Andrew Fetterly Wilkes-Krier, known professionally as Andrew W.K., is an American singer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, record producer, and motivational speaker. Born on May 9, 1979, in Stanford, California, and raised in Michigan, he built a distinctive reputation on a fusion of rock, metal, and pop music, distinguished by anthemic songs celebrating the act of partying and an unabashedly positive outlook. His larger-than-life persona and signature white clothing have made him a singular figure in modern popular music and a sought-after cultural commentator.

Wilkes-Krier began his musical career in the mid-1990s, performing in a number of local bands before relocating to New York, where he produced his first recordings under the Andrew W.K. moniker. He gained initial attention with the 2000 EP Girls Own Juice, which set the stage for his commercial breakthrough. That breakthrough arrived with his debut studio album, I Get Wet, released in November 2001. Driven by the hit single "Party Hard," the album's raw, high-energy sound and its cover image of a bloodied Wilkes-Krier became instantly recognizable, establishing him as a provocative and exuberant new voice in rock music.

He followed his debut with The Wolf in 2003 and Close Calls With Brick Walls in 2006, continuing to develop his loud, celebratory sound. Legal troubles prevented him from releasing music in the United States for a period, a circumstance that led to the 2009 album 55 Cadillac, a collection of solo improvisational piano pieces that revealed a different, more experimental side of his musicianship. He eventually returned to rock with the albums You're Not Alone in 2018 and God Is Partying in 2021, both of which reaffirmed his commitment to cathartic, communal rock music.

Beyond his recording career, Wilkes-Krier has undertaken a wide range of musical and non-musical ventures. He has worked in television and radio, established himself as a motivational speaker, and pursued writing. His versatility and relentlessly affirmative public image have kept him in demand as a collaborator and performer across multiple mediums. In 2026, after a five-year hiatus, he surprise-released Temptation to Exist, an instrumental jazz-noir album that marked yet another unexpected turn in a career defined by reinvention. Through it all, Andrew W.K. remains a unique and enduring presence in American entertainment, equally at home in the worlds of heavy rock, experimental music, and inspirational speaking.