Aria Wunderland grew up in New York City’s upper west side, before moving to Teaneck, NJ where she found herself drawn to songwriting and the piano at the super young age of just 9. Staying close to the city (and her beloved piano!) through college, Aria studied philosophy at Rutgers, routinely commuting into the city to record her first EP.
As she honed her craft, she started moving away from the pure singer-songwriter style. In search of a way to broaden her sound and style, Wunderland began learning Logic Pro, to add production to her own music.
The rising star then relocated to LA after graduating from college in pursuit of her dream of becoming a professional songwriter.
Here we speak to the talented Aria Wunderland about her music inspirations, new single, dream collaborations and lots more;
Growing up what was the inspiration behind your love of music?
We had an old upright piano in my home growing up. I was the youngest of 3, my older brothers took piano lessons when I was too young to, so I would just watch the entire lesson wishing I could join them intrigued by the instrument! I eventually started playing by ear and writing songs. Piano was definitely my inspiration and gateway to music.
When did you decide to pursue music as a full-time career?
I knew that I wanted to pursue music as a full-time career since middle school and all through out high school. I fell into family pressure and went to college as expected. I don’t regret that as I wrote and recorded my first EP and met awesome musicians that I played with during my college years!
If you weren’t a singer what would you be doing right now?
I would most likely be a teacher or a college professor. I majored in Philosophy in college and always felt so much admiration for my professors, during class I would imagine myself sitting on a classroom desk, sipping coffee while giving a lecture on Renee Descartes.
Who are your personal musical icons?
David Bowie – [I] love how he epitomized glam rock. Britney Spears for being such an extraordinary performer – growing up she inspired me to dream big when it came to my music career. Radiohead for their lyrics and ability to fuse multiple genres in their production. And Mariah Carey’s vocals – I purchased every single one of her albums and studied her vocal abilities.
Your new single ‘Silhouette’ has a very strong meaning, what made you want to decide to write a song like this?
At the time I was writing a lot of commercial pop music to pitch for other artists and for film/TV placement. I felt I was losing a bit of why I fell in love with music in the first place. I went to the studio [and] set out to write something real; not focusing on writing a “pop hit.” I allowed myself to tap into my vulnerabilities and really connect with music in a more profound way again.
Do you always try to write meaningful songs with a strong message?
It just depends on what is going on in my life at the time. Sometimes they reflect a period struggle or growth. Other times I am feeling really happy and lighthearted and find lyrical inspiration from a fun night out with my girl friends.
What songs are you currently listening to?
I am currently listening to “Believer” by Imagine Dragons, “Dog Years” by Maggie Rogers, “Gemini Feed” by Banks, “Humble” by Kendrick Lamar and “Eyes Closed” by Halsey.
If you could collaborate with anyone who would you choose?
I would love to collaborate with Diplo and/or Kanye West.
Can fans expect an album from you soon?
Yes, I have actually been releasing singles off of my EP titled ‘Paper Gowns’! I have a few more tracks I have recently written and recorded that I am super excited about! I may have enough songs to release ‘Paper Gowns’ as a full album.
What do you hope to achieve over the next 10 years?
I hope to have a large discography (at least 5 albums released) and have a few international tours under my belt. I am also very passionate about fashion and hope to have either done some fun collaborations or launched something of my own. I have a lot of different charitable causes I am passionate about. I try to make a difference in every way that I can today, but I hope as my career in music grows I will have more resources and a bigger audience to help me make a positive impact on the world.
Make sure you follow Aria Wunderland on Twitter @AriaWunderland to keep up to date with all her latest music and tour news!
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