Le Youth

Last updated
Le Youth
Birth nameWes James
Born1983
Toledo, Ohio, United States
Origin Los Angeles, California, United States
Genres
Years active2012–present
Labels
Website leyouth.com

Wes James, better known by his stage name Le Youth, is an American electronic musician, DJ, and producer. James was raised in Toledo, Ohio and currently resides in Los Angeles, California. [1]

Contents

Fondly referred to as “the people’s DJ” [2] by his most loyal fans, Le Youth began his career with a focus on dance-pop but has since transitioned to a deeper, more melodic house style [3] influenced by European house and techno. This evolution has enabled him to engage with both underground music enthusiasts and festival audiences.

Known for his authenticity and willingness to push creative boundaries, Le Youth emphasizes connection in his work. Whether through live performances or his career trajectory, he has built a reputation for meaningful collaborations with artists like Elderbrook [4] and POLIÇA [5] and for signing with a diverse range of record labels, including major names such as Sony [6] , Island [7] , and Atlantic. [8]

Music career

2013-present: Breakthrough

Le Youth gained attention on the internet when his track Cool featuring a sample from Cassie Ventura's Me & U rapidly received over 200,000 plays on SoundCloud in a short period of time. The single was picked up by Ultra Records and the Cool EP was released on July 2, 2013. The music video for the song was directed by Renata Raksha and was released on April 9, 2013. [9] On July 22, 2013 Cool was selected as the Record of the Week on BBC Radio 1. [10]

Le Youth released his debut album, Reminders, on May 27, 2022. [11] Split into two discs, the former contains fifteen original mixes while the latter comprises four extended mixes. The album features collaborations with fellow melodic house producers such as Sultan & Shepard.

His follow-up album, About Us, released on September 29, [12] 2023 showcases Le Youth’s signature breezy melodies, rich production, and strong vocal performances. It includes collaborations with artists such as Jodie Knight, Fractures, Bailey, and Lane 8, who joined Le Youth on the track I Will Leave a Light On. [13]

Le Youths following EP & [14] delves into a range of emotions, highlighted in tracks like the driving ballad Hourglass (featuring Lexer and Bailey), the hypnotic Golden (featuring Myrne and Bertie Scott), and the trance-inspired Every Little Part (featuring Otherwish and LeyeT). For Le Youth, the project represents a collaborative exchange, where unique artist pairings create distinctive musical moments.

Discography

Singles

TitleYearPeak chart positionsAlbum
BEL
(FL)
[15] 		DEN
[16] 		IRE
[17] 		SCO
[18] 		UK
[19]
"Cool"2013— [A] 19—2826Non-album singles
"Dance with Me"
(featuring Dominique Young Unique)		2014— [B] —871811
"Feel Your Love"
(featuring Javeon)		————146
"Real"2015—————
"Touch" [20] —————
"Boomerang"
(featuring Tay Beckham)		2016—————
"If You're Leaving"
(featuring Sydnie)		—————
"Clap Your Hands" [21]
(featuring Ava Max)		2017—————
"Stay"
(featuring Karen Harding)		2018—————
"&."/"Swimming"2020—————
"Skipping Stones" [22]
(with Sultan & Shepard)		2021—————
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

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References

Footnotes

Sources

  1. ↑ McMahon, Milly (3 May 2013). "i-DJ: Le Youth". i-D Online. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
  2. ↑ DICE. "Le Youth tickets and upcoming events". DICE. Retrieved 2025-01-24.
  3. ↑ Meet Le Youth [Melodic House Mix] , retrieved 2025-01-24
  4. ↑ "I'll Be Here with Elderbrook (Le Youth Remix), by Sultan + Shepard". Sultan + Shepard. Retrieved 2025-01-24.
  5. ↑ "Lane 8, Poliça - The Rope (feat. POLIÇA) feat. POLIÇA (Le Youth Remix) [This Never Happened] | Music & Downloads on Beatport". www.beatport.com. Retrieved 2025-01-24.
  6. ↑ "I'll Be Here with Elderbrook (Le Youth Remix), by Sultan + Shepard". Sultan + Shepard. Retrieved 2025-01-24.
  7. ↑ "Spotify". open.spotify.com. Retrieved 2025-01-24.
  8. ↑ Hide and Seek (Le Youth Remix) - Single by Catie Turner on Apple Music, 2021-05-07, retrieved 2025-01-24
  9. ↑ Cooper, Duncan (9 April 2013). "Video: Le Youth, "Cool"". The Fader . Retrieved 25 July 2013.
  10. ↑ "The Radio 1 Breakfast Show with Nick Grimshaw". BBC Radio 1 . 22 July 2013. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
  11. ↑ Holbrook, Cameron. "Le Youth Drops his Emotive Debut Album, 'Reminders'". Beat Portal. Beatport, LLC. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  12. ↑ Goldenberg, Ross (2023-07-14). "Le Youth announces sophomore album 'About Us,' shares first This Never Happened single". Dancing Astronaut. Retrieved 2025-01-22.
  13. ↑ Le Youth & Lane 8 - I Will Leave a Light On feat. Jyll (Extended Mix) , retrieved 2025-01-22
  14. ↑ "& - EP by Le Youth". Genius. Retrieved 2025-01-22.
  15. ↑ Hung, Steffen. "Discografie Le Youth". Belgium (Flanders) Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
  16. ↑ Hung, Steffen. "Discography Le Youth". Danish Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
  17. ↑ "Discography Le Youth". irish-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  18. ↑ Peak positions for the featured singles in Scotland:
  19. ↑ Peak positions for singles in the UK:
  20. ↑ "Le Youth's soundcloud". SoundCloud. 15 January 2015.
  21. ↑ "Le Youth's 'Clap Your Hands' Is Infectious Funk: Exclusive". Billboard . Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  22. ↑ Defaria, Cameron (9 June 2021). "Le Youth, Sultan + Shepard join forces for 'Skipping Stones'". Dancing Astronaut. Archived from the original on 13 June 2021. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
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