Hey whats good y’all! SOM recently got a chance to catch up with a dope up and coming artist /model out of Raleigh NC “WONDR” check out his new single “Relay” and don’t forget to follow him on social medias!
1. SOM: What is your Name/ Stage Name? Tell us where you’re from and what first got you interested in the music/entertainment industry?
WONDR: My name is Ryan O’Leary and I go by the stage name, WONDR (that’s spelled in all caps). I’m from Raleigh, NC and, ultimately, it was my dad who got me into music when he bought me my first guitar in elementary school. It was the loss of a former teammate in high school that pushed me to write and record my own raps and pursue music as a career.
2. SOM: Who and/or what inspires you to create?
WONDR: Musically, it’s almost everyone. I think about every song I listen to, and I listen to almost anything so I’m always pushing myself to grow as a songwriter. So in a sense, that’s inspiring my next song. In general, though, it’s family. My dad as a businessman, my mom as a person of immense character, my sister as a hard worker, and my brother as a leader. In short, I’m inspired by a combination of artists and people who care about sharing the art that inspires them most.
3.SOM: What Motivates you?
WONDR: Future potential. Fans existing and when new ones come in
4.SOM: How would you describe your sound?
WONDR: Hip-Hop and R&B. I pull from experiences in relationships, business, a
nd everyday life when I produce and write these songs.
5. SOM:What is your creative process like?
WONDR: Everything starts with the beat. Once I create or find a beat from a friend that I like, I record over it until I catch a vibe and melody. I’m usually looking for specific emotions the beat gives me such as a happy, sad, party, or serious feeling. Then, once I have the initial flow, melody, and energy down, I write the song. This can take 30 minutes or a few days depending on how I’m feeling at the time. Then, I’ll record, pre-mix, mix, and master the song until I have it ready for release. That process is the most tedious, but the end product always makes it worth it.
6. SOM: What artist(s) would you like to collaborate with?
WONDR: This is hard to answer because I’m open to working with a lot of different people in the entertainment industry. The big thing for me is, do we mesh well together? Some people that I would love to work with or even just have a conversation with one day, though, are Dani Leigh, Matthew McConaughey, Drake, Poo Bear, and Rick Ruben. But that’s just to name a few.
7. SOM: What is one message you would give to your supporters?
WONDR: Always be yourself. Inspiration can turn to covet and that usually distorts your creative process. I’ve been there more than once.
8. SOM:What hidden talent do you have?
WONDR: I’m a decent skateboarder. By descent I mean, I can do some tricks that, if you don’t follow skateboarding, you might be impressed by, lol.
9. SOM:What would you be doing right now, if you weren’t doing music?
WONDR: Racing cars professionally
10. SOM: Who are some artists you admire and why?
WONDR: My first intro to Hip-Hop was my brother handing me a burned Petey Pablo “Diary of a Sinner 1st Entry” in elementary school. From there on, he and my sister would pass me down CD’s of new artists at the time like 50 Cent, EM, Ludacris, Outkast, and so on. Before Hip-Hop, it was Rock & Roll and Pop, so I’d have to credit some of my influences to artists like Michael Jackson, Prince, Justin Timberlake, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Aerosmith, and Muse. In terms of hip-hop, though, my biggest influences are Tupac, Jay Z, Drake, and OutKast. The continuous impact of these artists today is the main reason why they are so influential to me. Another reason is each artist came to me at times in my life that made them impactful in ways reflective upon the emotional state I was in.
11. SOM: What is the best advice you’ve been given?
WONDR: You can be whatever you want
12. SOM: If you could change anything about “the industry” what would it be?
WONDR: My team and I are bringing a new flavor to the listener’s ear and an innovative way of conducting business with SYFR projects (the management & publishing company co-founded by myself and my manager Sean O’Leary) to the music industry. Something we are working to champion is 100% ownership of the composition. By that, we mean 100% ownership of any IP we create. So many artists are concerned about their masters when the bottom line is if you outright own the composition, you have full control over what the license agreement for your master looks like. Masters are only the tip of the iceberg as far as business opportunities for your composition.
13. SOM: What’s next for you, where would you like to see yourself in the next year?
WONDR: I see myself as an established artist with multiple, 100% owned, platinum releases, who’s on the rise to becoming the next biggest artist in the music industry. I also see myself on a world tour
14. SOM: What is your social media? How can people get in contact with you?
WONDR: TikTok/IG/Twitter/Facebook: @wondr94 wondr94.com: Another great place to reach me and stay up to date with new releases, videos, shows, and merch.
BONUS!! Check out my Exclusive Interview with WONDR on NiaBoom.com
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 #GetSOM via #MsBoomNYC Nia Boom, Doja Cat, Music Video,){kind=link}
