Will Cherry

Describe your music for unfamiliar listeners 

 

It’s a lot of different things genre wise, but I’d say the core of what I always do is hard drums, pretty chords and honest lyrics. My songs tend to end differently from how I started, so the best one word answer is “unpredictable”.

 

Describe your creative process

 

The ideas come from all over the place, but once I’m in front of a computer, I start cooking with samples or chord ideas. I try to build a basic loop, then record the entire song on it, then mix and produce the song all at once, almost always alone. I try to do different parts of the process at once to make sure it’s all coming from the same creative place, and so every element can feed into each other.

 

In 2024, Somewhere in Ohio, you released “Somewhere in Ohio”. Describe how you made that album. Do you have a favorite song from the album?

 

I made the album over the course of a year and half, it's the second part of a trilogy I’m working on. My EP ANYWHERE was the first part. I really started this album before that EP, and the goal was to always make an album and film that really connect to people personally storytelling wise, with really pretty visuals and sonics. My favorite song is somewhere between “Genesis” and “Fallfree*”. I feel like “Genesis” is the most impressive song I’ve ever made. That was the first time I wrote from a woman’s perspective, it’s truly a storytelling record.

 

How’d you first get into making music?

 

My parents met at a radio station. My dad was a singer and my mom hosted her own show. I’ve been surrounded and a part of music since I was a child, I started writing songs at 11 and making beats at 12.

 

Where do you find the inspiration to create music?

 

I’m always searching for brand new music or older music that missed me so far, to hear something fresh and different to my ear. Going to the movie theater or concerts or even trips and stuff can be intentional moments to search for inspiration, but it also just comes randomly all the time from different things people say, or a feeling you can get from something totally unrelated to art.

 

What have you been working on lately? Any new music soon?

 

I’m doing part three of the trilogy, but I also have more bonus tracks and videos for Somewhere in Ohio…, I’m really enjoying building out that world and showing my creativity in different ways. Doing a short film and making it into festivals was huge for me, I’ll definitely have more (better!) films coming up the pike.

 

Who are some of your favorite artists from Ohio?

 

Tae Miles (check his soundcloud), Bootsy Collins, The Isley Brothers, Roger Troutman, Gerald Levert, Kid Cudi and Anita Baker.

 

Other than music, what else have you been up to?

 

My team and I put on shows throughout Cleveland called Club Ultraviolet, we have a mini-doc on our youtube showing the process. It’s really important to us to create positive platforms to share with others, on the stage and in the crowd. I’m a filmmaker like I mentioned before as well, I direct all of my music videos and stuff for others as well. And I still work a 9-5 so that takes up a ton of my time (unfortunately!)

 

What music have you been listening to lately?

 

Right now, I’ve been listening to SwaVay, Kipp Stone, Horace Gaither, Jimmy Poindexter, Blake Parker and Daniel Hex. With modern music I really like to hear artists that are project-focused because I approach my work the same way. With the OGs it’s been some SOS Band, Jodeci and Gap Band like always. I can’t lie though, what I listen to the most is podcasts and my own music. I'm tryna get deeper into audiobooks.