Brijitte West first gained national attention as the frontwoman of the New York-based rock band NY Loose. Through a series of indie-label 7-inch singles, the band quickly built a devoted underground following. In late 1995, NY Loose released the critically acclaimed five-song EP Loosen Up! on Flipside Records, earning rave reviews from critics across the United States. Shortly afterward, the band signed with Hollywood Records and released their debut full-length album, Year of the Rat, in 1996.

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NY Loose is best known for its signature song, "Spit," which appeared on the platinum-selling soundtrack to The Crow: City of Angels. The song's music video received medium rotation on MTV, helping establish the band as one of the era's most exciting underground rock acts.

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Another fan favorite, "Pretty Suicide," was inspired by the famous Life magazine photograph Death at an Early Age. West explained:

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"A young New York office worker committed suicide by jumping off the Empire State Building and landed on the roof of a car. She landed in the most angelic, graceful final pose. No blood or splatter—just this beautiful state of relaxation. It seemed like the ultimate example of the collision between violence, tragedy, and beauty."

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NY Loose also toured with Marilyn Manson during the legendary Antichrist Superstar tour. Unsure how Manson's devoted "Spooky Kids" fanbase would react, West famously chugged a bottle of Jack Daniel's onstage and sprayed it into the crowd during the opening night. By the following show, fans had made homemade shirts reading, "Spit On Me Brijitte." What began as a club tour eventually expanded into theaters, arenas, and stadiums.

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The eleventh of twelve children, West describes herself as "really shy and quiet" until she picked up a guitar.

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"That changed as soon as I plugged into an amp. I felt powerful for the first time."

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Inspired by pioneers like The Stooges and Ramones, she began writing songs as a form of self-expression and therapy, developing the honest, uncompromising style that has defined her career.

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Beyond NY Loose, West has continued to evolve as an artist. During the COVID lockdowns, she connected with fans by posting intimate iPhone performances of songs that influenced her career, along with acoustic versions of her own material. Her moving renditions of "Pale Blue Eyes," "Lie To Me," and especially "Pretty Suicide" led to the release of the LOCKDOWN EP. This CD is still available. Visit the "shop" page.

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Never one to be confined by genre, West surprised listeners in 2013 with the Americana-inspired San Dusky – The Americana Dream. The album's song "Purpose Built Girl" was featured in the film Cowboys and Angels, directed by David Gleeson.

Solo Releases

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• Brijitte West and the Desperate Hopefuls (2010)

• San Dusky – The Americana Dream (2013)

• From NY With Love (2016)

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