WONDR

My real name is Ryan, but I go by the artist name, WONDR. I’m a Pop/R&B artist from Raleigh, NC, currently splitting my time between South Carolina and Los Angeles. I’ve always wanted to go fast. I’m inspired by racing legends like Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, and Dale Earnhardt, and when I was younger I dreamed of one day competing and winning races at Daytona and Monaco.

Those dreams were put on hold when I received a copy of Petey Pablo’s “Diary of a Sinner,” and my first guitar in elementary school. With the help of YouTube, I taught myself to play the guitar, piano, and drums.

I write, produce, record, and engineer my records capturing racing energy, stories from my love life, and my journey to becoming a champion in the music industry.

Q: What’s your influences in music?  How did it start? 

My dad gifted me my first guitar in 2nd grade, and I’ve been hooked on making music ever since. I started out listening to Country, Rock, and Pop artists like Alan Jackson, Aerosmith, and Michael Jackson because that was the music my parents played around the house and in the car.

Then, around 4th grade, thanks to an older sister and brother, I began listening to Hip-hop/Rap artists like 50 Cent, Petey Pablo, Ludacris, and most of the early 2000’s artists blowing up at the time. My dad even started blaring Jock Jams on car rides. While rap was becoming my go-to music genre, I continued to play rock and even formed a short-lived Muse cover band in high school playing the drums. 

Things transitioned in college and Rap/R&B began to consume my life. I started a rap duo my junior year, but that only lasted a year or so. To make a long story short, I ended up realizing a solo career in music was what I needed. Ditching the band and the duo, switching from rap to making more contemporary R&B music, I finally became the independent artist known as WONDR.

I’ve been grinding for the past four years, developing my sound, brand, and catalog of music. I consider my music to be Pop/R&B, but my early influences of classic rock and country still stand out in different songs and videos. 

Q: Why Hip-hop? What are you trying to express through your music as a Hip-Hop artist?

Hip-hop struck a chord with me the first time I heard it. This rhythm inside of me was unleashed one day that had been waiting for the right moment to break out. It’s hard to explain, but it’s just been a part of me since day 1 and I’m glad it still plays a big influence in the music I make today. 

Through my music I want others, like most other artists, to feel related to. I struggled with self-confidence and went through some bad relationships growing up. I also went through really great relationships and had some incredible things happen to me that I feel lucky to be exposed to.

I wasn’t great at expressing all of these emotions in person, so my microphone became my soundboard which in turn became a way to talk to others. Not only was the music I created helping express these emotions but the music I was consuming. Wiz Khalifa, Drake, Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, Jay Z, Eminem, you name it, whoever was hot at the time I was listening to them and taking notes.

Q: Coming from North Carolina and now based between South Carolina and LA, how do you find the hip-hop music scene in both of these provinces, which one do you like better? 

I think North Carolina has some of the most talented artists, hands down. I feel the scene is underrated and yet to be tapped to its full potential. That being said, the entertainment industry in the Carolinas is more limited due to a lack of corporations and opportunities.

LA is a great place to network and get your name into the industry whereas North Carolina is a great place to collaborate with other artists and develop yourself as an artist. In LA you’re small fish in a big pond and vice versa in North Carolina. 

Q: Hiphop music scene has been growing rapidly in Asia in the past 5 years. What’s your impression of Hiphop music in Asia? 

I haven’t personally tapped into the Asia hip-hop scene but I’ve heard good things about it. I know Rich Brian has really built up a presence here in the states after his breakout a few years back which was dope to see. Other than that, it’s definitely something I need to explore more.

Q: If you could collaborate with any Hip Hop artist or producer, who would you pick?

I think I’d enjoy working with Russ or Chance the Rapper. I think it goes beyond the music and even more into their come-up as independent artists.

Q: Any project that you are currently working on that you would like to share with us?  

I just wrapped production on the music video for my recent single ‘F With U’ last weekend. The release is coming this month and I’m working on an EP to follow shortly after.

Q: What’s your career goal? How do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years from now? 

My goal is to become the biggest artist in the world, change the way artists and collaborators take control of their music, and to collaborate with NASCAR and F1 to build out music in motorsports.

Q: What’s the best piece of advice you would give to an aspiring Hip Hop rapper? 

Don’t talk about it, show it.

~Follow Wondr everywhere @wondr94