You remember the hat. That signature wide-brimmed felt hat Jake Roche wore in the "Me and My Broken Heart" video back in 2014. It was everywhere. For a hot minute, it felt like Rixton was going to be the next Maroon 5 or at least the British answer to the pop-rock vacuum left by boy bands going on hiatus. They had the backing of Scooter Braun—the man who launched Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande—and a lead single that peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100. Then, the trail went cold.
If you’ve been wondering what happened to Rixton, the answer isn't a tragic breakup or a legal battle. It’s actually a bizarre, intentional, and somewhat messy pivot into "indie" obscurity. They didn't disappear; they just killed their old selves to become something completely unrecognizable.
The Meteoric Rise and the Scooter Braun Era
Rixton started as a group of four guys from Manchester: Jake Roche, Charley Bagnall, Danny Wilkin, and Lewi Morgan. They were talented. They did the YouTube cover circuit, which was the gold standard for getting discovered in 2012. But their "big break" wasn't just organic luck. Scooter Braun saw a video of them, flown them to New York, and suddenly they were being mentored by Benny Blanco and Ed Sheeran.
Me and My Broken Heart was a masterclass in derivative pop. It borrowed heavily from Rob Thomas and Matchbox Twenty (specifically "Lonely No More"), but it worked. It was catchy. It was polished. Their debut album, Let the Road, followed in 2015.
But here’s the thing about being a "manufactured" pop-rock band: the pressure is immense. They spent 2015 touring with Ariana Grande and Ed Sheeran. They were living the dream, but internally, the gears were grinding. Jake Roche later admitted in interviews that they felt like they were playing characters. They were "pop stars" in a way that didn't feel authentic to their Manchester roots.
Then came the silence.
From late 2015 to 2019, Rixton basically vanished. No new music. No social media updates. Fans assumed they’d been dropped or had a falling out. The reality was a slow-burn identity crisis. They were still under contract, but the passion for the Rixton brand had curdled. They didn't want to be the "Broken Heart" guys anymore. They wanted to be weird.
The Rebirth: Enter Push Baby
In 2019, the band returned, but not as Rixton. They scrubbed their social media and announced a new name: Push Baby.
This wasn't just a rebrand. It was a total sonic lobotomy. If Rixton was polished pop, Push Baby was experimental, chaotic, and intentionally "ugly." Their first release under the new name, "Thor," sounded nothing like their radio hits. It was jagged and strange.
Honestly, it was a massive risk. Most bands who try this fail miserably because they alienate their entire fanbase. Push Baby didn't seem to care. They signed with Republic Records (still under the Braun umbrella for a while) and released an EP titled Woah.
Why the change?
Jake Roche has been pretty vocal about the mental toll of their early success. He’s talked about the "falseness" of the industry. In some ways, Push Baby was a reactionary movement—a way to reclaim their creativity even if it meant losing the "fame."
The lineup stayed the same for a bit:
- Jake Roche (Vocals)
- Charley Bagnall (Guitar)
- Danny Wilkin (Bass/Keys)
- Lewi Morgan (Drums)
But the industry doesn't always have patience for experimental pivots. Eventually, they went independent. They started their own label, Wow, Big Legend. This is where things got really interesting for die-hard fans but confusing for the general public.
The Departure of Danny and Lewi
Being an independent band is hard. Being an independent band trying to convince people you aren't "those guys from 2014" is harder.
In 2021 and 2022, the band saw significant shifts. Danny Wilkin and Lewi Morgan eventually left the group. It wasn't a public "drama" filled exit, but rather a natural progression. When you aren't making millions from radio play anymore, the "grind" of being in an indie-experimental duo is a different beast entirely.
By the time they released their 2022 album Wow, Big Legend, Push Baby was essentially just Jake and Charley.
The music became even more eclectic. They played with 80s synth-pop, lo-fi aesthetics, and surrealist lyrics. If you listen to "What Ya Gonna Do?" compared to "Me and My Broken Heart," you’d swear it was a different band. And that was exactly the point.
The Reality of Post-Pop Fame
One of the most humanizing parts of the Rixton story is Jake Roche's transparency about money and success. In 2022, a TikTok went viral where Jake joked about being "on universal credit" (UK welfare). While he later clarified he was exaggerating for comedic effect, he didn't shy away from the fact that the "pop star money" was gone.
He was living in his mum’s (Coleen Nolan of The Nolan Sisters) garage for a period.
This is the side of the music industry people rarely see. You can have a worldwide number-one hit and, five years later, be struggling to fund an independent tour. The royalties from one big song don't last forever, especially when they're split between four band members, managers, labels, and songwriters.
Where are they now?
As of 2024 and 2025, the "Rixton" chapter is firmly closed. The band has no plans to reunite under that name.
Jake Roche and Charley Bagnall continued as Push Baby for a while, but even that project has seen periods of "indefinite hiatus." Jake has spent time focusing on solo creative endeavors and acting. He’s appeared in stage productions and has leaned into a more theatrical, performance-art style of public persona.
Charley Bagnall has largely stayed out of the intense spotlight, focusing on production and his own life outside the chaotic bubble of the mid-2010s pop scene.
Is a Rixton reunion possible?
Never say never in the era of nostalgia tours, but it's highly unlikely. The band members have spent the last decade trying to distance themselves from the "boy band" label. For them, Rixton represents a time of high anxiety and corporate control. Push Baby represented freedom, even if that freedom came with a smaller bank account.
The Legacy of Rixton
Rixton remains a fascinating case study in the "One-Hit Wonder" (though they had other hits like "Wait on Me") phenomenon. They didn't flame out because of drugs or fighting; they chose to walk away from a winning formula because it didn't fit who they actually were.
They are a reminder that the people we see on stage are often playing a role. When that role becomes too heavy to carry, sometimes the only option is to burn the costume and start over in a garage in Manchester.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Musicians
If you're still following the journey of the former Rixton members or if you're an aspiring artist looking at their trajectory, here are a few takeaways:
- Follow the New Sound: If you loved the chemistry of the band but want something more authentic, go back and listen to Push Baby's Woah EP. It’s the bridge between their two worlds.
- Understand the Contract: The Rixton story is a classic example of why artists move toward independence. Owning your masters and having creative control is often more valuable to a long-term career than a massive initial advance.
- Track the Individual Members: For the most up-to-date info, follow Jake Roche on Instagram or TikTok. He is the most active member and often shares glimpses into his current creative projects, which range from music to short-form comedy and theatre.
- Don't Expect the Old Hits: If you ever see a member of the band live, don't go expecting a setlist full of Let the Road tracks. They have moved on, and as a fan, the best way to support them is to engage with their current, albeit weirder, art.