The Australian rapper becomes an overnight global sensation as his single 'Astronaut in the Ocean' exploded on the internet and climbed high on Billboard charts.
- May 24, 2021
AceShowbiz - Starting songwriting since he was a teen, Masked Wolf finally struck it big with his single "Astronaut in the Ocean". The song which touched on mental depression propelled the Australian rapper from an underground artist Down Under to a global superstar.
Released in 2019, the single was a sleeper hit. With the catchy hook, rapid-fire bars, and relevant lyrics, it slowly became one of Gen Z's favorite anthems on TikTok and took over the internet. Even Shazam and Apple Music included it in their 2021 playlists by the end of last year.
The prediction proved to be true as the song, which spawned a remix by G-Eazy and DDG, grew bigger. It ruled music charts around the globe and broke into top 10 on multiple Billboard charts, reaching No. 6 on Hot 100, No. 5 on U.S. Rhythmic, No. 3 on R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and No. 1 on Emerging Artist Chart.
To date, the song has raked in over 480 million streams worldwide with more than 220 million on Spotify alone. On YouTube, the music video garnered over 129 million views. The staggering numbers made Masked Wolf one of the most-streamed artists in the world.
Now, the rapper is hard at work in studio to compete his debut studio album. He's aiming high as he takes inspirations from Kanye West. "The album is going to be absolutely nuts," he said in an interview with Junkee. "I've been trying to vibe off My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, just to get some motivation from Kanye, but I'm keeping this in the Masked Wolf category."
Details are still scarce but the artist, real name Harry Michael, teased in a separate interview with Cool Accidents, "My album is going to be based around astronomy, so expect spacey-ambient vibes mixed with the Masked Wolf-type verses that you're used to."
