Jacob Sartorius, born Rolf Jacob Sartorius on October 2, 2002, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is an American singer, songwriter, and internet personality. He rose to fame through lip-sync videos on Musical.ly and Vine before launching a music career with his debut single “Sweatshirt” in 2016.
Google named him the ninth most searched musical artist of 2016.
Who is Jacob Sartorius?
Jacob Sartorius is an American pop singer and social media personality who first built a following through lip-sync and comedy videos on Vine and Musical.ly.
His debut single “Sweatshirt” placed him on the Billboard Hot 100 and introduced him to a global fanbase in 2016.
He releases music across multiple streaming platforms and has put out six extended plays since 2017. His labels have included T3 Music Group, RCA Records, and Crazy Cool.
Jacob has also been open about his personal struggles with bullying and mental health, using his social media presence to speak up on behalf of young fans facing similar experiences. That willingness to be publicly vulnerable has shaped his relationship with his audience from the beginning.
He has also acted on screen. His film credit on IMDb includes The Loneliest Boy in the World, where he played the character Kurt.
Early Life of Jacob Sartorius
Jacob Sartorius was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and shortly after birth was adopted by Patricia (Pat) Sartorius and Rolf Sartorius. His biological parents were unable to care for him, so his adoptive family raised him in Reston, Virginia.
His adoptive father, Rolf Sartorius, is the founding partner and President and CEO of Social Impact (SI), a Virginia-based consulting firm focused on international development. Rolf also previously taught Foreign Service at Georgetown University and worked at the World Bank.
His adoptive mother, Pat Sartorius, has been central to managing his career and social media accounts from the early days of his online presence. She appeared in several of his Vine videos.
Jacob has an older sister named Caroline Sartorius, who has also gained some social media visibility. He has publicly shared that he loves his adoptive family deeply, and has spoken about adoption in interviews and YouTube videos.
At age seven, he began acting in musicals in Reston, which is where his love of performing first took hold. He has also spoken publicly about experiencing bullying during his school years, changing schools three times in 2015 after being verbally attacked by classmates.
Jacob Sartorius Age
Jacob Sartorius is 23 years old as of 2026, born on October 2, 2002. His zodiac sign is Libra. He released his debut single “Sweatshirt” at just 13 years old, making him one of the youngest artists to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 that year.
Jacob Sartorius Ethnicity and Nationality
Jacob Sartorius holds American nationality, having been born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is of white American ethnicity, and his adoptive family is also American.
His birth name, Rolf, is a family tradition shared with his adoptive father and grandfather. He has been open about preferring to go by Jacob professionally and has joked in interviews that the name “doesn’t define who you are.”
Jacob Sartorius Height and Weight
Jacob Sartorius stands at 5 feet 8 inches tall, which is approximately 1.73 meters. His weight is reported at around 152 pounds, or 69 kilograms.
He has dark brown hair and hazel eyes, features that have been a consistent part of his public image since his early days on Vine. His lean build has remained a recognizable part of his stage presence throughout his career.
Jacob Sartorius Musical Style and Influences
Jacob Sartorius performs in the pop genre, writing music that focuses on teenage emotions, relationships, and everyday experiences. His early singles drew comparisons to the style of a young Justin Bieber, particularly around the time “Sweatshirt” was released.
His songwriting shifted toward more introspective themes over time. By his fifth and sixth EPs, his music reflected personal growth and the emotional processing that came after years of public life as a very young performer.
He has cited personal experience as a major driver of his lyrics. His history with bullying and mental health challenges directly informed his content as his career developed.
Jacob Sartorius Education
Jacob Sartorius attended school in the Reston, Virginia area, where he grew up with his adoptive family. One source mentions he attended Flint Hill School in Oakton, Virginia during his early teenage years.
His schooling was significantly impacted by bullying. He has said publicly that he left school at age 12 due to being bullied and that social media originally served as an escape from that environment.
Jacob Sartorius Career
Jacob Sartorius built his career in two overlapping phases: first as a social media personality on Vine and Musical.ly, then as a recording artist signed to independent and major labels.
Both phases informed each other, with his online audience giving him the platform to launch music, and his music giving his social following a longer-lasting identity.
Early Career: Vine, Musical.ly, and Going Viral
In 2014, at age 11, Jacob Sartorius uploaded his first video to Vine. The video carried an anti-bullying message and went viral overnight, launching his social media presence.
He followed that up by joining Musical.ly, where he began posting lip-sync videos regularly. By August 2016, his Vine account had surpassed 8 million followers before Vine shut down in 2017.
His Musical.ly following grew even larger, reaching over 18 million fans on the platform. That audience gave him direct access to millions of teenagers across the United States and internationally, well before he released any original music.
Social media provided something personal for Jacob during this period. He described it as an escape from bullying, saying in a Billboard interview that before Musical.ly, he was not outgoing, but the app helped him express himself without the social pressures of school.
