NICOLAS AND PHILIPP grew up in a musical family, with their mother playing classical music on the piano. They themselves learnt the piano and violin from kindergarten age. Their enthusiasm for electronic music began when they discovered music by Martin Garrix and Hardwell in 2014. The duo played their first gigs in clubs in their hometown Graz when they were just 15 years old.

In 2018, the duo released their first official single entitled Lock Up on the Austrian music label DMN Family. This was followed by the single All I Want, together with the rapper Drama B from New York. The single reached a total of over 1 million streams on all streaming platforms. In the same year, the duo signed a contract with the advertising and talent agency Flare Talents.

In 2020, the duo released their next single entitled Knockin on the Dutch music label Diverge Records, which received support from DJs such as Tungevaag, Sikdope and Eliminate.

In 2021, The Waves released Hold On, together with Fred Owusu and Flare Talents. The single reached number 40 in the iTunes Austria Pop Charts and number 65 in the iTunes Austria All Genres Charts, was played daily on the radio and was allowed to perform live in the final of the Austrian casting show Starmania 21.

In April 2022, the duo released their single Breathing, together with Italian singer Daniele Sorrentino. The trade magazine WeRaveYou described Breathing as a "feel-good song" and a "mainstream hit". The first festival appearance followed in the same year at the HighLight Summerclub Festival in Dortmund, where The Waves played alongside superstar DJs such as Nicky Romero, Felix Jaehn, Topic and Toby Romeo. This was followed by further appearances in Austria and Germany, including at the HighLight Summerclub Botique Edition and The Purge in Wiener Neustadt.

In 2023, the duo made their breakthrough with Tu Peux, a remix of the song L'odeur des joints by Hollydays, which they released together with Psaiko.Dino. The TikTok videos reached over 1 million views and led to more than 300 creations. The song was included in the programme of Radio NRJ, the largest private radio company in Europe. In the same year, the duo also made its first radio appearance on the NRJ Extravadance Show, together with Dominik Koislmeyer, which was broadcasted throughout Germany.