Much has been said and written about W.I.L.D. in the past, but arguably one of the most prominent comments heard about the semiannual event is: “I have no idea who the artist is.” Well, we won’t hear these types of comments this semester, with Mike Posner headlining the event. Posner skyrocketed to Top-40 and ringtone fame last summer when his single “Cooler Than Me” from his debut album “31 Minutes to Takeoff” peaked at number six.

While “31 Minutes” brought Posner to mainstream media’s attention, the Duke graduate’s buzz had been building online for over a year before the album’s release. In March 2009, Mike posted his second mixtape, “A Matter of Time,” on iTunes U for free. The mixtape, a mixture of pop, R&B and hip-hop, catapulted Posner into tastemakers’ consciousnesses. The tape, which features his now-signature breathy falsetto, showcases Posner’s unique voice over his own production.

Four months later, J Records signed the Internet phenomenon. This led to another mix tape, “One Foot Out the Door,” which was released in October 2009. Similar to “A Matter of Time” in many ways, “One Foot” also featured hints at Posner’s upcoming major label debut. Although none of the snippets appeared on “31 Minutes,” they nonetheless gave his fans a look into what his debut would sound like. That same month, Posner was also featured on the ever-popular PerezHilton.com, an achievement that foreshadowed his success to come.

Fast-forward to the summer of 2010. Posner has just graduated from Duke while recording his album and touring the country. Now ready to commit to his career, he released his first single, “Cooler Than Me,” which he originally featured on “A Matter of Time.” The single came with revamped production and without Big Sean, who was featured on the original. A few months later, the single hit the Top 10 and was a radio mainstay throughout the summer.

The album, released in August 2010, unfortunately failed to spark consumers’ interest, unable to sell a substantial number of copies. Likewise, his two following singles, “Please Don’t Go” and “Bow Chicka Wow Wow,” while successful (peaking at numbers 16 and 30, respectively), failed to match the success of their predecessor.

Now, once he finishes this album cycle, Posner will begin work on his sophomore release, “Sky High.” Less than a year after his last visit to St. Louis—he performed at the Pageant last October—Posner will now be headlining this year’s fall W.I.L.D., proving why he’s “cooler than” the other guys.