Australian soul artist Don West has landed a publishing deal with Kobalt, further solidifying his growing reputation in the music industry. The signing follows a string of high-profile releases and performances that have garnered widespread attention.
West's throwback, soulful sound has drawn comparisons to legends such as Marvin Gaye and Bill Withers, and he has already amassed close to 4 million monthly listeners on Spotify. His debut EP, released last November, was followed by a national headline tour, including spots at the Spilt Milk festival.
The Australian artist's breakthrough achievements include being nominated for several prestigious awards, including the J Award and APRA Music Awards, as well as being shortlisted at the AIR Awards and NSW Music Prize. He was also named to Spotify's RADAR program in July this year.
West's success has taken him across Europe, where he played multiple sold-out London dates and festival appearances, before postponing his first US headline tour due to health issues. The singer is currently on tour in Australia, with another global tour planned for 2026.
Kobalt, a leading music publisher with over 1 million songs in its catalog, represents a roster of high-profile artists including Max Martin, Stevie Nicks, and Foo Fighters. For West, the deal is seen as a "right home" for his music, according to his management team FRNDS Management.
With Kobalt's global network and expertise, West is poised to take his career to even greater heights in the coming years.
West's throwback, soulful sound has drawn comparisons to legends such as Marvin Gaye and Bill Withers, and he has already amassed close to 4 million monthly listeners on Spotify. His debut EP, released last November, was followed by a national headline tour, including spots at the Spilt Milk festival.
The Australian artist's breakthrough achievements include being nominated for several prestigious awards, including the J Award and APRA Music Awards, as well as being shortlisted at the AIR Awards and NSW Music Prize. He was also named to Spotify's RADAR program in July this year.
West's success has taken him across Europe, where he played multiple sold-out London dates and festival appearances, before postponing his first US headline tour due to health issues. The singer is currently on tour in Australia, with another global tour planned for 2026.
Kobalt, a leading music publisher with over 1 million songs in its catalog, represents a roster of high-profile artists including Max Martin, Stevie Nicks, and Foo Fighters. For West, the deal is seen as a "right home" for his music, according to his management team FRNDS Management.
With Kobalt's global network and expertise, West is poised to take his career to even greater heights in the coming years.
he's been killin it on Spotify with those soulful vibes & his comparisons to Marvin Gaye & Bill Withers are low-key giving me all the feels 
i mean, 4 million monthly listeners isn't bad for an Aussie artist lol! 
his live performances must be straight fire if he's gettin sold-out shows in London 
and now this collab with Kobalt is gonna take him to the next level - can't wait to see what's cookin' for 2026 
. this dude's sound is straight fire 
reminds me of marvin gaye and bill withers - no surprise there 
. can't wait to see what he does next, maybe collab with max martin? 
that would be EVERYTHING!!!
. I mean, 4 million monthly listeners on Spotify sounds like a lot, but let's be real, that's just a drop in the ocean compared to the sea of talent out there. And what's with this "throwback" sound? It's just a bunch of artists trying to cash in on the soul music trend from the 70s and 80s 
. And Kobalt's deal is probably just going to suck all the life out of West's music, turning it into some formulaic, radio-friendly crap. Mark my words, we'll be hearing this same tired sound overplayed on every station within a year 
.
another artist getting swooped up by a big publisher. don't get me wrong, Don West sounds like he's got some soulful vibes going on but it's just another example of the music industry being super cutthroat. Kobalt is like the ultimate player in the game and now they're throwing their weight behind this guy. not sure if it's gonna be a good thing for his artistry or just a means to more mainstream success 