Tag Archives: AJ Wander

A Chat With, Indie, Interviews, New Music, Singer/Songwriter

A Chat With: AJ Wander

London singer/songwriter AJ Wander has released his new single ‘When You Say I Love You’. I caught up with him to discuss the new single, what we can expect from his upcoming EP as well as the anxiety that comes with releasing new music.

“I don’t think I do. There’s a little bit of nervous excitement, I’d say, more of a relief to finally get them out in the world because I’ve heard them so many times. By the time they get released it’s a relief to finally not be the only one that’s listening to them. Because I have to listen to them so much in the process of creating them and getting them to the point where I feel I’m happy for them to be released and shown to the world that I’m mildly sick of them by the time they come out. So it’s definitely a bit of selfish relief, in that sense. But I mean, in terms of nervousness, in terms of how they’re going to be received, it’s so hard to put yourself in other people’s minds and work out what other people are gonna like.So I just find what’s right for myself and if it clicks with people, great if it doesn’t, then Que Será, Será, I’ll move on to the next one [song] .”

‘When You Say I Love You’ is an honest song with a heartfelt melody at it’s core. Wander explained to me how he crafted the song and what sparked him to write it.

“It was witnessing a friend’s relationship and them confiding in me about what’s going on in their situation that his girlfriend had fallen for him too fast. He’s like, Oh, shit, what’s going on? I didn’t quite expect things to move so quickly. He’d been pretending to sort of have the same level of feelings towards her as she did to him and that went on for a little while. Ultimately, he realized it wasn’t healthy. So then its him realizing that he has to be honest about his reservations and wanting to slow things down and speculating about how things are gonna go when he does actually tell her that he in fact, isn’t in love with her yet, but just wants to put the brakes on a little bit.”

At times the lyrics of the song are quite harsh “I could try to pretend but it hurts me to use you/ I’m having a ball and your having a blast I didn’t expect you to fall”. Wander’s warm vocal delivery shelters the listener from the full impact of these lyrics, perfectly highlighting the confusion and oftentimes panic that can occur when someone is honest in how they feel. I wondered if he found it difficult to decide how he would deliver this message in order to be respectful and tender lyrically.

“I didn’t really consider it to be honest. I guess it is a bit harsh. I wrote it pretty late at night and we were just sort of selfish about my friend’s perspective and not considering how she might have actually felt about fessing up that he’d been sort of pretending to feel something when he hadn’t, which obviously, it’s not a very good thing to do. So it wasn’t a conscious consideration, but I’m relieved to hear that you don’t think it’s too harsh. I think it’s a cliche, but the truth hurts sometimes, and I guess sometimes you just got to rip the band-aid off and say it. That’s the whole sentiment of the song, that even though it’s hard for you personally, you can’t just hide the truth from someone because you selfishly are going to find the conversation hard to have. So the song wears its heart on its sleeve and it doesn’t want to hide what it’s trying to say behind anything, that’s the whole point of the song is finally being completely transparent and honest.”

The song is one of several tracks recorded in London and Barcelona with producer Brad Mair (Dean Lewis, Jamie Cullum, Kygo). Mair is such a diverse producer and seems to bring out the best in the artists he works with and Wander explained to me how important working with a producer is for an artist.

“100% and it goes the same with writing as well. It’s always good to have outside influence. It jogs your mind into thinking in a different way or looking at things with a different perspective. I think it’s very much a collaborative process and we bounce off of each other to be honest in the room, and we also had Gethin [Williams] the guy that I wrote it with, sort of weighed in on the prod as well. So it was a three-way creative process. We will bounce off of each other and add our own little flavours to the track.”

Wander released a live video of him performing his previous single ‘Take It All’ in an old paper mill in Wembley. It’s a passionate performance that highlights the range and warmth of Wander’s voice while also giving a glimpse into the live full-band style of Wander.

“It’s great fun. There are lots of creepy mannequins dotted around, a few of them had some pretty tasty looking outfits, to be fair, I was a bit jealous. It was like walking through a horror-themed vintage store. It was great fun. It’s was just a quick sort of in and out. Those days go so quickly, filming days are just pretty relentless. People prodding you and seeing if your hair looks the least crap it could be. The band were great. I was very lucky to work with a bunch of great friends that happen to be great musicians. Yeah, it’s all good fun. I just recorded a live stripped version for ‘When You Say I Love You’ and there’s more video graphic content being made as well for some upcoming singles which is very exciting and I feel very lucky to be able to do because it’s expensive. It is crazy how much money you can spend on lights and stuff and smoke machines”

‘When You Say I Love You’ is a taster of Wander’s first EP due in late 2022 and the singer told me what we can expect from the upcoming EP.

