Hailing from the banks of the River Thames in Greenwich, London, England, AJ Wander is a Gen-Y singer/songwriter with a passion for the art. Growing up, AJ had music and instruments all around him and credits his earliest influences to the greats including The Beatles, The Eagles and Elton John. The son of a pianist father, he went on to enroll at the Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford and had his start as a member of indie band Tors for 2 years before focusing his time and efforts on his solo career. His debut single ‘Time Out‘ was released in November 2020 (with now just under 4 million streams) but after the lockdown, performing his music live was out of the question. Continuing to promote his music online garnered great results as he landed both a management and a recording deal with US-based music company, Elevation as well as an exclusive publishing agreement with BDi Music. As soon as travel restrictions eased, this up and coming pop star headed straight out to Barcelona, Spain to begin writing an recording new songs for his 2021 EP ‘The Works‘.
On October 22nd, AJ released his newest hit ‘Take It All‘ with a really inspiring professional lyric video to go with it. When asked about the single he says, “‘Take It All’ is me learning to let go, reminding myself not to get distracted by glimpses of light amongst the darkness. It’s a moment of remembering my self-worth and gaining perspective on a toxic situation. I wrote the song with my mate Gethin Williams last winter, in his caravan in rural Wales.” He says this song differs from previous releases because “it’s bigger and angrier (not that size usually matters, but in this case it kinda does).” Fans are quickly lulled by AJ’s graceful vocals and heart-stirring melody. This song is moving and really showcases this new artist’s talents.
Not only does this budding musician have a knack for music, but it appears also a talent for filmography. Working together with LyricVids, they created the concept for a brilliantly executed lyric video for his newest song ‘Take It All‘. All footage was shot and provided by AJ and his team which features real live shots from around London’s infamous train and tube stations. When asked why he chose a lyric video he said, “Apparently, I have a habit for slurring my words. Plus – wanted to show off a little of my home town…well, underneath it anyway.” This music video is super creative and with each passing scene, the ways in which the lyrics are showcased becomes more unique than the last. Using the live footage, LyricVids was able to integrate the song lyrics throughout the clips, recreating billboards, train schedules and commercial ad posters to appear as though they are showcasing AJ Wander’s song in real time. This is trickier than just simple text placement as it requires not only multiple font selections but also intricate motion graphic design work and effects. One of my favourite shots is when we see the lyrics “Don’t say the show don’t fit” scroll across the screen on the rubber escalator handrail. I also really enjoy the scene where the lyrics read “They’re only holding dust” as they scroll across the station announcer screen inside the tube. The displays are endless in the video and really help bring AJ’s song to life. As one can imagine how difficult it might be to shoot a music video during the pandemic, this was an incredible alternative, perhaps even a better choice as the fans are able to learn the song and sing along.
Up next for AJ Wander he says that fans can expect information regarding upcoming shows, single releases and maybe even a full album release! You can stay updated with all things Wander across all social media platforms.
Check out the unique lyric video for ‘Take It All‘ on AJ Wander’s official YouTube channel here: