Get To Know Artist WunZero + Listen To New Single “Tequila”

The DMV Daily had the pleasure of speaking with a producer, musician, and songwriter by the name of WunZero. Having lived in the Dutch Side of St. Maarten for almost 18 years before moving to the US, his music influences span across a broad spectrum of music genres, including Soca, Dancehall, Reggae, Hip Hop, Rap, Rock, and Alternative. Now living in Northern VA, WunZerø is focused on creating very unique sounds and working with a variety of artists across the country. Check out our exclusive Q&A down below.

Q: Tell us about your recent release: 

Wunzer0: Tequila is a song about, as the name implies, Tequila – or drinking with friends and having a good time. 2020 has been riddled with so much chaos of all topics, that sometimes it’s healthy to break away for some ratchet fun! Tequila is simply a party song to get you bobbing your head, maybe shaking your tail a bit! 🙂

Q: Who inspired you to make music?

Wunzer0: My brother was a DJ and Radio Show host back in St. Maarten (many years ago), and he ultimately taught me how to use turntables, mix music, and DJ both live on the air and pre-recorded. That led me to meet a wide range of folks, from Reggae and Dancehall artists to HipHop and Rap names, all of who influenced me in some fashion to want to create my own music. Names like LL Cool J, Kid Capri, Bounty Killer, Sparrow, Lady Saw.

Q: How would you describe the music that you typically create?

Wunzer0: I’m a big fan of merging sounds. So for example, I love the rapid pace of a trap drum sequence; but I also love manipulating instruments with synth overlays, so I guess some could call it TripHop, or a marriage of EDM + Hip Hop. A lot of my music has a slight Caribbean undertone also (vibes of Reggaeton or Dancehall), but the end goal is always an iteration of HipHop that I feel is unique to my persona.

Q: What is your creative process like?

Wunzer0: A lot of lonely nights in the studio! LOL

My life dictates the direction of my music. I often start with a melody, which I either record on my phone (if I’m not at my studio), or I record the melody or chorus concept first, then work my way around it. So, if I’m having a bad day, more than likely, the song I work on that evening is going to encompass dark, warm fat synths or heavy piano keys that bottom out at the lower register of a keyboard. But it all starts with the melody concept which evolves into a hook – then I build the rest.

Q: Who would you most like to collaborate with?

Wunzer0: Timbaland. He, undoubtedly, opened up my eyes to a whole new world of manipulating sounds creatively. Or Jay-Z because of his creative genius and business acumen.

Q: What is one message you would give to your fans?

Wunzer0: Thank you so much for your time. With all the options of music out there, a single listener means the world to me! And that 3 mins and change = something significant in the grand scheme of things. So, Thank You for listening!

Q: What would you be doing right now, if it wasn’t for your music career?

Wunzer0: It’s so hard to imagine life without music and music production, but I guess I would be educating myself about the world. Not news per se, but I would spend the extra time exploring other cultures I don’t have access to seeing in person with my current schedule.

Q: Where have you performed?

Wunzer0: Nowhere … yet!

Q: How would you say Social Media has impacted your music career?

Wunzer0: Emphasizing the Covid-era of 2020, I realized that Social Media has been a fantastic networking tool for interfacing with other creatives. Because of that, I’ve found myself inspired and also aware of other producers and artists who share similar feelings on similar creative issues (like promotion, critique, family support, and time management).

Q: Which famous musician(s) do you admire?

Wunzer0: Hendrix, Louis Armstrong, Bob Marley, The Buena Vist Social Club, Kurt Cobain (too many to name). All musician’s who have mastered their craft and played like there was no tomorrow. Passion is a common theme amongst them all.

Q: What is the most trouble you’ve ever gotten into?

Wunzer0: No comment?… Speeding?… I was once interrogated for inadvertently bringing a weapon onto a flight (unfortunately not long after 9/11). It did not go over well, to say the least.

Q: What is the best advice you’ve been given?

Wunzer0: The best advice, don’t stress things that are completely out of your control, and be prepared for the opportunities you can control.

Q: If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be?

Wunzer0: I think the industry is already changing. Apps like TikTok have given artists a platform to expose themselves creatively both visually and musically. And you don’t need a record label for that. So I think as more apps of similar nature start to pop up the more indie-artists will have a “shot”.

Q: What’s next for you?

Wunzer0: Ep release for 2021 and a few music videos that I am way overdue. From there, I’m focusing on collaboration projects with some artists here in the U.S., then I’ll work on over-seas collab projects.

You can follow Wunzer0 on Instagram @wunzer0. Check out his latest single “Tequila” down below.