“That is a very good question. If I was to sum up the lyrical topics of the EP it’s ‘intoxicated love’. Not necessarily all self-reflective but yeah, that seems to be the theme and it’s definitely a stepping stone from the sound that I have now into what’s coming next. I mean, the EP, beyond the next EP that’s coming out is already ready to go. So it definitely feels like a stepping stone towards where I’m headed sonically as an artist.”

Wander has an ability to write songs about other people’s life experiences giving him more scope to venture into themes and topics that are not necessarily about him and his life. This limitless songwriting inspiration gives Wander’s writing more diversity and relatability.

“Yeah, well, the thing is, my life is just a bit too boring to only write about my own life. I wish it wasn’t. I ran out of things to write about my own life when I was about 22. So I’ve been forced to improvise since then sort of seeking out other people’s drama. I’ve just been a massive gossip. Basically. I just hang out in hair salons, reading OK Magazine, Hello. OK, you know, all the classics, just seeking out song topics.”

Wander has been back performing live shows and we discussed how thrilling it feels to perform on stage. I also asked if there is the potential for a show in Ireland.

“It feels bloody good. I just wish I was doing more. I really want to go on the road that’s why I do it I think. I just want to be out in front of people, connecting with strangers through the songs I’ve written and seeing how people react in real-time. Touring the world, not even the world just touring the UK, touring London, touring even just my street. Just pop into my neighbour’s houses would suffice, but yeah, just to get on the road of some description would be great.

“There aren’t yet, there are conversations happening is what I’ll say. I’ve had Irish sort of touring slash Irish trips, planned a few times over the past few years, and they’ve all been cancelled because of COVID. So I’m really hoping to get over there as soon as possible. Fingers crossed it happens before the years out. That’s my aim.”

AJ Wander is an artist who is developing and refining his sound beautifully and his new single ‘When You Say I Love You’ is a delight to the ears. His piano anchored sound is flourishing as he adds catchy pop elements and cinematic undertones into the mix to create a compelling and moving listening experience. Each of his releases have been vibrant earworms and his knack for sweet melodies make his tracks dangerously addictive. If his velvety tone and earnest songwriting alone doesn’t pique your interest then his rich musicianship and irresistible melodies will get you for sure. 

Stream ‘When You Say I Love You’ below 


Author: Danu

Indie, New Music, Singer/Songwriter

AJ Wander ‘When You Say I Love You’

AJ Wander has released his new single ‘When You Say I Love You’.  The song is one of several tracks recorded in London and Barcelona with producer Brad Mair (Dean Lewis, Jamie Cullum, Kygo) which will culminate in AJ Wander’s first EP due in late 2022. AJ Wander’s debut single, ‘Time Out’, was written soon after an explosive breakup and represents the moment that he realised he had to let his first love go. This single has garnered over 4M streams in just over one year. 

Whipping up stirring emotion through elegant piano and a fist-clenching chorus, ‘When You Say I Love You’ is an emotive new ballad from AJ Wander. The track exudes hair raising tension throughout as it broods at first before kinetic electronics push the soundscape to cinematic heights. Oozing conflicting emotion, Wander’s warm passionate vocals sing earnest lyrics amidst gripping instrumental builds and a lush, catchy melody. ‘When You Say I Love You’ is beautifully arranged and highlights Wander’s compelling musicianship and expressive songwriting.

Speaking of the single AJ Wander said: “When You Say I Love You is about someone falling for you too fast and that desire to go along with it just because you don’t want them to experience rejection. Eventually, you arrive at a realisation that pretending to be in love is not healthy, so you choose to be honest, but telling them that you need to slow things down is an emotional minefield.”

