Interview: Wilmah

Brooklyn based duo, Wilmah, has enchanted audiences all over the country with their infectious indie rock sound. Following the release of their latest single, “All of the Time”, Group Chat Mag sat down with Wilmah to discuss their beginnings as a group, the aforementioned single, and their craziest tour stories.

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GCM: I guess—can you guys just tell me a little bit about yourselves? Where are you from?

Wilmah: Yeah. We're both from Buffalo, New York. Grew up there together, went to middle school and high school together—I'm two years older than him, though.

We grew up playing on the same Little League baseball team and did this thing called Rock Lunch during middle school lunch periods.

GCM: Rock Lunch?

Wilmah: Yeah, you’d meet every Tuesday during lunch and play rock songs—guitar, drums, the works. Not the typical orchestra or band stuff. That’s how Will and I started playing music together.

GCM: Oh, that's sick. 

Wilmah: Yeah, Matt played lead guitar. I think I did rhythm at first, and then switched to bass in eighth grade because the bassist ahead of me graduated and no one else played.

GCM: Got it. So is that when you guys started writing music together? How did Wilmah actually start?

Wilmah: We were in a band together in high school that wasn’t Wilmah. That band broke up, and Will and I decided to take it more seriously and just started writing songs together.

One spring break during my freshman year, I came home and we finished a few songs—that became Wilmah.

GCM: Where’d you get the name?

Wilmah: It’s a combination of our names. My mom actually suggested it when I was 17.

GCM: I kinda picked that up looking at your names on screen. I like it.

Wilmah: Thanks. We thought it was a pretty good band name too.

GCM: So you guys just came out with the song “All of the Time”. Can you tell me a little about how that came together?

Wilmah: “All of the Time” is actually an older song. We started it about a year ago, but we’ve been saying that it’s kind of laying the foundation for the future of the band—sonically and lyrically.

It really defines us. We're super proud of it.

GCM: You also mentioned it really lands when you play it live—how’s the crowd response been?

Wilmah: It's been awesome. Even before the song came out, people already knew the words—especially the chorus. Seeing videos of people singing it back to us before the release was really cool.

It’s probably our favorite one to play live right now.

GCM: Do you have a designated songwriter, or is it collaborative?

Wilmah: I (Matt) write the lyrics, but Will and I discuss themes, production, and the sonic direction together. It’s definitely a shared vision.

GCM: Where do you usually draw inspiration from?

Wilmah: For lyrics—just life. The songs are really personal and true to who I am. Sonically, we’ve been leaning into what influenced us as kids.

We used to chase “cool sounds” we heard elsewhere, but now we’re digging back into what shaped us—it just comes more naturally.

GCM: So more authentic?

Wilmah: Yeah, 100%. It sounds cheesy, but it’s about being true to who you are. We want to make songs that last 20 to 60 years, not just something trendy now.

We talk a lot about “evergreen” songs. We want them to mean something down the line.

GCM: How do you feel you’re bringing that into today’s music scene?

Wilmah: Just consistency. “All of the Time” really laid the groundwork. We’re not trying to be anything we’re not—we’re just sticking to our vision.

GCM: And how has that vision developed since the start of Wilmah?

Wilmah: It honestly hasn’t changed. We’ve always wanted to be the biggest band we can be.

We want to sell out Madison Square Garden. That’s been a goal from day one. We’ve just gotten better as musicians and writers over time.

GCM: What does “being the biggest band” look like to you?

Wilmah: Touring everywhere, putting out consistent albums—we already have a seven-album plan mapped out in our heads.

GCM: Can you tell me anything about those?

Wilmah: Haha, nope—top secret!

GCM: Totally fair. So beyond size, what does success mean to you?

Wilmah: Having people care about what we say and showing up to see it live. Being able to do this comfortably and for as long as possible.

GCM: What’s the furthest you’ve toured from home?

Wilmah: We went as far as New Orleans on our last tour. Started in Memphis and drove from New York in two days.

Stopped at my aunt’s place in Tennessee—lots of driving. But we had fun.

GCM: How’d you tour—just pack everything in a car?

Wilmah: Yeah, we rented a minivan for ten days. Loaded it up with all our gear.

Every hotel room was packed. And we took everything out every night so it wouldn’t get stolen.

GCM: That sounds exhausting.

Wilmah: It was. Eight hours of driving every day—but worth it. A blast overall.

GCM: Any crazy tour stories?

Wilmah: We got kicked out of a venue in New Orleans. Not really our fault—it was the other band’s last song, and things got kinda out of hand.

Beer bottle smashed, sound guy furious. We got out quick.

GCM: New Orleans will do that. Were you there during Mardi Gras?

Wilmah: No, it was October—right before Halloween. We just had an extra day off and went a little too hard.

GCM: Any other favorite stops?

Wilmah: Birmingham had a great venue. Raleigh was fun. Buffalo was cool—it was our first hometown show in years.

But nothing beats playing New York. The crowds, the energy—it’s just special.

GCM: So what’s a typical day look like when you’re not on tour?

Wilmah: It’s still music. We think about it 24/7. That’s what it takes.

But we also hang with friends, go out—got to enjoy your 20s too.

GCM: Do you work with a specific producer?

Wilmah: We do a lot ourselves. But Alex Popol’s worked on our last few tracks.

We met him through another New York band, Telescreens. He produced their album, and we became friends through them.

GCM: Are you close with other NYC bands?

Wilmah: Yeah, we’re homies with a lot of them. We mostly just hang out, though—don’t collaborate much musically. It’s a tight-knit scene.

GCM: Favorite bar spot?

Wilmah: Lately? Honorary Club in Bushwick. But it changes every few weeks.

GCM: Any upcoming projects?

Wilmah: Just finishing the best songs we’ve ever written. Making more music than we have in years.

We’re promoting hard and trying to level up in every way—getting better at everything.

GCM: What kind of mistakes have helped you grow?

Wilmah: Social media’s been a big learning curve. It’s all trial and error.

We also signed to an indie label years ago—that was a learning experience. Having money and other people involved changes the process. But we grew from it.

GCM: So you felt restricted creatively?

Wilmah: Yeah. We were writing to impress, not for ourselves. You can’t make good music like that. We like some of those songs, but they’re not our best.

GCM: Is that why you left?

Wilmah: We fulfilled our contract. But the label doesn’t really exist anymore—the partners split.

It wasn’t a great situation, but we learned a lot.

GCM: Do you see yourselves signing with a label again?

Wilmah: For sure—if it’s the right fit. Not all labels are the same. If someone can help us reach that next level, we’re open to it.

GCM: What’s the strategy now to keep growing?

Wilmah: Doubling down on everything. Being consistent. Bringing in new people and perspectives.

People in the industry notice consistency—and that leads to growth.

GCM: Content creation—has that been a challenge?

Wilmah: Huge challenge. But lately, we’ve gotten better. We film a batch of videos all in one day and spread them out.

We used to resist social media, but it’s the best tool we’ve got. You just have to push past the bad days and keep posting. This is the game now.

GCM: Totally. Anything you’d like to promote to wrap up?

Wilmah: Come see us at Rabbit Hole in Brooklyn, May 22nd!

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Thank you to Wilmah for taking the time to speak to us! Check out their latest single, “All of the Time”, out on streaming platforms now, and if you’re in Brooklyn, see them at the Rabbit Hole on May 22nd!