Meet the Greek Australian rapper, ‘Masked Wolf’, topping international charts

·

A Greek Sydney boy has been topping international charts, performing live on Jimmy Fallon and becoming an overnight sensation. But who is he?

Harry Michael, who is known professional as ‘Masked Wolf’, was born and raised in suburban Sydney.

Michael entered rap music at young age as a form of escapism from when his parents split. Triggering ongoing bouts of anxiety and depression, he moved in with his Greek Orthodox grandparents as a teenager.

Michael later become stuck in an artist management deal he couldn’t afford to get out of.

“I couldn’t release any music for about five years,” Michael said to GQ.

“I think that was a crucial part of me finding myself.”

“I could’ve given up on music and stuck with my day job. But I chose to work hard and articulate my sound. I look back on that time and I think to myself: I used it wisely.”

Michael found himself a new manager and released his first single, ‘Speed Racer’ in 2018, but it failed to take off on the charts.

It wasn’t until late 2020 that Astronaut in the Ocean – which had been on the Internet for almost 18 months by that point – began to appear on playlists everywhere.

“I call it the Scar Face song. It had this period of almost two years where it was out, just doing little numbers. No one said it was crap but it just wasn’t getting the push. I knew it was good, it just needed to be heard by more people.”

“It was put on a few playlists. But I think the most powerful thing about Astro is people were telling other people about it. I kept getting messages from kids like, ‘Yo, I vibe this track and I’m telling my friends and they’re vibing it’. It was the biggest chain reaction.”

The song is currently no.13 on the US’s Hot 100 Billboard chart, peaked at no.4 on the ARIA singles chart, and is the most Shazamed track in the world.

It was also the number three song on Spotify globally, a no.1 Spotify hit in countries including Saudi Arabia, Israel, Hungary and Ukraine, and its video has clocked around 86 million views on YouTube. 

Masked Wolf was recently announced as the headline act for the Lost City music festival, just days after his TV debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where he performed Astronaut In The Ocean.

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

From passion to production: Steven Koutzoumis launches SoundCult studio in Sydney

In the heart of Beverly Hills, a fresh sound is taking shape - and it’s being led by young Greek Australian Steven Koutzoumis who has a vision

Greek immersion in the early years pays off for Year 8 student Mariah Palaktsoglou

Year 8 student Mariah Palaktsoglou won the Hellenic Dreaming High School Short Story Competition held by the Greek Museum of Adelaide Inc.

Faith, family and football: The making of Nectarios Triantis

Growing up in a bustling Greek Australian household in Sydney, footballer Nectarios Triantis was never far from a football - or chaos.

Bella Spasis’ big deal: Live music in Victoria set to thrive

Greek-Victorian bar owner, Isabella (Bella) Spasis, hosted a remarkable event at her venue, ‘The Dog’s Bar’ early on Sunday morning, July 6.

GOCNSW Home for the Aged welcomes Consul General and celebrates its donors

The Greek Orthodox Community Home for the Aged played host to the Consul General of Greece in Sydney and some of its major donors.

You May Also Like

Greek Australian director, Jason Raftopoulos, wraps filming on ‘Voices in Deep’ in Greece

Greek Australian writer and director, Jason Raftopoulos, has recently wrapped filming on his next feature Voices in Deep in Athens.

All Saints Grammar students raise money for people impacted by cancer

Student Leaders from All Saints Grammar School (ASG) in Sydney’s inner south-west have raised over $6,500 for the Cancer Council.

Nick Kyrgios serves as inspiration for new Hollywood film ‘Challengers’

Nick Kyrgios has been revealed to be the latest inspiration for new Hollywood film, Challengers, directed by Luca Guadagnini. Read more here.