Stream ‘When You Say I Love You’ below 

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Author: Danu

A Chat With, Interviews, New Music, Singer/Songwriter

A Chat With: AJ Wander

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

Indie, New Music, Singer/Songwriter

AJ Wander ‘Take It All’

Following the success of his debut single, ‘Time Out’ (just under 4 million streams), London-based pop singer-songwriter AJ Wander has released his new single, ‘Take It All’, via Elevation. The track was produced by co-writer Gethin Williams alongside Brad Mair (Dean Lewis, Jamie Cullum, Kygo). Prior to the ongoing pandemic, AJ had been running himself ragged playing covers at piano bars and hotels across the UK. Once lockdown hit, he turned all his energy and focus into creating his own music and pushing forward his solo career. Wander’s drive paid off as his new music led him to sign a management and recording deal with Elevation, a USA-based music company that specializes in artist development, and a publishing deal with BDi Music, administered globally by Bucks Music Group.

‘Take It All’ is a cinematic new tune from Wander. Eloquent and vivid songwriting flourish throughout the track while gripping and expressive musicianship adorns the backdrop in suspense and drama. Filled with lamenting piano strides, swelling soundscapes, pulsing drums and thick electronics the track is a dynamic and heartfelt display from Wander as he croons atop the breath-taking melody “all the words I have are caught behind my teeth and they’re choking me it’s getting hard to breath”. AJ Wander’s sound is emotive, expressive and laced with passion. His earnest songwriting and intricate musicianship is impressive and makes him an artist to keep an eye on. 

About the track Wander said: ‘’Take It All’ is me learning to let go, reminding myself not to get distracted by glimpses of light amongst the darkness. I wrote the track with my mate, Geth, in his caravan in rural Wales last November in the midst of a toxic relationship.” 

Stream ‘Take It All’ below 


Author:Danu

Indie, New Music, Singer/Songwriter

AJ Wander ‘Time Out – The Works’

Following huge signings with the US-based Elevation Group and UK-based BDi Music during the pandemic, AJ Wander has just released ‘Time Out – The Works’ a three-song set of the stunning original version of “Time Out” – which has racked up over 3 million streams –  alongside two beautiful alternative reimaginings of the track. The song was written soon after an explosive breakup and offers an intimate take on a universally relatable topic – relationships. Produced by Brad Mair (Dean Lewis, Jamie Cullum, Kygo, Twin Atlantic), ‘Time Out’ is a prime example of London-based AJ Wander’s type of emotive, substantive pop songwriting.

‘Time Out – The Works’ showcases the diverse nature of AJ Wander’s songwriting.Stripped back from the cinematic production of the original, the unplugged version and piano version highlight the earnest lyrical content and beautiful melodic arrangement within this timeless gem. Furthermore, the alternate versions allow Wander to display the warmth, depth and velvety tone in his voice which is simply a joy to listen to. ‘Time Out – The Works’ is a fantastic way to experience the multi-faceted musicianship of AJ Wander. Love it.

Stream ‘Time Out – The Works’ below 


Author : Danu

A Chat With, Interviews, New Music, Singer/Songwriter

A Chat With: AJ Wander

I caught up with UK Pop Singer AJ Wander who has just released the video for his brand new single ‘Eye To Eye’. We talked about the new single, working with Louis Berry for the expressive video and his plans for releasing music. Wander starts the conversation on the topic of settling for a muffin over the desired pitta and hummus dish he craved for.

“I just tried Tesco’s, and found out that there are no pitta breads left. I was very excited for pitta and some hummus but, toasted muffin and cheese it is. Pitta breads have a long shelf life. So I feel like there’s always pittas and there’s so many different kinds of pittas they have the mini ones, they have brown, white, the organic ones but they have none. So, I wouldn’t say my days got off to the best start. I’m sure it’s on the way up though”

He explains how walking into Tesco for some pitta bread now more than ever can be the only in person human interaction one experiences during these crazy pandemic times.

“Yeah, this is like Black Mirror coming into reality. I like a bit of human interaction, I’m stuck at home by myself all this week and I’m tempted to just go to Tesco and see if there are any pittas there again, even though I know there aren’t. Just to say hi to the cashier.

