waNda wilsoN has been known to welcome and explore almost any artistic idea she can find into her work. She is passionate, optimistic and determined to work with what she has; her sound has been described by many as raw and edgy. The approach is bold, out of the ordinary, and pretty damn cool. Whether she's using a homemade amp fashioned from an old suitcase, custom drum kit pieced together one skin at a time, or some obscure outdoor location, wilsoN's tendency to `make do' conveys a style that speaks for itself.
With a hint of folk-rock sprinkled with a smidgeon of garden-punk, she constructs an alternative blend of music meant to be heard. She finds inspiration all around from the performances and stories of friends and buskers to artists like The Pixies, The Violent Femmes, Rae Spoon, Kinnie Starr, Lucinda Williams and George Jones.
SWEET HOME MANITOBA.
It was the realization that music can be a great healer and teacher that lead wilsoN to her path. Growing up in Northern Manitoba, the gravel roads to discovering her true calling were long, winding, and not easy. Once she started on her way, she just kept going. wilsoN embraced an infinite challenge to learn from life's lessons and in some significance to learn to trust the unknown. With this, she had to work towards discovering to believe in herself.
It was a fateful Sunday afternoon when wilsoN and a new acquaintance started jamming under the Donald Street Bridge in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The downtown underground sound was recorded with battery-operated gear that allotted the freedom to play wherever, whenever. Their arsenal included old 58 mics, portable mixers, natural acoustics, and the unwavering sense of adventure.
HER DEBUT RECORDING
Low on dough yet high on drive, Under Donald slowly took shape as a labour of love, becoming the fruits of spent time and unwavering endeavour. While recording, people stopped, clapped, danced, cheered, and donated. Money earned from the ‘guerilla’ underground performances helped to pay for the recordings and final mastering.
On Under Donald, you won’t hear a polished performance with clean mixes and subtle fadeouts. What you will experience is a truly unique musical collaboration that connected and came together live, while remaining completely intact and fully raw. It is what it is. As someone described it, “beautifully imperfect…”
UNDENIABLE PRESENCE
Under Donald is as real as music gets, and as authentic as waNda wilsoN herself. Not a natural performer by any means, wilsoN admits to sometimes feeling shy and incoherent when she first gets up on stage. But as soon as she starts to play something happens. With each passing moment, and each new strum, the nervousness melts away. She learns to just let go, go with it, and open herself up. Like a tenacious little weed pushing through a crack in the concrete next to a garden full of flawless flowers, her presence is undeniable. Beautifully imperfect, perhaps.
Although it took a while to show herself to the world, waNda wilsoN is finally on her way, doing what she was destined to do – creating, allowing herself to let go, and moving forward. For right now, there’s no question she’s in the driver’s seat, with one thing for certain. Wherever this waNderer goes, her talent continues to grow.