017, the band signed with [[Atlantic Records]].”
    • 2016-2017: “The band originally formed on September 27, 2016”
    • past members: “*[[Daniel Seavey]]”
  3. 8 Letters (Why Don't We album) (Wikipedia revision 1338412745) — Wikipedia, updated February 15, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 8, 2026.
    Cited parts (5)
    • Commercial performance: “debuted at number nine on the US [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]”
    • Lead: “by Signature Entertainment & [[Atlantic Records]] in the United States”
    • Lead: “The album was released on August 31, 2018, by Signature Entertainment & [[Atlantic Records]] in the United States”
    • Commercial performance: “dated September 15, 2018.”
    • Singles: “single3date = August 19, 2018”
  4. The Good Times and the Bad Ones (Wikipedia revision 1345497942) — Wikipedia, updated March 26, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 8, 2026.
    Cited parts (4)
    • Lead: “debuted at number 3 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]”
    • Lead: “by Signature Entertainment & [[Atlantic Records]].”
    • Commercial performance: “The album debuted at number three on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]”
    • Lead: “The album was released on January 15, 2021, by Signature Entertainment & [[Atlantic Records]].”
  5. ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart, 17 March 2025 — ARIA, published March 17, 2025. Official record. Retrieved October 8, 2026.
    Cited parts (4)
    • Chart date: “17 March 2025”
    • Title: “ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart”
    • Rank 7: “Second Wind”
    • Rank 7 artist: “Daniel Seavey”
  6. Why Don't We discography (Wikipedia revision 1336878412) — Wikipedia, updated February 6, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 8, 2026.
    Cited parts (8)
    • 8 Letters single certifications: “RIAA: Platinum”
    • Trust Fund Baby certifications: “RIAA: Gold”
    • Big Plans certifications: “RIAA: Gold”
    • Fallin' (Adrenaline) certifications: “RIAA: Gold”
    • Extended plays, Only the Beginning: “Only the Beginning”
    • Extended plays, Only the Beginning: “Released: November 25, 2016”
    • Extended plays, Only the Beginning: “Label: Signature”
    • Singles, 2018: “"[[Trust Fund Baby (song)|Trust Fund Baby]]"”
  7. Gold & Platinum - Why Don't We — RIAA. Official record. Cited by another source; not opened by our researchers.
    Cited parts (2)
    • Certification cite. Not an award date.: “Gold & Platinum - Why Don't We”
    • Certification cite, access-date 2020-12-02. Not an award date.: “Gold & Platinum - Why Don't We”
  8. List of American Idol finalists — Wikipedia, updated June 10, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (1)
    • Contestants table, row Daniel Seavey: Season 14, Place finish 9th
  9. American Idol season 14 — Wikipedia, updated July 21, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (1)
    • Top 8 – Kelly Clarkson section; Elimination chart, row Daniel Seavey: Pl. 9, Top 9 column (dated 4/2); ratings table, episode 23 Top 8 Perform, April 1: “Daniel Seavey performed "Breakaway," but he lost the Twitter vote and was eliminated.”
  10. Why Don't We Scores First Top 10 Album on Billboard 200 Chart With 8 Letters — Billboard. News report. Cited by another source; not opened by our researchers.
    Cited parts (1)
    • Cite on the 8 Letters commercial-performance paragraph
  11. Billboard 200 chart report, January 24, 2021 — Billboard. News report. Cited by another source; not opened by our researchers.
    Cited parts (1)
    • Cite on the album's commercial-performance paragraph
  12. MusicBrainz release groups for Daniel Seavey — MusicBrainz. Release database. Retrieved October 8, 2026.
    Cited parts (4)
    • Release group 60d16e67-db88-4f33-809d-cd9cb65a91ab: "title":"Can We Pretend That We’re Good?"
    • Release group 60d16e67-db88-4f33-809d-cd9cb65a91ab: "first-release-date":"2022-11-25"
    • Release group: "id":"66154a0b-44e9-4b3b-af55-73aa557c0658"
    • Release group: "id":"59c4ff8d-c587-48b7-a673-9d3da372b8be"
  13. Daniel Seavey Announces Debut Album, Second Wind — Rolling Stone, published January 27, 2025. News report. Retrieved October 8, 2026.
    Cited parts (2)
    • January 27, 2025 announcement: “out March 7”
    • Announcement: “out March 7”
  14. MusicBrainz release groups for Why Don't We — MusicBrainz. Release database. Retrieved October 8, 2026.
    Cited parts (8)
    • Release group: "id":"9a885f5d-429a-4a2f-881a-95c70634b671"
    • Release group: "id":"3042e5ba-baa9-4633-aad7-5b83914f9846"
    • Release group: "id":"2b75e126-e50d-44c8-addb-dbaa6d64c177"
    • Release group: "id":"4e7b80f5-a56a-4e2c-9eba-8843af177c7c"
    • Release group: "id":"bfa358cc-31c5-48c1-8930-ccd107aa8a7b"
    • Release group: "id":"5e8f3711-c08e-41a5-a2a8-3f7cc24e8f89"
    • Release group: "id":"b1d3af78-b821-4e2f-82ec-295c570b5af9"
    • Release group: "id":"d68c3463-d72f-4f7b-a2e9-a02fa6ac336c"

How figures are chosen · Compare Daniel Seavey with others

Other season 14 finalists

Season 14: all finalists and their careers · Semifinalists