“I hung out in the wine aisle. It’s just like urban wine tasting in Tesco. I’ve definitely gotten into my red wine in the last year. That’s been a good pastime. I’m actually doing a wine tasting this weekend with my family. I haven’t managed to go to the pub yet since they have reopened. I was away in the studio when they opened. I was in Spain, and then I just hadn’t gotten around to going, I was gonna go tomorrow night, then I’m in the studio on Saturday and I tend to sound a little bit like Bob Dylan when I’m hungover. Which is completely great for Bob Dylan I mean Bob Dylan pulls off Bob Dylan very well, but it doesn’t go so well for me, I wouldn’t say. So I’m not sure, I might have to rethink my pub plan and push it back another week. But I’m going wine tasting on Sunday, so perhaps I can wait a little while.”

 Wander has released his new single ‘Eye To Eye’. He explains to me that he has had this song for a while and is buzzing to finally be able to let people hear it

“Yeah, I’m super excited, it’s one I’ve had in the bank for a little while so to see it step out into the world and start its own journey is an exciting moment”

“I started this journey with a bunch of songs and I haven’t been releasing songs until November last year. I’ve been writing since I was 14 So, naturally I’ve built up quite a few songs so it’s a sensation that I’ve gotten used to. I think now the desire to release songs comes from more of a point of wanting to move on to the next thing, forever chasing the next thing. Releasing a song, allows you to move on to whatever comes next.”

With each release, Wander is showing a constant and impressive ability to capture emotion within his beautifully crafted tunes and this is an organic and natural result of the artist’s talent.

“It’s just how it comes out, every song is different. It depends on the subject of the song but I think that the tracks that I’ve released to date are cathartic and they are me dealing with personal experiences, and managing those emotions that come along with those experiences. Yeah, so definitely not contrived. It’s not an overly thought out process for me.”

“If it’s something that’s not about my own story and my own personal experiences, I probably will spend a little more time rephrasing things and working out what should be said, but those songs that are about my own experiences and come from my own life it’s more of a natural way of thinking and it just spills out into the page”

Wander’s knack for writing precise, well-crafted lyrics and clever turn of phrase within his songs is impressive. Lines such as “living it up is a lazy lie” “stay calm through the smoke alarm as we let it burn” are impactful and thought-provoking.

“I just stick my phone on to record and sing over the song a bunch of times, as I’m writing it, as it’s first coming to life. I don’t really know what I’m saying as I’m writing it and then I’ll listen back to those voice memos and latch on to certain lyrics. I think “living it up is a lazy lie” is something that felt good to sing and it did sum up, what I was feeling, and was trying to tell. I was talking to my girlfriend in the song and that’s what I was trying to convey to her. I guess it was the quickest way to get across that.”

The piano melodies within Wander’s songs are always a strong figure that adds a unique quality to each track. I wondered if the reason for this is because he writes the songs on piano or just that he loves having piano in the songs.

“Yeah I do write them on piano. It’s the only instrument I can play. It’s my only choice. I’m starting to have some guitar lessons but they’re progressing slowly, because I just gravitate towards the piano when I’m writing on the guitar. I should probably have a little bit more discipline. Maybe I’ll lock my piano in a cupboard somewhere so it forces me to write on guitar. I think naturally I create piano parts as I’m writing them on the piano and then I get into the studio and the producer loves them so they’re like we’ve got to put this in. Actually I just recorded a bunch of songs and there’s a few that are piano-less, which is refreshing.”

“I had co-written those songs though, so I didn’t necessarily write them at the piano and I had someone who was playing the guitar or a producer there sort of putting the track together and we wrote to that. So it didn’t have to center around me at the piano, which I think will be quite liberating especially for me when I get to perform live, to be able to actually step aside from my piano and just have a moment to sing and fully connect with that side of the performance.”

“I only really started getting into the swing of co-writing since September last year. It’s something that I’ve always wanted to step up and really get my teeth into, because I constantly have so many ideas that it’s almost nice to take some of the pressure away to present those ideas within the co-writing session, they can be like, I love that, I love that. I don’t love that. It means you get more ideas finished. My music is there to speak to other people so being able to have a co-writer in the room to tell me how it comes across is really helpful and it’s just a great indicator for me as to how it’s conceived outside of my head.”

The video for ‘Eye To Eye’ is well crafted. It has a groundhog day vibe with lots of plate smashing and tension. Wander got the opportunity to work with Louis Berry (JP Cooper, Emily Burns) on the video. 

