London-based pop singer-songwriter AJ Wander has released his new single, ‘Take It All’, The track is a cinematic and emotional tune doused in refined musicianship, crisp production and evocative songwriting.
I caught up with the singer-songwriter to talk about the new single, his plans for live shows and writing the new single in a caravan in Wales.
“It came to me when I was in Wales with my friend Geth [Gethin Williams]. We were staying at his caravan, sort of at the foot of Snowdon, which is a nice little spot to write and I was definitely feeling the need to write in that moment of life. I was just in a toxic situation and it felt quite cathartic and something that I needed to get out. It was quite a positive turn for me in terms of reevaluating self-worth and realizing that I couldn’t let it continue.”
“It was last November. We had a heater. He actually lives in the caravan. I feel like caravan is definitely miss selling it. It’s definitely like a big caravan that doesn’t move. It was a glamping caravan. I mean it definitely did get cold at night, that’s for sure and when the heater was off, you definitely felt the bite of Welsh winter.”
The track was produced by co-writer Gethin Williams alongside Brad Mair (Dean Lewis, Jamie Cullum, Kygo). Wander’s songs are vividly emotional with a personal aspect rooted within the lyrics. This makes his songs heartfelt, passionate and relatable. We discussed how nerve-wracking it can be to express all these personal emotions to the people he co-wrote with.
“ I think it’s nice knowing that’s what these people do. It’s definitely a hurdle to get over that initial awkwardness but I think once you accept it for what it is and that there’s not really any judgment on their part, they’re literally there to help you get your thoughts out and into music, it doesn’t feel awkward”
Lyrically the song tackles pain as Wander explores personal emotions in the midst of a toxic relationship. However, with his signature beautiful piano at the helm, the music is uplifting while cinematic soundscapes urge the track forward. Wander found the music and production came naturally to him and Gethin Williams, as they worked on the track.
“As with the other songs it just happened naturally, I think I was sat writing the lyrics whilst Geth, was producing up the track. It just happened organically, it wasn’t over planned, it wasn’t overthought it’s just the way it happened.”
Wander began his solo career during the pandemic. Lockdowns etc made it difficult to promote music and yet his debut single, ‘Time Out’ has just under 4 million streams. Like other artists of this generation, Wander has the power and influence of streaming platforms which gives artists huge exposure however it doesn’t really make them money. We talked about this paradox and the fact you can reach more people but don’t reap the benefits as much as you would with album sales and touring as well as how streaming has helped him with his music.
“Yeah, definitely and it’s still sort of difficult to come by. It seems that everyone that was supposed to be gigging before and during lockdown is now playing catch up and they’re playing all of their shows so for new artists you know, gigs are hard to come by. But things have been booked in now, which is exciting for next year. So 2022 is pretty busy. Yeah, it’s been tough. I guess the only sort of meter I’ve had to gauge the tracks success and how people are enjoying the tracks and connecting with them is Spotify and streaming. So it’s not multifaceted. It’s very singular and I do miss that connection with people in the room. It’s easy to forget why you do it. So yeah, having that barrier there was definitely a struggle and it’s a barrier I’m looking forward to knocking down soon and getting out and seeing some faces as I sing.”
“ Obviously, I don’t do it for the money. I think it’s a dream to just be able to survive on music. It plays into the whole sort of social media thing. It is one thing to release a song and it’s another thing reaching people. It’s something I’m struggling with right now. I think being able to perform in front of people will be a great thing for me because I can actually see people connecting with it rather than just seeing the number go up on a screen. So yeah, very much excited to streaming not being my only way of gauging how people are connecting with my music.”
Wander has been creating great content with his videos and the lyric video for ‘Take It All’ is an impressive example of his creative genius.
“I wish I could take all of the credit. I mean, initially, it came from me. I was sat on the tube and as it left the station, I was watching the adverts pass behind the train window. I was like that’s kind of a cool way to present lyrics as if they were adverts on the wall behind the train. Then that turned out to be pretty hard to do, to make it look like adverts on a wall. So then my mate Skip and I walked around London, taking pictures all over the place and just capturing loads of footage trying to think of situations where lyrics could be made to look like they were there. It’s nice to be able to show off a bit of London too like my hometown and people to have that kind of connection with me.”
With the release of ‘Take It All’ I wondered if Wander was giving us a teaser for an EP or an album to come.
“ Yeah, definitely an EP coming next year and then I get to perform it to lots of people which I’m even more excited about. So yes, there’s lots more music coming. So between now and Christmas is getting that EP ready, getting my live show ready, getting in rehearsals, and just prepping for a big 2022 really.”.
So what can we expect from an upcoming AJ Wander show?
“That’s a very good question. Yes, there will be a band. I think it will depend on the show that I’m playing. I’ll have a piano. I know that I’ll have a piano and I will have a band on the bigger shows. Other than that anything is possible. There might be pyrotechnics, I imagine. Maybe I’ll like pop out with some smoke out of the bottom of the stage. In reality, I’ll probably be playing in a pub corner to about ten people, with the pyrotechnics obviously.”
AJ Wander is a compelling musician who showcases his effortless and ambitious talent through moving, rich and heartfelt tunes. His lyrical depth and remarkable songwriting is incomparable and ‘Take It All’ is a sublime example of this. Wander’s passion for music radiates from each release and his live shows are sure to have an audience captivated. Keep an eye out for his live show announcements.
Stream ‘Take It All’ below
Author: Danu
