She was playing drums by the age of ten; touring Europe with various theater companies at 11; acting, singing, and dancing with Les Ballets C de la B at 14, and spinning as a DJ at raves and festivals before she was out of her teens. She also appeared on several of her father's albums. At 17, she returned to New York City, working as a waitress while she taught herself guitar and piano, and she was soon playing her songs at gigs. Bouncing between New York and Belgium for a time, she recorded a debut EP (co-produced by Me'Shell Ndegéocello and Dougie Bowne), The Engine, which appeared in 2009. That same year she joined Daniel Lanois' Black Dub band, along with Lanois, Brian Blade, and Daryl Johnson, and the group released an album, the self-titled Black Dub, in 2010. Whitley began recording a full-length solo project in 2011, but stepped back from the project to tour with Black Dub. An EP featuring Whitley in concert, Live at Rockwood Music Hall, appeared in 2012. Fourth Corner, released in January of 2013, was Whitley's full-length studio debut. She co-produced it with keyboardist Thomas Bartlett (aka Doveman), and with engineer Pat Dillett -- both men served as the core of her band.

The album received substantial airplay in Europe and was universally acclaimed. Whitley and her band played across the European and American continents to promote it. She received Best Female Artist at the 2013 Belgium Music Industry Awards.

During breaks, she also began work on new music. After writing and recording a complete album, she was unhappy with it. Undaunted, she shelved it and started over again with co-producers Gus Seyffert (Beck, the Black Keys) and Joey Waronker (Atoms for Peace, Ultraísta). Porta Pohemica, named for a train line that once connected Germany and Austria, was independently issued on Strong Blood Music. ~ Steve Leggett