Le Youth brought his who are you really? 360° show to Toronto last week, and nothing – not the Instagram stories, not the clips, not the hype – could have prepared me for how emotional it felt in the moment. I’m still sitting with it, replaying pieces in my head, and I honestly can’t wait to share it with you. The night felt bigger than just a show, it felt personal. I met some truly beautiful souls along the way, which only added to the experience. I also had the chance to sit down with Wes for a Q&A, which made everything hit even deeper.
So take a moment, settle in, and come with me. By the end of this, I hope you can feel even a fraction of what that night meant — and understand why this is a show you don’t want to miss.
The Venue & Support
The show took place at Noir, tucked inside Rebel, and it honestly felt like the room was made for a 360° experience like this. It had the space to move, to breathe, but still held onto this intimacy that pulled you in. It created the perfect setting for Le Youth – not just to play, but to really connect. There wasn’t a clear line between him and the crowd. At times, as he was right there with us, moving through the same emotions, sharing the same moments.
If you don’t know, Le Youth opened up spots for fans and DJs to apply for this tour, which says a lot about the community he’s building. All it took was a 30‑minute SoundCloud mix. For Toronto, he chose Matt Dylan, a local name, and it couldn’t have felt more right. The sense of community was there from the start. R8YZ, another Toronto standout known for his melodic sound, opened the night and set the tone perfectly. His style sits naturally within the This Never Happened world and flowed seamlessly into what followed. Matt Dylan carried that energy forward with a thoughtful mix of his own IDs and carefully selected tracks that felt emotional and intentional.
By the time Wes stepped on, the room wasn’t just warmed up – it was fully locked in. R8YZ later returned to close the night, bringing everything full circle in a way that just made sense.
More Than a Set — A Moment That Stayed With Me
I had the chance to sit down with Wes before his set – we’ll get to that in a bit. But before I even talk about the music, I need to say this. He is, genuinely, one of the kindest souls I’ve come across. While I was waiting outside the green room, a group of guys came by. They had shared with him earlier that they lost a close friend last year – someone who loved Le Youth and was the reason they were all there that night. That stayed with him. He called them in, not just to meet him, but to spend the evening with him. Before the set, he took the time to really be present with them.
They shared stories about their friend, the kind that stay with you. He listened, asked questions, and made sure the night wasn’t about what they lost, but about who their friend was. At one point, they told him about a track their friend had hoped to hear the last time Le Youth played Toronto. And then, during the set, it happened. He brought them on stage and played ‘I Don’t Mind.’ You could feel the shift in the room – it wasn’t just a song anymore, it was a moment. Artists play shows. That’s expected. But this felt different. He didn’t just perform – he cared, and he made space for something real. It really blew my mind and made me just sit and admire him as an artist and a human.
A Set That Felt Alive in Every Moment
Le Youth played a full two-hour set on his 360° stage, and the whole time it felt like you were part of it, not just watching it. He moved through the room, locked in with the crowd, smiling, dancing, feeding off every single reaction. It never felt distant or staged. It felt human, and shared. I could sit here and list every track, but that’s not what stayed with me. It was the way he built the night. Early on, he brought in moments like ‘Hang On’ into Lane 8’s ‘Higher,’ and you could feel the room lift together. Later, he blended ‘Someone I Used To Know’ with ‘Capilano,’ by OCULA, and suddenly everything felt deeper, heavier, but still so melodic. It was one of those transitions where you just stop and take it in. As the set went on, things shifted.
There was a darker edge that slowly came through, and you could feel it in your chest. He moved through his catalogue so naturally, mixing newer who are you really? tracks with older ones like ‘Chills,’ ‘Waves.’ And that closing stretch… it stayed with me. The way he reworked ‘Waves’ and brought in Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Dreams’ – it didn’t feel like a mashup, it felt like a moment.
The entire night felt alive. People weren’t just dancing, they were singing, holding onto each other, fully in it. At times, it didn’t even feel like a crowd — it felt like one shared emotion moving through the room. Even now, I can’t really put it into words properly. It’s that kind of feeling you carry home with you, the kind that gives you goosebumps when you think back on it. It’s not just a set you listen to, it’s one you feel, and honestly, one you need to experience for yourself.
Sitting Down With Wes, Heart to Heart
(Please note, the bolded text represents a question, and text are Le Youth’s responses)
Your new album Who Are You Really ? congratulations, we love it. It feels very introspective. What sparked the central question behind the project, and where were you personally when you started creating it?
