A Great Big World is the new incarnation of Ian Axel and Chad Vaccarino.

Axel’s known for the 2011 viral hit “This Is the New Year,” which solidified him as an indie pop presence with staggering YouTube views and numerous syncs on film and television. Teaming up with longtime collaborator Chad, he’s expanding his horizons immensely into A Great Big World.

The seeds for the partnership were planted early, even before Ian’s solo career took off. While both studying music at NYU, Ian tracked Chad down in the school’s practice rooms.