Zomb: First things first where are you from and how old are you?

Wilmo: I’m from Chicago and I’m 24.

Zomb: What was it like growing up in the windy city? Tell us a little bit about your upbringing and memories you remember most about Chicago.

Wilmo: More specifically, I’m from a suburb outside of Chicago called Naperville. It’s a super nice town with a lot to do. I grew up with my parents and younger brother and most of my childhood was spent with them. I was more of a shy and quiet kid and didn’t really break out of my shell till later in high school where I met a group of friends that I’d hangout with and just be typical teenagers. We took a lot of vacations too as a family, so that definitely helped shape my artistic side because I was able to see so many different places and gain new perspectives on life. 

Zomb: Love that so much, always grateful for a good childhood. What were your early music experiences like? Who were some of the first artists you were exposed to and influenced by at a young age?

Wilmo: My parents love music so there was always something playing at home. My dad loved U2 and my mom loved Green Day so I got my earliest influence from them. I think it really had an effect on my natural ear for music because both bands have such great songwriting and unique sounds. I started taking my own music journey and trying to find other artists I liked, and some big ones that had huge effect on me were Eminem, lil Uzi, and chief keef, and juice wrld. I’m really into artists that make their own wave and are completely different/themselves, and they fit that perfectly.

Zomb: Actually amazing, it’s very interesting hearing your influences compared to where your sound is at now. It definitely makes sense. How did you initially start making your own music? When did you start recording on your own?

Wilmo: My friends and I got really into freestyling, so we’d just sit in the car and play beats and freestyle over them. We decided one day we wanted to try making a song so we went to my friends house and did it and I fell in love with it. I realized I was really good at writing and coming up with catchy hooks, so I just continued doing it on my own. I would literally spend all day in my room just making music and experimenting with my sound and I kept getting better and better. I still do that now, I spend all day in my basement studio and pretty much sleep on the couch there every night.

Zomb: So it was really a natural love for everything including the process, that’s pure passion for sure and a feeling you can’t replicate. What made you start taking music more seriously and what inspired you to start releasing your own songs? Tell us a little about your early years and what that discovery was like for you.

Wilmo: Throughout high school and college I would continue making music, but mostly for fun. I had a decent sound, but nothing really to write about. It was more like SoundCloud rap I was making. I got into a relationship which ended badly, and that was the big turning point in my music career. It gave me a lot of drive and motivation, and also something to write about. I started writing better songs and gaining confidence in putting them out to show people. I still wasn’t taking it super seriously at this point, but after I transitioned from rap to pop punk, my friend(now manager) saw the potential and decided he wanted to manage me and take this seriously together. 

Zomb: That’s absolutely fantastic, sometimes the darkest parts of life can lead us into the brightest. At this point how old were you? And were you going by Wilmo as far as your name goes?

Wilmo: At this point I was 22. I had dropped out of school a couple months before to pursue sales and then the skills I learned from sales helped me to be confident in pursuing music. And yes, I was going by Wilmo. It’s a nickname I’ve had for my entire life. A friend randomly called me and it just stuck. 

Zomb: Super deep lore there, that’s great. So fast forwarding to the present day, you’ve obviously pushed much farther than you did when you were 22. What are some of your plans for 2024 and what can supporters expect from you this year?

Wilmo: I plan on doing shows consistently because I think that will be one of the biggest parts of getting seen by the right people. I also in the past year and a half have been making so much amazing music and I have them ready to consistently release every single month for the next year. I believe the consistency and the quality improvement will make everything grow exponentially, and I hope to make enough money from music to not have to work a job by the end of the year. 

Zomb: Right on the money my friend, and in addition shows with your music will be a blessing for many. Tell us a little bit about your creative process, how long does it take you to create and fully be satisfied with a song for release?

Wilmo: Everything typically starts with finding a beat. When I hear something that inspires me, my mind usually takes me to another place and I start hearing melodies and words. I put the beat in logic and I just start recording myself mumbling and gathering ideas. I keep going till I find all the flows I like and then I start writing. I take pride in my songwriting, so this is usually what takes the longest. It’s hard to ever fully be satisfied, but some songs take me a couple hours to many months to finish because I want the best in every song I make.