Over one short week each June, NXNE (North by Northeast) showcases its selection of “the future of music” across dozens of Toronto venues. Initially modelled after the United States’ world-renowned SXSW (South by Southwest), the festival offers audiences a similar opportunity to discover emerging musicians but with a heavy emphasis on Canadian artists. The Weeknd, Mac DeMarco, and Daniel Caesar are just a handful of Canada’s musical exports who performed on a NXNE stage early in their careers. But beyond the excitement of being the first on a bandwagon, there’s a deeper connection that comes with uncovering a homegrown gem.
For the York community, this special bond can be found in Kyle Wildfern, B1GJuice, and SRE, three alumni featured at NXNE 2026. Excalibur spoke with each of them about how their time at York intertwined with their journey as performing artists.
To Kyle Wildfern, it isn’t an embellishment to describe York as the place where it all began. “The very first song I wrote, I performed at Frosh Week,” he reminisces. Wildfern and his friends were freestyling when a Frosh leader overheard and encouraged them to perform in the week’s talent show. “So, I got a beat from my boys, and then I wrote a song and performed it,” explains Wildfern. “And I won a TV! And then I had to bus home with a TV.” In the 13 years since that formative performance, Wildfern describes the processes of making music and sharing it on stage as two that have “always been hand-in-hand” for him.
Wildfern majored in kinesiology, but knew it wasn’t the right fit.“Being there really instilled that I [didn’t] want to do the shit I was doing,” he reflects. In his final year, Wildfern had the epiphany that he wanted to pursue music more seriously. “I remember exactly where I was. It was a fallacies class. I was in there like, ‘Bro, I’m never coming back to campus,’ and I never came back.” Wildfern told his parents that he wanted to take a break from school, which has yet to conclude. Despite this, he continues to carry York with him – literally – employing a duffel bag branded with the Stong College emblem to haul gear from gig to gig.
B1GJuice grew up in Brampton and spent his youth pursuing his dream of becoming a professional football player. After graduating secondary school, he joined Furman University’s NCAA Division I team and was recognized as an up-and-comer. But in his sophomore year, B1GJuice was unexpectedly diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a heart condition that prevented him from continuing in the sport. “When I found that out, I was doing poetry at the same time,” B1GJuice explains, “trying to pull myself out of the dark place that I was in.” It wasn’t until around the time he began attending York’s health studies program that B1GJuice decided to try combining his poetry with music.
Returning to campus for our interview, B1GJuice was reminded of how exhausting life was as a student. “[In my final semester] I was working, [taking] six courses. Even just walking through here I was getting PTSD,” he laughs. “York was busy, so music was my escape,” B1GJuice reminisces. “I was studying, but then I would take my evenings here and there and I would run to the studio.” B1GJuice kept working in the studio and started making music videos but didn’t consider performing until he was invited to a showcase by an acquaintance made through Toronto Artscape. “That’s when I realised that performing in itself, as an artist, is a whole different craft and skill,” he reflects.
For SRE (pronounced ‘sorry’), performing has been inseparable from his life since childhood. “I started off as a dancer. Talent shows, battles, cyphers, competitions, Toronto dance crews,” he elaborates. “I know [people] will probably be like, ‘Three years old, you don’t know what you’re doing!’ I knew what I was doing. I was dancing.” SRE continued dancing into adulthood but had to stop during the COVID-19 lockdown. “All of the dance studios [were] closed. So, I was like, ‘Let me just try this music thing.’” SRE began by posting videos of himself freestyling on YouTube in a series that he called The LightBox. “I didn’t expect the response to be as big as it got,” he reflects, “But the more I did it, and the more I started to create my own music, I started to hear people be like, “Oh shoot, he’s really going at this.’”
The rapper was further encouraged by his friend and fellow musician TRE (pronounced ‘tray’). “I had a point where [I wasn’t certain about continuing in music], but then I asked my boy,” SRE recollects. “He was like, ‘Nah, you’re too deep in this now. You made your name and everything. You switched your Instagram handle! You’re in this!’ So, shoutout to TRE for pushing me to keep going.”
