Photo courtesy of TK Wonder

MC TK WONDER SPICES UP THE NY MUSIC SCENE

There are some things that people just put you onto. Especially music, where foundations are being laid and a movement is in it’s ripening stages. TK Wonder is one of those musicians that you are lucky to know if you find out about her now, as opposed to kicking yourself in the future for missing out.The Maryland native and now NYC resident, grew up in a household where hip-hop was not allowed, yet today TK spits on collaborations with Taylor McFerrin and her band of seven months, GAEA.

I had an opportunity to catch TK and Taylor at Jazid for the Winter Music Conference in Miami. Focused and talented, I chatted with the TK Wonder about music and how she’s come up so fast in an industry that can simply digest you.

Regine Zamor: Have you always known you were going to do music?

TK Wonder: I’ve always been writing, but I haven’t always been doing music. When I came to New York I did some modeling. I have a twin sister and she was doing it.

RZ: Nice, so you’re a twin?

TW: Yeah, we were doing it and we did a Doublemint commercial a couple of years back. [Modeling] was something I was never really into and I always wanted to invest my time writing oriented, so I came to New York and started slamming. You know, doing spoken word. I went to the Nuyorican Poets Café, for the open mic on Fridays and they invited me and I did some stuff like that. I did that for a year but then I got a little tired of it. I was tired of the scene and where I was at with spoken word, and even when I did it people were asking “oh, do you rap” and I was like “no”. But, I had a really good friend at the time who rapped and I started, and that’s how I really got into it.

RZ: How would you describe your music best?

TW: It’s always hard. I always say it’s a cross genre of hip-hop and electro, and that’s the best way to describe it.

RZ: I take it that you’re a big fan of hip-hop then?

TW: Oh yeah, I’m a fan of hip-hop. The funny thing is that I wasn’t allowed to listen to hip-hop growing up. I find it funny cause look where I am now and I am a fan of hip-hop. I’m not too familiar with old school stuff, but that’s because I didn’t grow up on it and my dad was really strict so I could only listen to certain things and hip-hop wasn’t one of them. But now, today I am a big fan.

RZ: What are you listening to right now?

TW: Right now I’m listening to Crystal Castles, I like Outkast a lot and I’m listening to Bjork actually. I listen to all kinds of music.

RZ: How was your music experience growing up in Maryland?

TW: I’m from Maryland, so the music that comes from Baltimore is a little different. I didn’t even know about that scene when I was there. I mean, I had heard of it but I just didn’t listen to it. And, when I came to New York I was like 18 or 19, so that’s why I kind of went out on my own and started listening to some new music. That’s when I heard about it, [Baltimore go-go music] in New York.

RZ: How did you hook up with Taylor McFerrin? Are you guys a group?

Taylor Mcferrin and TK Wonder performing (Photo: Kamia)

TW: We just work together. He does a lot of shows and whenever he has a show he’ll invite me to do something with him. When I first started off it was kind of me just rapping, and him beat-boxing, and we’d do something for five minutes. But, then we started working on music and we started doing the EP. Now I have a full set with him but I have another band, so we just work together. We’re not in a group or anything.

RZ: Since you mentioned your other band, can you tell me about it?

TW: My other band is called GAEA. It’s similar to the music that I do with Taylor, but it’s a different feel though. We’ve been together for seven months. I actually met my producer who’s a musician at a show. We did that and met up, and had a good session. Ever since then, we completed an album with him.

RZ: Where have you performed? Have you toured?

TW: This is all been happening rather quickly because I just started pursuing it professionally last year, so a lot of things have been happening and it’s been great! Now, I’m actually going on tour with GAEA. There’s a big festival out there called Exit Fest and it’s one of the biggest electronic festivals out there. It’s in Serbia, so I’m going to Macedonia, Serbia and Croatia.

RZ: Is this your first tour?

TW: I did go abroad with Taylor last year. He did a show at the Jazz Café in London and that was my first time going abroad for music. [Starting] in June, I’ll be away for two months. Eastern Europe here I come! I’m so excited. We’re going to be performing at some pretty big electronica concerts so I am amped!

RZ: And, what’s the ultimate goal?

TW: My ultimate goal is to finish the album, to finish the EP with Taylor and to complete the album with GAEA. Right now, I just know that I want to do music full time. I set goals for myself within a certain period of time and I make sure that I succeed at them [laughs]. I know that I do want to do this full time [because] this is a business as well. That’s where I’m trying to take it.

RZ: Would you turn back to modeling again?

TW: No, no. Modeling was never something I was into. I wouldn’t be opposed to modeling if it was music oriented but no, I would never do it.

RZ: Are there any other talents that TK Wonder is holding onto, that we might not know?

TW: Other talents…I don’t have any besides music. I am a bit of a hermit. I just stay home and work on music. And maybe play some basketball.

RZ: Are you staying put with NY as your home?

TW: Well, I’ve been here for about three and a half to four years. Ideally, I do want to be here for a while, but I see myself going on tour, so I don’t know how “put” I will be here.

RZ: How has your move to NY inspired you?

TW: When I first came to NY, especially when you’re pursuing something in the arts, and I know a lot people see NY as the epicenter of that, and I felt like I wanted to come out here and do something. You just feel that same energy because there are so many people who are trying to do the same things. After living here for a while, it becomes a city but it’s a great place to be if you’re trying to pursue something. I don’t think I could do the same things now if I was in Maryland. I mean maybe I could, but it wouldn’t have been as fast.

Check out the vibes and hypnotic trance of TK Wonder and GAEA by visiting: TK Wonder and GAEA

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