It’s such a deep question. Kind of cool, right? It comes from a pretty introspective place. I’ve always been drawn to that – looking for something deeper, trying to make people think, because that’s what I connect with most as an artist. After doing this for so long, I’ve found myself chasing what really fulfills me now, more than I did at the start of my career. There are a million directions the album could have gone, but this is the one that stayed with me. It’s something I come back to all the time – those quiet moments, like standing in front of a mirror before going out and asking yourself, who are you really?
It’s a question I’ve asked myself more times than I can count, and honestly, it’s one that never really goes away. It keeps evolving. You can sit with it in a heavy, more melancholic way, or you can see it as something positive – something that pushes you to grow. For this album, I leaned into that more reflective, emotional side of it, but the truth is, it can mean something different to everyone.”
The album moves between vulnerability and high-energy club moments. How intentional was that contrast, and what does it say about who you are as an artist right now?
Yeah, that’s more of a question about the state of the scene right now and what’s happening within this style of music. As much as I’d love to say I’m not part of any one scene, I am undeniably a part of it. So I’m always trying to find that balance, you know, kind of threading the needle between staying true to myself and existing within it. If I could, I’d make all kinds of music that inspires me — and I think most people feel that way. We all love different sounds. But at the same time, there’s this expectation. It’s like, “Okay, it’s a melodic house night, this is what you’re going to hear.” I wish it could just be about enjoying music for what it is, without those boundaries, but this is the space we’re in, and I’m grateful to be part of it.
At the core, I’ve always seen myself as a songwriter first. Not just a DJ or a producer – a songwriter. That’s how I approach everything. I have a lot of music to pull from at any moment, and these were the songs that felt the most honest to me for this project. And to be real, a big part of the album and its concept came from an idea Angela (LeyeT) brought to me. She was the first one to ask that question, and it hit me how simple it was, but also how often it had already shown up in my life over the years.
You hosted the album release party at your own home, which feels very personal. Why was it important for you to celebrate this project in such an intimate space, and what did that night mean to you?
Yeah, I wouldn’t expect that every time. I just happen to live in a place where something like that is possible. I had been doing that two-month livestream, just keeping the camera on the whole time, and it felt natural to close it out with something real, in person. So we invited around 30 people I had never met before into my home. And honestly, they were incredible. So respectful, so kind. I actually made a few real connections that night. Thinking about it now, it probably showed a lot about who I am. My home has always been an open space, and if anything, it’s even more open to the people who connect with my music. I really love the people who listen and show up, that means everything to me.
How’s the tour been so far? What tracks have you liked performing? And has that changed your relationship with any of the music you’ve kind of made?
Yeah, it has. That’s a great question. The tour’s been amazing overall – definitely more ups than downs, which is all I really care about.
What I’ve noticed the most is how much deeper the connection with the music feels right now. I’m seeing more of that core fan base – people who really get it. The ones who come back every time, who recognize each other, who tell me, “I saw you last time, I’m here again.” It feels like there are fewer casual listeners in the room and more people who are truly invested. And that’s special to me. I’ll see people wearing merch from two, three, even four years ago, and it reminds me how long they’ve been on this journey with me. That kind of connection, that loyalty, it means everything. Like our friends here tonight, wearing the tee-shirt with the photo from the last Toronto show.
You’re now releasing new tracks that didn’t make it onto the album. What made these songs feel like they belonged outside the who are you really? album
Yeah, it’s going to be a deluxe version of the album, a bit of a bigger collection. There are about three more tracks, so one single and then two more to round it out. The whole process feels a little strange to me, to be honest. I come from a time where you just released the album as a whole. There wasn’t really this idea of rolling things out as singles the way we do now. Part of me still wishes I could just put everything out at once and let people experience it that way, but this is kind of the world we’re in now. It’s a different approach, but it’s been interesting to navigate.
Looking ahead, what excites you most about where your sound is going next— and what questions are you still asking yourself as an artist?
That’s a great question. The scene feels different now, you can sense it. It’s no longer the shiny new thing everyone is chasing, and honestly, that’s what makes it exciting again. When something settles, it leaves space for people to experiment, to take risks, and to push it forward in new ways. That shift is where I want to be. It’s where fresh ideas actually have room to grow. I’ve never been afraid to pivot when it feels right, and I think that mindset has always shaped what I do. Whether I make another big shift this time, I’m not completely sure yet – but that possibility is what keeps it interesting. I’m excited to see where it goes and to be part of whatever comes next. I can’t wait.
Thanks for this, I really enjoyed this.
Le Youth reminded me why this scene means so much. The music, the energy, and the moments in between all felt genuine and full of warmth. I left that night feeling grateful to have been part of it. If you get the chance, go see him on tour—you won’t regret it. Check out all his upcoming dates here.
