The following four artists have carved out spaces for themselves in bands and as solo artists. While they’ve accomplished great things in their careers, it’s important to acknowledge the role of their parentage in the whole thing, which some might argue gave them a leg up in the industry. Of all the musical nepo babies, here are some of our favorites whose talents are undeniable—regardless of who their parents are.
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Favorite Musical Nepo Babies: From Gracie Abrams to Wolfgang Van Halen
Gracie Abrams
Gracie Abrams has come into her own as a pop princess, with her latest album, The Secret of Us, dropping last year. She’s embarking on a huge tour soon, with Dora Jar as opener (which caused a bit of a stir among her fans at the time of the announcement). Gracie, however, is related to another famous Abrams: her father is filmmaker J.J. Abrams. Still, she’s definitely proved herself in the music industry lately with a global following and a successful album.
Maya Hawke
Maya Hawke is the daughter of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke, and has dabbled in acting as well as music. She won’t try to hide her connections, though, and even addressed her status on the track “Missing Out” from her recent album Chaos Angel. “But I was born with my foot in the door,” she sings, but the track is mostly lamenting the fact that she’s missed out on a lot of normal experiences for a young woman in her 20s. “Holding the party line / embarrassed all the time / I remember my potential / before I skipped the fundamentals,” she continues, leading into the chorus, “Now I know it’s me who’s missing out.”
Albert Hammond Jr. of The Strokes
This is, of course, the son of musician and songwriter Albert Hammond Sr., who has written hit songs for Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Glen Campbell, and Tina Turner, among many others. Albert Jr. is the lead and rhythm guitarist of The Strokes, formed by Julian Casablancas, another nepo baby. The two became friends when they attended the same Swiss boarding school, but Albert Jr. wouldn’t join the band until 1999. Most likely, The Strokes benefitted from the influence of Albert Hammond Sr. and John Casablancas, but at the same time the band also carved a space for themselves just by having a singular style.
Wolfgang Van Halen of Van Halen
Wolfgang Van Halen is the son of Eddie Van Halen of the band Van Halen and actress Valerie Bertinelli. From 2007 to 2020, he played bass in Van Halen alongside his dad and his uncle, Alex. Eddie died in 2020, and Van Halen disbanded, but the influence of Wolfgang’s parentage and his role in the band led him to find success with his solo project, Mammoth WVH. The band’s second album, Mammoth II, was released in 2023.
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