Masked Wolf returns with Gravity Glidin’ after astronomical global hit
A two-minute track by Sydney hip-hop artist Masked Wolf is one of 2021’s biggest viral hits, and new track Gravity Glidin’ is his first single since becoming a global star.
The last time Sydney hip-hop artist Masked Wolf was about to release a song, few people cared that he had new music up his sleeve. What’s different this time around?
“I think the amount of ears that are going to listen to it,” the 30-year-old rapper told The Australian. “I’m keen to see the reaction.”
The artist otherwise known as Harry Michael may be underselling himself: when a track named Gravity Glidin’ is released on Friday, it will be the first new music he has published since becoming one of the hottest Australian musicians in the world.
Michael’s two-minute track Astronaut In the Ocean has become one of the resounding breakout hits of the year. It has racked up 500 million plays on Spotify alone, while reaching No. 1 in seven countries including Greece and Hungary, as well as No. 6 in the US and No. 4 on the domestic ARIA chart.
The song was released by Melbourne indie label Teamwrk Records in June 2019 to little fanfare; only towards the end of last year did it start to go viral on the video-sharing platform TikTok.
Its slinky guitar riff, memorable opening lyrics and hard-hitting beat have now provided the soundtrack to more than 6.6 million TikTok videos. Not since Dance Monkey – the 2019 global hit by pop singer-songwriter Tones and I, aka Toni Watson – has an Australian song lodged in so many ears worldwide.
Having recently signed with US major label Elektra Records, Gravity Glidin’ is Michael’s first chance to prove he’s no one-hit wonder. As with Astronaut In the Ocean, the new track is co-written and produced by Melbourne beat-maker Tyron Hapi, who at 22 is eight years Michael’s junior.
“He’s been a part of the journey since day one, when I had zero to 500 followers, so he deserves the opportunity,” said Michael of Hapi. “I feel like it’s a really good story for us: the two boys from Australia that had a very big song, they make an album together. Everything lines up for me.”
They are currently working on the debut Masked Wolf album, while earlier this year, the global success meant that Michael could quit his day job as a Maroubra-based digital sales representative helping businesses go paperless.
Now a few months into his new life of being a full-time musician, how does reality compare with what had long been a dream? “It’s good being able to wake up and not have to put a suit on, or go to a boardroom and have a meeting. I’ve always wanted to be someone that doesn’t have a boss. It’s good to be the head of my creations, and now I can say I’m blessed.”
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