Wolfgang Valbrun is a singer-songwriter born and raised in the state of New York, whose musical career has flourished in Europe, particularly in Paris, France.
His musical education came from his mother and spanned a wide spectrum, from the iconic sounds of Bob Marley to the soulful harmonies of Bobby McFerrin, the melodies of Billy Joel to the tunes of Elton John and the eclectic flair of Charles Aznavour to the mesmerizing enigma of Grace Jones, all infused with a touch of Kompa, an entrancing Haitian musical flavour that has nurtured various Caribbean music genres.
His early years were marked by tumultuous periods, as he moved regularly between different countries due to his parents separation. It was when he moved to Paris as a teenager that his life took a decisive turn. Transitioning to a new culture and environment demanded a complete adaptation, leaving behind the familiar landmarks he had known before; Guided by the encouraging hand of his elder cousin, he veered away from the dominant American rock that once defined his musical preferences and immersed himself in a captivating world of soul, jazz, hip-hop, and Brazilian music. Artists like Erykah Badu, The Roots, Seu Jorge, and Gilberto Gil left a lasting impact on his musical journey. Wolfgang’s artistic horizons expanded to embrace a rich diversity of genres, leaving an indelible imprint upon his burgeoning artistic soul.
As high school drew to a close, Wolfgang sought a change of scenery. He spent a year away from Paris in Venezuela where the enchanting beats of salsa, the rhythmic sway of merengue, the vibrant cumbia, and the delightful cadences of calypso charmed his musical senses.
Upon his return to France, he auditioned to join the Parisian funk band “Marvellous”, where he met Thierry Lemaitre with whom he has written and played ever since. Wolfgang then met fellow future bandmates James Graham and Adam Holgate through playing live alongside a UK soul act called Hannah Williams & the Tastemakers. The songwriter and band leader Olive Mondegreen pitched Wolfgang to join her new project ephemerals as the lead singer.
ephemerals recorded their first album in seven days in a steaming hot London studio and self-released it, only getting signed to a label once the album was already out there and had built up an enthusiastic fanbase.
The album Nothin Is Easy was classic soul with a modern twist, with Mondegreen’s songs a perfect vehicle for Wolf’s distinctive voice which brought a key element of emotion and power to the band’s music.
It was an instant hit especially You Made Us Change which was reworked by French electronic producer Kungs into a worldwide airplay hit that has streamed in the hundreds of millions and led to Wolf performing live at Victoires de la Musique (the French equivalent of The Brit Awards).
Three further albums with ephemerals followed – each one a brave and challenging forward move, the band never repeating itself.
A performance at Glastonbury found Wolf a new fan in the form of French hip hop and funk legend GUTS. He recruited Wolfgang to tour with GUTS live band leading to Wolf co-writing and performing on tracks for his Stop The Violence record.
2020 brought new challenges for all musicians, leading Wolf to rethink his musical path. Encouraged by his bandmates and label he started to write his own songs planning an album and tour for the first time under his own name.
The result is Flawed By Design a collection of intensely personal songs inspired by love, loss, relationships, social unrest and personal growth.
The album was recorded in Fishpond Studio Bristol and Rockfield Studio Wales with Thierry Lemaitre, James Graham, Adam Holgate, Damian McLean-Brown, Charlie Fitzgerald, Rhii Williams, Matt Brown and Jai Widdowson – a brilliant team of musicians and co-writers, many of whom also form the core of Wolf’s touring band.
Flawed by Design will be released on Jalapeno Records in 2024.
