Being in the twilight of his 30s, John West’s journey in and out of the music industry has been quite the spectacle to watch. Going from busking in the streets of Santa Monica, CA to signing a deal with Mercury/Island Def Jam, John’s trajectory throughout the early 2010s was nothing short of impressive. While experiencing massive success through collaborations with the likes of Pusha T and Big Sean, as well as superstar producers such as Benny Blanco, Pop & Oak and Ari Levine of the Smeezingtons, John consciously made the decision to take a break from being an artist after being emotionally exhausted from the music industry.
Fast-forward to today and John West recently moved to Japan where he helps soldiers and their families as a mindfulness-based therapist. This period of self-discovery led him to finding a new purpose, and he is now stepping back into the limelight with a slew of new releases under a newfound Neo-Soul/Lo-Fi artistic identity.
Directly following his earlier 2022 single “Slow Down,” John West has now returned with yet another gem, independently sharing “Back To Life.” A pensive and laid-back single, “Back To Life” makes for the perfect showcase of the multi-faceted artist’s new style. Driven by woozy synth work and organic instrumentation, “Back To Life” is a short yet sweet sonic journey, where John West’s intimate singing is heard in the forefront. The song was inspired by his son Finn (who also graces the cover) and is part of a 3-song EP called “Oceans” which is slated for release on October 14th, marking John’s first full-fledged release in over a decade. It’s hard to tell where John’s career will go from here but if his new music is any indication, we have all reason to believe he is here to stay. Only this time for good. Pre-save John’s “Oceans” EP here.
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