Andrew Wilkes-Krier, better known under his stage name Andrew W.K., is an American singer-songwriter and rock musician. Wilkes-Krier was born in California in 1979 and grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

After playing in various bands and moving to NY in 1998, he started using the moniker Andrew W.K. for his solo releases which was given to him by one of his elementary school teachers.

After gaining initial attention with the 1999 EP Girls Own Juice, Wilkes-Krier rose to prominence with the release of his debut studio album I Get Wet in November 2001, as well as its single “Party Hard”.

His music conveys a positive outlook on life and often features the word “party” in title and/or lyrics. It has been described as “hedonistic” and “so-dumb-it’s-smart”. W.K. is also known for his stage persona and look consisting of long hair, a white t-shirt, white pants, and white shoes.

Andrew W.K. has enjoyed success world-wide but has a special relationship with Japan and his fans there. This started with his album Close Calls with Brick Walls which was a Japan-only release at first because of legal disputes in the US about the rights to his Andrew W.K. moniker. In interviews, W.K. has expressed how thankful he is to his Japanese fanbase and how albums like The Japan Covers or Gundam Rock are his way of giving back.