Born in Los Angeles, Ludwig, whose mother is Filipino and father is a Canadian of Russian descent, first began playing music after taking up the saxophone in fourth grade. He also played French horn in high school. However, after teaching himself to play trumpet during his senior year, he decided to apply to college as a trumpeter and was accepted to the California Institute of the Arts. While there, Ludwig studied jazz and began playing locally in a cover band. In 2012, he caught the attention of members of the indie rock outfit Capital Cities, who invited him to join the band. Ludwig toured with Capital Cities for four years, appearing on the band's debut album, A Tidal Wave of Mystery. During this time, he also appeared live with such acts as Foster the People, St. Lucia, Fitz & the Tantrums, and others. In 2015, he embarked on a solo career and signed a record deal with Warner Bros. Two singles, "Diggy" and "Right into U," followed in 2016. ~ Matt Collar