Similar to Kyle Wildfern, SRE’s first performance as a rapper took place on campus at a showcase in the Pond residence building. He describes it as a nerve-wracking experience. “I almost crapped myself,” he laughs. “If I’m dancing, I’m dancing in front of judges. [But now] it’s literally people the same age as me. It’s either they like the music, or they don’t.” Luckily for SRE, they liked it. “When I finished, it was just hootin’ and hollerin’ and people like, “Yo, you’re crazy man, you’re crazy,’ and everyone clapping and dapping me up offstage. I [was] like, “Okay, I got it, I got it. They don’t hate me,’” he recalls. “Being on that platform really brought out the best in me.” Even now, SRE still feels nervous before he goes on stage. “Because I care about the art form so much that I want to put on the best show possible.”
The dedication to putting on a good show was evident among all three musicians, who each performed to an energized audience. According to SRE, this crowd work is no small feat at festivals such as NXNE. “You don’t know who’s going to be at the show, or even who’s going to be at your set,” he explains. “I love that more [than standalone shows], because I feel like I’m challenging myself and trusting my art with people I don’t even know.”
B1GJuice similarly views festival performances as an opportunity for growth, though he warns against going in expecting a big break. “It’s just an unrealistic expectation,” he remarks. “[But] if you’re going there to perform, make a couple new friends, show what you can do as an artist, things of that nature, then they’re always fun.” For B1GJuice, the chance that NXNE provides to aspiring locals is especially significant. “Coming up, it was a goal of mine. [There aren’t] many festivals in Toronto or even Canada that showcase urban music, like rap, hip hop, or R&B.” These days, B1GJuice feels that the winds are changing thanks to a rise in year-round performance opportunities. “Everybody’s an artist, and everybody’s doing shows.”
Kyle Wildfern seems inclined to agree. “I think Toronto is blossoming, musically. We once had a golden era where it was just hood rat music,” he reminisces. “Then everyone died or went to prison, and it died out, sadly. But we have great alternative acts coming out of the city. I’m optimistic about it.” As for his experience at NXNE, Wildfern kept it short and sweet. “It was cool,” he says.
When asked what advice he would give to York students hoping to enter the Toronto scene, Wildfern emphasizes seeking strong relationships. “You have to find your people, and I feel like everyone’s going to say that about their city, but I found my people, found the right communities,” he states fondly. “And it’s been beautiful. All my close friends are people I found through music.”
For SRE, persistence is key. “At the end of the day, if you think there [aren’t] opportunities, make opportunities for yourself.” Some of these opportunities are talent shows, showcases, and open mics, which SRE described as great starting points. “You never know who’s watching. And if someone really wants to hear you out, they’re gonna stalk you,” he jokes.
B1GJuice warns against worrying about how others will receive your music. “Nobody cares. There’s 8 billion people in this world. You don’t need 8 billion people to like your music or think you’re good. You really just need a hundred or a thousand,” he explains. “Or even just one.” While he admits to worrying about popularity early on, B1GJuice now recognizes that audiences connect the most when the work is guided by your own passions. “If you’re having fun and you enjoy what you’re doing, then do it. Especially when it comes to music.”
NXNE is distinctly ephemeral – the festival lineup changes each year as resident artists move to global stages and new ones step onto the scene. This transience, though at times bittersweet, is what makes it feel so special. While the 2027 iteration is still far away, each of our artists has much to provide eager listeners in the meantime.
Kyle Wildfern’s mixtape Stolen George was released on June 26, and the deluxe version of his debut album What a Life! is set to release shortly. Check them both out on all streaming platforms and follow @kylewildfern on Instagram to become a Wildgirl.
B1GJuice has multiple releases and collabs planned for the fall and winter of 2026, most notably an EP produced by his close friend PiONEER SOUNDSMITH. Follow @b1gjuice on Instagram for updates and listen to his music wherever you stream.
SRE’s first headline show is planned for the near future, alongside upcoming releases and collaborations with other Toronto musicians. To stay posted, follow @sreonly on Instagram and listen to his latest single, Extra, available for streaming on all platforms.
