Wolfgang Van Halen of Mammoth WVH - Our No. 1 Breakout Artist of the Year

Wolfgang Van Halen of Mammoth WVH – Our No. 1 Breakout Artist of the Year

2021-12-28

Wolfgang Van Halen – Story by Cat Badra, photo by Travis Shinn

Wolfgang Van Halen released his debut album with Mammoth WVH and scored two No. 1 rock hits in 2021, making him Audio Ink Radio’s breakout artist of the year

Wolfgang Van Halen needs no introduction. The son of the late Eddie Van Halen is a longtime musician in a plethora of projects, most recently his own band, Mammoth WVH.

Even though Wolfgang has been on the scene for years, 2021 took his spot in the music world to the next level. He released his self-titled debut album with Mammoth WVH to rave reviews. He celebrated two No. 1 rock hits off the new album, “Distance” and “Don’t Back Down.” He also announced a massive tour with Dirty Honey, set for next year. Wolfgang’s rising stardom in 2021 makes him our breakout artist of the year.

Speaking with Audio Ink Radio, Wolfgang discussed the success of “Distance” and “Don’t Back Down,” explaining that he was surprised by the fanfare. “I certainly couldn’t have seen it coming,” he said. “That really surprised me. I think maybe ‘Distance’ just kind of gave people an outlet, in terms of how awful the past year has been. But, for ‘Don’t Back Down,’ I really don’t know. Everybody’s been so receptive. It’s really surprised me in a good way, of course.”

Switching gears, he also spoke about how supportive his father, Eddie Van Halen, was with Wolfgang’s musical pursuits. “He was a very impressed father,” Wolfgang said. “He cheered me on in everything, from me playing soccer to, gosh, this one time where I threw a pumpkin at a teacher who was mean to me in kindergarten, he told me to not miss the next time! (Laughs) It was one of those little pumpkins. It wasn’t a big one.”

He added, “But, he just cheered me on in literally everything, and he couldn’t have been happier with the music. He was the only other person who had all the ideas on his phone, other than me. He even had stuff that kind of hit the cutting room floor that’ll probably show up on another album or something. So, he was definitely the proudest parent.”

Read and listen to our full interview with Wolfgang Van Halen here. View our list of the 50 Best Rock and Metal Songs of 2021 here.

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Cat Badra

Meet the expert - Cat Badra is a music writer for Audio Ink Radio and a range of other music, sports and lifestyle publications. She's a graduate of Michigan State University with a master's degree in theater and speech. Contact her at cat@audioinkradio.com.