“So much fun. We shot the whole thing in one day, which was tough, it was definitely a bit manic and we were shooting until the very last second of the day. It was great fun. I was really lucky to work with a team that I’ve wanted to work with. I’ve loved the director Louis Berry. He’s worked with a bunch of music videos that I’ve admired for a little while. So to be able to get the chance to work with him and create this vision for the song and again, like I said with the co-writing, to hear his take on the song and how he perceives its meaning was super interesting and how he thinks it should be conveyed into the visual world was really interesting, yeah that was a great day.”

“We had a bunch of long chats on Zoom about what the song means to me when we were coming up with the concept for the music video. I realized that it was about the cycle of this relationship of just constantly fighting because we knew something wasn’t right, and then something wasn’t right because we’re always fighting. It’s just this messed up cycle really that we’ve fallen into. He echoed that feeling as well when he had just listened to the song, without me saying it. It’s like our heads met there, we were like ‘well this is what it has to be, it has to be sort of highlighting that cycle and the toxicity of it all’.”

Wander’s debut single ‘Time Out’, has racked up 3 million streams on Spotify to date. It’s a fantastic achievement.

“Yeah, it’s a bit weird to be honest. It’s beyond anything I’d hoped for my first release. People are still listening to it and it’s just so nice to see it have its own life and get some lovely messages from people saying that it means something to them and it’s helped them more or it echoes a personal experience of theirs. That’s more rewarding than the numbers. It’s hearing that people are getting something from it, and can relate to it. But yeah it’s beyond anything I had hoped for my first release and I hope that it continues and people listen to the rest of the music I release.”

Wander hasn’t had the opportunities to experience performing these new songs live. He hasn’t experienced that magical moment of connecting with a live audience yet. This live show interaction is something he is buzzing to see. 

“No, I haven’t been able to gig any of the songs yet which is top on my list. I crave the most to get out there and be able to perform and hopefully, I am going over to the State’s in July. If they let me in and that’s a big if. So, yeah if Biden lets me in I will be performing my first show in July, which is so exciting and I’m starting to get into rehearsals now putting that show together with the band and, yeah, big moment and very exciting for me. That’s something I’ve been looking forward to a ridiculous amount since I started this whole thing.”

Last time I spoke to Wander he told me he had a lot of songs in his repertoire already. I asked if an EP is something we could see very soon.

“That a very good question. Initially, the plan was to release an EP and start touring that. Well, I guess, as I was releasing it I would be on tour already promoting that EP.  But, of course, there’s a virus going around. I can’t tour yet… things are starting to open up but I think realistically it’s not going to be until the latter half of the year until I can actually get out and tour properly. So, I’ve had to tweak plans and I’m actually going to now release a bunch more singles, which I’ve just been in Spain recording. I’ve got 10 tracks that I’ve recorded, and ready to release. So the plan is to release a song, a month until the end of the year, and then start touring that, and 5 of those 10 songs are going to make up an EP, and the other five are just sort of going to sit as stand alone singles, but again I feel lucky to be able to extend that record deal and be able to release more songs. Yeah, so lots more music is basically the solution to Coronavirus apparently.”

AJ Wander is a passionate artist and an exceptional melody wizard with a talent for writing poignant and captivating songs. His music comes from the heart and his warm and velvety vocals leaves you craving to hear more. I am looking forward to the luscious musical treats he releases in the coming months.

Watch the video for ‘Eye To Eye’ below


Author ; Danu

Indie, New Music, Singer/Songwriter

AJ Wander ‘Eye To Eye’

UK Pop Singer AJ Wander has released his new single ‘Eye To Eye’. The song is the latest track to follow from his debut single ‘Time Out’, which was released at the end of 2020 and has racked up 3 million streams on Spotify to date. 

Pounding with anthemic power, pop ballad sensibilities and heartfelt melodies ‘Eye To Eye’ is a superb new single from AJ Wander. The track flurries along a rush on piano while pulsing drums and soaring soundscapes create a tense backdrop. Sweet melodies weave between an intricate percussive wall of sound, as the song surges with emotion and adrenaline all at once. This refined track exudes Wander’s compelling musicianship. His ability to capture emotion and contain its raw, unbridled passion within a beautifully crafted tune is mesmerising. ‘Eye To Eye’ is a compelling new single from AJ Wander.

