Big Wild

Over the 2010s, Jackson Stell’s output under the Big Wild moniker shifted from abstract, chilled-out beats toward colorful, reflective pop. The versatile musician handles vocals and rotates through an array of instruments onstage, establishing himself as a consistent live draw. After issuing multiple singles and EPs that featured vocalists such as Tove Styrke and Yuna, he unveiled his first full-length project, Superdream, in 2019. The set climbed to number 16 on Billboard’s Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart and set the stage for his second album, The Efferusphere, which arrived in 2022.

Born in Lancaster, Massachusetts, Stell experimented with hip-hop-influenced beats while still a teenager. He later enrolled at Northeastern University in Boston, where he recorded under the alias JBeatz. Only after moving to California in his twenties did he adopt the Big Wild name, drawing inspiration from the Bay Area terrain and the rugged coastline of Big Sur to craft atmospheric, groove-oriented productions. In concert he blended laptop-based material with live piano, drums, and additional instrumentation.

Big Wild first gained wider notice in 2015 when Seattle duo Odesza brought him on tour and commissioned an official remix of their track “Say My Name.” The following year “Aftergold,” featuring Tove Styrke, drew further attention, and Stell shared bills with GRiZ, Tycho, Pretty Lights, and Bassnectar. Early 2017 saw the release of the Invincible EP on Odesza’s Foreign Family Collective imprint; the project contained the single “I Just Wanna” alongside appearances by Yuna and iDA HAWK. That spring Stell mounted his own 27-date U.S. headline run. The year closed with “Show Me,” a collaboration with experimental band Hundred Waters.

After signing with Counter Records, he issued the 2018 singles “Joypunks” and “Heaven,” both precursors to the full-length Superdream. Beyond guest spots from iDA HAWK and Rationale, Stell composed and performed every track himself, marking his most introspective statement to date. In September 2022 he returned with the psychedelia-infused sophomore album The Efferusphere.