Breakthrough: Sweatshirt, Hit or Miss, and the First Tour
On May 3, 2016, Jacob signed with T3 Music Group and released his debut single “Sweatshirt.” The song peaked at No. 90 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 81 on the Canadian Hot 100. Critics compared his style to early Justin Bieber recordings.
Later that year, he released “Hit or Miss,” which reached No. 72 in the United States and No. 76 in Canada. Also that year, he released “All My Friends” and embarked on the All My Friends Tour, performing across six cities.
On January 20, 2017, he released his debut EP, The Last Text EP, on T3 Music Group. The EP reached No. 32 on the Billboard 200 and topped the Independent Albums chart. It also charted in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and Scotland.
That same year, he launched the Last Text World Tour, performing in seven countries. He also made his national television debut on MTV’s TRL in November 2017. His television appearances also included HBO’s Vice News and NPR’s Here and Now.
In mid-2017, Jacob signed with RCA Records and released his second EP, Left Me Hangin’, in October 2017. That project included “Hit Me Back” featuring Blackbear.
Later EPs and Ongoing Music Career
Jacob released his third EP, Better with You, in November 2018. That same year, he opened for The Vamps on tour, gaining exposure to a different fanbase in Europe and beyond.
His fourth EP, Where Have You Been?, followed in May 2019. By then, he had toured internationally and continued to expand his reach as a live performer.
In October 2021, he released his fifth EP, Lost But Found. His sixth EP, Sleep When I’m Dead, came out on August 3, 2022, continuing his pattern of consistent short-form releases.
In addition to his music, he also released standalone singles including “Over U” in 2020 and “YouTube & BBQ Chips” in 2021, which showed a more playful side of his songwriting.
Jacob Sartorius Discography
Jacob Sartorius has released six extended plays across his career, along with numerous singles:
- The Last Text EP (January 20, 2017)
- Left Me Hangin’ (October 2017)
- Better with You (November 2018)
- Where Have You Been? (May 31, 2019)
- Lost But Found (October 2021)
- Sleep When I’m Dead (August 3, 2022)
His charting singles include “Sweatshirt” (No. 90, US Hot 100), “Hit or Miss” (No. 72, US Hot 100), and “All My Friends.”
Jacob Sartorius Awards and Recognition
Jacob Sartorius earned nominations at the Teen Choice Awards in 2016. That year, Google also ranked him the ninth most searched musical artist of 2016, reflecting his cultural footprint during his breakthrough period.
He received nominations in categories recognizing social media stars and young music acts. His first EP, The Last Text, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Independent Albums chart stands as one of his most concrete chart achievements.
Jacob Sartorius Tours and Concerts
Jacob Sartorius undertook the All My Friends Tour in 2016, performing across six US cities shortly after his debut single charted. The following year, he launched the Last Text World Tour, which covered seven countries and marked his first international touring experience.
In 2018, he opened for British band The Vamps, giving him access to a more established live music audience. He also headlined the Left Me Hangin’ Tour, which included Hayden Summerall, Zach Clayton, and Luna Blaise on the bill.
Jacob Sartorius Girlfriend
Jacob Sartorius is currently single. His most publicly documented relationship was with actress and model Millie Bobby Brown, known for her role in Stranger Things.
The two made their relationship public in January 2018 and confirmed their separation in July of the same year. Both kept the split amicable. Jacob has not confirmed any serious relationship since then.
Jacob Sartorius Net Worth
Jacob Sartorius’s estimated net worth is $3 million as of 2026. His income comes from music sales, streaming royalties, live touring, YouTube ad revenue, brand endorsements, and merchandise sales.
His YouTube channel, launched in 2014, has accumulated over 386 million total video views. His TikTok following adds a separate revenue layer through sponsorships and platform creator programs.
He has sold merchandise directly through his website at jacobsartorius.com, including branded hoodies and clothing under the Rolf label. That direct-to-consumer approach has supplemented his music income since the early stages of his career.
Jacob Sartorius Social Media
Jacob Sartorius is active across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. His TikTok account, @jacobsartorius, has over 23 million followers and remains his largest platform.
On Instagram, he posts under @jacobsartorius, where he shares music updates and personal content. His YouTube channel at youtube.com/@jacobsartorius features official music videos and vlogs.
He also has an official website at jacobsartorius.com where fans can find music, tour information, and merchandise.
The Bottom Line
Jacob Sartorius released “Sweatshirt” in May 2016 at age 13, and the single peaked at No. 90 on the Billboard Hot 100, making him one of the youngest artists to chart that year.
Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and raised by adoptive parents in Reston, Virginia, he channeled his experiences with bullying and social isolation into an online presence that connected with millions of teenagers worldwide. His debut EP The Last Text topped the Billboard Independent Albums chart in 2017.
By 2026, he had released six EPs and toured internationally across multiple continents.
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