Speaking of “Eye To Eye”, AJ Wander said: “I wrote Eye to Eye whilst sat on my bed in the middle of the night last year. My girlfriend and I were fighting a losing game and we couldn’t pretend to be OK anymore. It was a moment of realisation, we’re broken and the pieces couldn’t be glued back together. It’s me finally being able to step back from the chaos of our relationship and see the toxic cycle we’d fallen into; we fought because we were numb and we were numb because we fought. All we ever wanted was trouble.”

Stream ‘Eye To Eye’ below 


Author : Danu

New Music, Singer/Songwriter

AJ Wander ‘Way We Walk’

Following the success of his debut single, ‘Time Out’, London-based pop singer-songwriter AJ Wander has now released his second track, ‘Way We Walk’. “Time Out” received 850k+ streams and 450k+ monthly listeners in only 3 weeks. Prior to the ongoing pandemic, AJ Wander had been running himself ragged playing covers at piano bars and hotels across the United Kingdom. Once lockdown hit, he turned all his energy and focus into creating his own music and pushing forward his solo career. Wander’s drive paid off as his new music led him to sign a management and recording deal with Elevation, a USA-based music company that specializes in artist development, and a publishing deal with BDi Music, administered globally by Bucks Music Group.

Melodically lush and heartfelt, ‘Way We Walk’ continues AJ Wander’s spine-tingling emotive song writing. Doused in uplifting and inspiring tones which contrast the earnest lyrics ‘Way We Walk’ drifts through anthemic instrumentation as a bright piano melody weaves between bubbling rhythms and warm guitar refrains creating an indie pop edge and expansive wall of sound. There are folk elements glimmering through lush pop soundscapes while the mesmerising, warm vocals of AJ Wander tie all the vibrant components together. He coos through the pulsing verses and showcases his rich depths and power through the explosive chorus as the instrumentation pushes and pulls creating a tense yet animated backdrop. ‘Way We Walk’ is a stunning second release from AJ Wander.

Lyrically, ‘Way We Walk’ centers around the end of a relationship, as Wander states, “I wrote ‘Way We Walk’ after an ex and I discovered the lie we’d been living together. We finally saw the truth that we weren’t made for each other and that ignorance isn’t always bliss.” 

 Stream ‘Way We Walk’ below


Author : Danu

New Music, Singer/Songwriter

AJ Wander ‘Time Out’ live performance video

London-based pop singer-songwriter AJ Wander has shared a live performance video of his debut single ‘Time Out’. The video, filmed at Craxton Studios in London, finds Wander sitting at an antique Bluthner piano for a stripped-down rendition of the song. Recorded with producer Brad Mair (Dean Lewis, Jamie Cullum, Kygo), ‘Time Out’ has already seen over 485,000 streams on Spotify since its release less than one month ago. The track is a prime example of the type of emotive, substantive pop songwriting that makes Wander one of the British artists to watch heading into 2021

AJ Wander has created a timeless piano rendition of his emotive single ‘Time Out’. This stripped back version creates the perfect setting for Wander’s soulful vocals to flourish and highlight his deeply emotive lyrics. It’s a beautiful glimpse into Wander as a live artist. Supple embellishments on piano add grace and elegance to the track as Wander delivers a passionate and hair raising performance that is simply captivating.

Watch the live performance of ‘TIme Out’ below


Author : Danu

A Chat With, Indie, Interviews, New Music, Singer/Songwriter

A Chat With : AJ Wander

I caught up with London-based singer songwriter AJ Wander to chat about his debut single ‘Time Out’ and how he managed to turn his life around during the pandemic. We discussed how sometimes the Wi-Fi gods cannot be appeased, the relief that we no longer live in the times of Nokia 3310 and if we did there would be no hope.

‘Time Out’ is a passionate and captivating new single which introduces Wander’s pop songwriting magnificently. However Wander didn’t instantly know when writing the song that it would make for a fantastic debut single

”I didn’t, no. I wrote the song a while ago, maybe three years ago, perhaps. It was after the breakup with my first real love.I had no idea it would be the first song I would release. It was one of those songs that almost wrote itself. It was just there after an hour of sitting at the piano and it was complete.It was a very easy song to write and that probably means that it, you know, it really did come from the heart and it’s honest.”  

