By Nicholas Jason Lopez
Adding this to your playlist would be a Wyse decision.
Acquainted with the gift of melody since the age of nine when he was enamored by The Jackson 5, Wyse has worked hard to do his hometown of Portland, Ore. proud through his music.
Since then, the family-oriented artist has gained influences from bigger names like PARTYNEXTDOOR and Burna Boy, as he managed to work a dance/reggae sound into standout efforts like “Crown Royal” and “Gemini.”
The Music Bugle had the chance to talk with Wyse about what he has been up to lately and more.
Music Bugle – What was your goal for your “Crown Royal” music video?
Wyse – The goal for the “Crown Royal” video was to set a foundation on who I am as a artist. My latest video is actually the first video I ever done by myself. The videos I’ve done in the past were for songs I was featured on, but never my own song. Basically, I just wanted to let the people know who Wyse was and I think I did it with this video.
Music Bugle – How have you been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic?
Wyse – By the grace of God, I haven’t contracted the COVID-19 virus myself, at least not that I’ve known. However, it still affected me in many ways. First off, I was a college student when it happened, so converting from going to school in person to doing Zoom sessions was a big change. I also began my music career in the pandemic, which was challenging within itself, just being that we couldn’t do shows, or really anything in the flesh. Everything was based online, so that was a bit stressful, as I looked to propel my music career.
Music Bugle – Where do you go when you need a break?
Wyse – Whenever I need a break, I like to take a trip out of town. It’s hard to take breaks when you’re seeing the exact same stuff everyday, so a change in scenery is always helpful to me. I like going to places like Hawaii, San Diego, or even sometimes, Texas.
Music Bugle – Does social media help or hurt musicians?
Wyse – Both. It can help you make connections and put you in front of a lot of people who otherwise might never see you. It can hurt you by making you feel like you have to be living the same lifestyle as the people you see on social media, when in reality, it’s not a race to be successful, it’s a marathon.
Music Bugle – What’s a quote that motivates you to keep doing what you do?
Wyse – “Success is when preparation meets opportunity,” basically otherwise saying keep honing your skills because there will be a day where you must showcase the skills you’ve been working on. I always keep this in the back of my mind when I’m writing music or in the studio.
Music Bugle – Who are you listening to right now, music-wise?
Wyse – Drake is my favorite artist out right now, so I listen to a lot of him. I listen to other acts like Bryson Tiller, Tory Lanez and even people like Burna Boy and Wizkid. I listen to a lot of others as well, but these are where some of my influences come from.
Music Bugle – How was your 2021?
Wyse – 2021 treated me real well, I cannot complain. I began doing more shows, which is taking my career to the next level and also created more awesome music, way different from the ones I already have out.
Music Bugle – What’s something that people might be surprised to know about you?
Wyse – I’ve recently became Pescatarian, which tends to surprise a lot of people, because anyone who knows me knows eating chicken and beef was all ever really ate, so to eliminate those from my diet was hard, but worth it.
Music Bugle – What was the moment that made you want to become a musician?
Wyse – Definitely after watching a Michael Jackson video/performance. Mike is my greatest influence on anything music. He’s the whole reason I started even singing, so I would say seeing Mike perform was easily the moment I wanted to become a musician.
Music Bugle – What makes you the most proud about where you come from?
Wyse – Being that Portland is usually overlooked in many things, I like to think that we are the underdogs. They don’t really check for us over here. They’re either looking in California or Seattle on the West Coast, never so much Portland. With that being said, just know that if ever anyone makes it out of Portland, they really had to work for it and earn it, because they sleep on us here.
