Three people pose in front of a retro pink and orange patterned wall. Bold yellow text reads Walk Off The Earth. One person wears orange, another white, and a third stands between them.

From Viral Sensation to Festival Headliners: Walk Off The Earth’s Epic Journey

 

Three people pose indoors against a colorful, geometric pink and orange wall; one man in orange sits left, a woman with space buns and plaid skirt stands center, and another man in white athletic wear sits right on a pink bench.

Burlington, Ontario-based viral internet icons have evolved from a clever, if unserious YouTube sensation into one of Canada’s most innovative and well-known musical acts. Nearly two full decades since its formation in 2006, Walk Off The Earth continues to defy critics' expectations. This Canadian pop collective first exploded into global view in 2012 with their viral cover of Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know” — five musicians, one guitar, and over 175 million views later, a new era of pop creativity was born. It’s not every day that a band breaks the internet with five people playing one single guitar. For Walk Off The Earth, however, that exact thing happened in 2012. It wasn’t a fluke — it was a mission statement. Since their viral cover amassed millions of views in mere days online, the band did not allow the moment to pass them by.


Led by multi-instrumentalists Gianni “Luminati” Nicassio, Sarah Blackwood, (formerly) Mike “Beard Guy” Taylor (rest in peace) and Ryan Marshall, later to be joined by Joel Cassady— Walk Off The Earth has built a reputation on creativity, tight musical talent, and an unmistakable determination to make music that they enjoy. Long before algorithms ruled music discovery, Walk Off The Earth cultivated their audience the old-school way: with talent, grit, and wildly inventive covers that showcased their multi-instrumental chops and joyful chemistry. Their major-label debut R.E.V.O. (2013) was followed quickly by Sing It All Away (2015) and Here We Go! (2019).


The band’s sound pulls from reggae, folk, electro-pop, and acoustic rock — often layered with soaring vocal harmonies, unexpected instrumentation (a whimsical mosaic of ukuleles, loop pedals, and even expert beatboxing), and a contagious sense of enjoying the creative journey. 

Their early records Smooth Like Stone on a Beach, and My Rock were humble indie projects, but their breakout success opened doors to late-night television, international tours, and a deal with Columbia Records. R.E.V.O. (Realize Every Victory Outright) marked their major-label debut and featured the hit “Red Hands”, a high-energy anthem that remains a lasting live staple on set-lists.


Whether reimagining Adele, Ed Sheeran, or acts as lofty as The Beatles, their interpretations are always reinventions rather than imitations. They illustrate love for the originals while making each track their own. It's this spirit that earned them accolades such as Streamy Awards and continued viral success well beyond what anyone imagined back at their breakout.


Tragically, founding member Mike Taylor passed away in 2018 — a moment that shook the band and its global fanbase. Their response was characteristically heartfelt: “Mike’s Song”, a beautiful tribute, and a pledge to keep moving forward while honouring his contributions to their shared legacy.


Walk Off The Earth isn’t slowing down in the wake of adversity — in fact, they’re thriving. Their 2023 track “My Stupid Heart” exploded on streaming platforms, helped by a remix featuring pop star Lauv and a surge of TikTok followers. Its success led to performances on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Live with Kelly and Mark, proving their mass appeal is as strong as ever. With a string of new, upbeat singles, “Better at Love,” “Catching Feelings,” “On The Road”, they teamed up again with fellow viral internet music sensation Lindsey Stirling, and launched a world tour with an Australian debut to start.




Walk Off The Earth concerts aren’t just performances. They’re community gatherings. The band’s smooth switches between instruments and their acapella performances as a seamless unit turn crowds into a chorus’. Whether at Shambhala, the Budweiser Stage, or on their 2025 tour, they bring something rare: true performance art fused with mass appeal and connectivity.


This group is so much more than a viral act turned success story. They represent a model of how modern bands can thrive without compromising artistic identity — by staying scrappy, inventive, and deeply human. A mix of homemade visuals, ambitious arrangements, and emotional openness makes them a rare thing in pop: approachable, accessible and exceptional.


This year, with a new album on the horizon and on the precipice of their tour, they remain one of Canada's brightest creative collectives. For a band that once needed only one guitar to dominate the attention of the internet, Walk Off The Earth continues to prove that music, at its best, is about possibility, connection, collaboration — and joy. Viral fame got them noticed. Originality and heart are what keep them an essential piece of Canadiana.


Their presence at Rifflandia will be the perfect jewel to top off the music festival season on Vancouver Island.


–Rae DeFrane. Rae DeFrane is a globally published writer of lyrics, stories, reviews, and creative non-fiction works. Currently she is best known for her intimate concert photos of bands such as Evanescence, Halestorm and Florence and The Machine, as well as following the former two acts to chronicle their entire 2024 Canadian tour.

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