”So, yeah, in terms of deciding that it should be the song to release, I guess, it was just going through all of my back catalogue of tracks that I had and all the demos. I had a version of that from a few years ago, when we wrote the song and we sort of clicked with it straight away and were like, yeah this is where we need to start”   

‘Time out’ has a progressive cinematic soundscape. Warm guitars, elegant piano twinkles and lush harmonies on backing vocals build alongside pulsing beats. In the studio, Wander explains the creative process was an organic experience. 

”Yeah, I think it is an in the moment kind of thing. I didn’t know what I was gonna sound like going into the studio and it was an experiment. The song naturally lends itself to a certain sound whether you know or not, and you just have to find what that should be. Again that sound came together pretty quickly and naturally, and it seemed like it wouldn’t be right to fight and that’s just how it happened, It wasn’t premeditated at all. It just happened like the writing of the song did really.”    

‘Time Out’ is an emotional song written soon after an explosive breakup and Wander offers an intimate take on a universal topic – relationships. Writing such passionate songs can be therapeutic but I wondered is it difficult for Wander to hear or sing the song now – do all those emotions resurface?

”It’s sort of taken on a new meaning for me I guess. I suppose if I forced myself to get my head back in that space where I was when I wrote it can be painful. But I think you know naturally, we all move on, we all want to move on.”

”For me when I sing, it means something else and it’s more positive, When I wrote it I was trying to be positive and trying to put a spin on this breakup as in, it’s a new beginning…so I think I apply it to just looking onwards and upwards right now and again that meaning will probably change for me, as my frame of mind changes. I’m sure it’ll mean other things to other people too, but I try to make it positive and more uplifting.”   

Wander explains to me that he has plenty of songs written and how he plans to vary his songs and genres for his upcoming tracks

”Well, I think I might be covered for the next few, but in about six months time I might be panicking. I’m writing every day, and you naturally go through phases of not being able to write or not having as much to write about but then at times you’ve got too much to write about. So far, I haven’t struggled too much with writer’s block. I’ve managed to find things whether that be in my own life, or the people’s lives around me or just in the world around me and again in the studio.I think you’ll always find it, whether that does come naturally or not.”  

” I’ve been writing since I was 14/15. The ones that I wrote between 14 and 18, I’m not going to be playing them. I’ve tried to forget them. But, yes I have definitely kept a hold of all those songs and I still go back and look through them.I don’t necessarily use the whole song…I don’t know how many I’ve got – a fair few, and I dive in and sometimes tune in to a certain part…so it’s nice to have that sort of backlog of material that a lot of people starting out don’t, so I feel pretty lucky to have that for sure.”

”No artist wants to be a one trick pony. But it’s cool to at least stick with a theme for a little while, rather than just dipping your toe in and leaving it there. So at least topically it’s centered around relationships, love and the fallout from breakups etc for these first releases.”

”With respect to the mood of them ..there’s a range.They were written from very different places emotionally, and I hope that comes across in the songs”

The pandemic has been a productive time for Wander, he managed to turn his life around in this crazy time gaining signings with the US-based Elevation Group and UK-based BDi Music during the pandemic. I wondered did he see this time as an opportunity or was it all just a happy coincidence?

”I definitely did lots of drinking wine and eating for sure. But it was a conscious decision in terms of minutes. I’ve always been trying to do it and I’ve always been wanting to do it. Prior to the lockdown I drifted into playing piano bars, and hotels, etc for a living, to pay my rent, and that definitely started getting in the way of me actually throwing everything into my own music, and just being all on the line and saying ‘look, this is what I’m gonna do, I’m either in or I’m out’.”

”Yeah so it was a combination of always having that desire and that dream of doing it, and then lockdown sort of eliminating all the work that I was doing. It just made me reevaluate and reset and say in 10 years, if I look back and I didn’t give it my all then I know I’ll forever regret it.. It forced my hand into going all in and start to release music.”

A lot of artists when they release music they plan how they are going to perform the tracks live and Wander like many artists is craving the live setting. He has been performing for years and to be unable to see people react in real time and connect with his songs is difficult for him.

”It’s sort of craving nothing more than to get out and play the songs live and actually see people’s faces. So, yeah, I think about it all the time.”

”I’ve not done live streams, but I believe that is going to be coming very soon. I just need to get better Wi-Fi in and I’ll be out there live streaming to the world.” 

