Will West appeared in two of the biggest music videos of the past year — Jungle’s “Back On 74” and Ariana Grande’s “yes, and?” Transitions are seamless, sometimes instantaneous. He can accelerate from a dead stop to a full blast in a split second, then downshift to a Voss-esque frug and calmly step out of the picture. The young Briton was interviewed dance magazine While there, he filmed a Verizon commercial in Mexico City, then continued south to Santiago, Chile for another gig. part of disney’s live-action remake Aladdin In 2019, West returned to the big screen this fall as a dancer and stunt performer. evilGrande plays Glinda.
company: Independent artist managed by Shannelle “Tali” Fergus
age: 26
hometown: Birmingham, UK
train: Urdan College
Origin story: “I was a very athletic kid,” said West, who got his start in gymnastics and martial arts. “I’ve watched all Jackie Chan’s movies.” After hip-hop boy Jovan Rumble came to West High School to teach boys dance class as a guest, “He invited me to train with his team (called Lab Rats), and from then on, I I fell in love with the energy of dance itself.”
inflection point: In 2017, West just booked Horror sceneis a long-running Michael Jackson revue in London’s West End. “I’m excited about it, but my spirit isn’t in it — it’s not my lane, it’s not my area.” Not sure West has committed thrillerFergus met West while auditioning with the pop band Years & Years. “When I came to London, I was a huge Tully fan,” West said. “I watched all her videos. I was obsessed, like, ‘Who is this person?’ ” Now West’s mentor and manager, she helped him out thriller contract so that he could participate in the Years & Years tour. “It’s crazy – the trajectory of my life has completely changed,” West added. “Everything has changed.”
Pressure cooker: Shooting Jungle’s 50-minute visual album volcano It’s a whirlwind. “We rehearsed for four or five days, took two days off, and then shot 14 movies in two days. But I like the thrill of being thrown into the abyss.
Go west volcano Choreographer Shay Ratukoran: “When someone does something that really feels good, it transcends the screen and the audience feels it indirectly. That’s the nature of Shay’s choreography.
What his mentor saw: “I truly believe Will is a once-in-a-lifetime talent. He has a way of reaching others beyond himself,” Fergus said. “That’s what he is as a performer and a creative, and as a human being – I think if he didn’t have those tendencies as a human being, he wouldn’t be read in quite the same way.”
Find his voice: Part of the inspiration came from meeting J Lloyd of Jungle and volcano Singer Lydia Kitto, West shares, “I’m looking for a vocal coach. It’s no secret that I work in music.
Wishlist: West “would drop everything to work with certain people” across the performing arts spectrum. “If you see Tyler, The Creator on the street, tell him I’m here. I’d love to work with him and FKA twigs. Kojey Radical is incredible. Oh, and Daniel Caesar: That’s my guy. I listen to his music every day. Jordan Ward is amazing. I want to do a movie with Zendaya.
