Rising Stars: Meet Zac Mihalko of Atlanta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Zac Mihalko.

Hi Zac, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in Albany, Georgia, hearing stories from my parents about the legendary music scene in Athens. I started a band in high school, intending to write songs and perform. Ever since then, my music has steadily evolved into indie rock with remnants of country and classic rock still permeating my sound. I first met Levi in Athens, downtown one night, although we went to the same high school, we had different friends and circles. We started playing under the name The Wraps shortly after I asked him to join me, and together we wrote the majority of our catalog. We went through several other members as we learned how to really perform in Athens, most notably Nick Pinnero, who was in my high school band. We wrote a lot of music together. For me, it’s always been about writing cool music with my friends. In 2024, Levi met our drummer, Ashton, while practicing in a Nucis space rehearsal room, and he invited Ashton to play with us. We asked him to join the band, and he agreed. We later found our keyboard player, Zeke, while playing at the open mics and hanging out around town. Now my band, The Wraps, is Levi, Ashton, Zeke, and me, and we’ve been crafting our music for the past year or so together. A few hundred shows later, and it still hasn’t lost its luster for me.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s never been smooth, but it’s certainly been fun. My biggest struggle was always trying to find like-minded people. In this day and age, it seems like everybody you meet has a wall up or some ego in the way. Even I still struggle with my own ego, but I’ve found that my best work has come from being able to peel all that away and channel that struggle with my mates. It makes good songs. I genuinely feel like that was the hardest part. Finding the right team is hard, but when you do, it feels like you can accomplish anything. I don’t understand why everyone is so scared to be vulnerable with their team, but maybe it’s because I have been lucky to be able to express myself in all kinds of ways growing up. I always wanted to make films and write things for others with others.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m known for writing songs and performing them. I’d say our performances are probably more well-known than our songs at this point because we are still a young band. We like to entertain the audience in sometimes strange ways. Our music has an inspiring and powerful energy within it. I know because I can feel it when we practice, perform, or write something especially solid. I like to think I’m strongest at curating a story and distilling its themes through music, visuals, and lyrics. I’m most proud of my songwriting, and I think that’s what sets The Wraps apart from the other groups in town.

We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Most people wouldn’t guess that I study science. I love it because I see it as an art form. People often see art and science as opposite ends of the spectrum, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. I like math a lot more than someone might guess for a rocker.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewrapsofficial/
• Other: https://linktr.ee/thewraps