We have all become painfully aware of how one thing can affect work, entertainment and our nerves…. Wi-Fi. Live streams totally depend on this sometimes fickle creature

”I know, and it’s let me down this morning. But, yeah, it’s crazy the amount of time I spent on zoom in writing sessions, what a weird thing that is. I’m just glad that this happened now and not in 2002 when I had a Nokia 3310…Actually no, I didn’t…I was seven years old. What am I talking about, 2005 I got my first phone. Yeah, I think I’d be pretty bored of snake by now.”

Wander has been doing zoom writing sessions. I wondered can the mood and craft of songwriting really be captured in zoom with time lapses and glitches as well as that annoying inaudible moment when two people talk at the same time and they both stop and say nothing due to the awkwardness.

”Yeah, I think it’s very different. It’s less organic. It’s hard to cultivate this electric atmosphere that you often get in a room when you’re writing with people because you have to do your thing, you have to play your idea and then wait a minute, wait for the delay, and then wait to see what they think and then they’ll bounce back with another idea rather than it happening in the moment. So it can be a bit of a barrier for sure, but I guess it’s better than nothing. Some people love it. Some people hate it.I prefer being in person and being in the room, which we can actually do now, so hopefully I don’t have to experience another zoom writing session for a little while.” 

Wander’s lyrics are rich and filled with depth and emotion, however the goal of a poetic lyricist is not something he seeks out intentionally.

”Depends on what I am writing about I think.There are some songs where you’re writing about something that isn’t personal to you then, I think it puts more pressure on you to be more poetic and say something in a new way, that hasn’t been said before, because you’re observing something that other people can observe. But if it’s something personal. Then you just say how you feel. If it’s something about you and something you’re actually experiencing then I think there isn’t as much pressure to put a twist on it because I think you want to be honest.”

The music industry is a tricky business to navigate through. It can be difficult to learn your craft and focus on the music with so much going on. The rewards can be little. I asked Wander if he had any advice he would like to give to budding young artists. 

”I think just stick it out. It’s a long road.It doesn’t happen overnight and it hasn’t, you know..happened for me yet but I think you will never regret sticking it out and putting your all into it, and it’s easy to get distracted from it, responsibilities of life and living that responsible life but you’d never get more satisfaction than seeing your songs out there, and seeing how people react to them and knowing that you did what you’ve always dreamed of, which is to put the music out there, and give it your all.”

Hearing your song on the radio for the first time is a huge and special experience. I explained to him another artist I was in conversation with, when they were notified their song was going to be played on radio they actually went out and bought a radio for the occasion because they didn’t have one at the time. I was intrigued as to how Wander reacted the first time he heard ‘Time Out’ on the radio.

”I wish I bought a radio, that’s way cooler.I just put it on my phone. I think the first time it got played I was in the studio. Maybe I didn’t give it as much focus. I mean it’s definitely very cool.I think I’m a bit of a pessimist.I always find it hard to be like, oh that’s it, like I’ve done it, which I think is definitely not a good trait, because it is so cool and nice to be excited about achieving something in the moment, but I guess I’m always chasing the next thing. I think I’ve always found it hard to stand back and give myself a pat on the back for seeing something cool that I’ve done.But it was cool to hear it,and maybe I will buy a radio for the next one.”

So what can we expect from AJ Wander in the coming months ?

”Good question.I guess up until January, I’m going to be writing. I’ve got a host of writing sessions booked in, and in between those I’ll be writing by myself and hopefully get back in the studio with the songs that click with me most early next year. I’ve got a bunch of tracks that I recorded at the same time as I did ‘Time Out’, so I’ve got the next three tracks already lined up. Which, I’m actually a bit disappointed about because I love being in the studio and I wish I had a deadline to get something else recorded, because it’s my favorite place to be. But sadly, they’re already recorded. So I’m not sure when I will be back in the studio, hopefully next year and planning for the releases after this EP. But yeah, I think the next song to get released will be in early next year, maybe January/February.”

AJ Wander is a talented musician. His ability to capture emotion within his music is captivating. ‘Time out’ is a solid debut and a special gem to behold. I can not wait to hear more from him. Keep an eye on AJ Wander 

Stream ‘Time Out’ Below


Author : Danu