New West

Formed by a group of experienced Toronto songwriters and multi-instrumentalists, New West first surfaced in 2017 with a style that fused classic Brit-pop, modern indie pop, and alternative R&B. The four members—Kala Wita, Vella, Ben Key, and Noel West—had previously recorded under the .wav name before switching to New West in 2018. Guided by mutual admiration for Oasis, Coldplay, Blur, the Beatles, the Weeknd, and Daniel Caesar, they put out their debut EP, Call Me When You Hear This Song, in 2019. Mainstream attention followed in 2021 with the alternative-radio success “Balenciaga,” which later appeared on the 2022 EP In Good Time. On their first full-length album, 2023’s Based on a True Story, the band continued sharpening its festival-ready Brit-pop approach.