A year ago, WonkyWilla was working in construction. Now, he’s touring the country, performing at major festivals, and throwing parties in unconventional places across the map.
Since he emerged in 2021, the Florida-based producer and DJ has built his reputation on eccentric bass music, a peculiar sense of humor, and an increasingly theatrical approach to live performance. But as he’s rolled on to headline club tours and appearances at festivals like Lost Lands and WAKAAN, he’s also begun experimenting with the environments where his music is experienced.
At the center of that exploration is Disco Wonk, a genre-bending extension of his project that fuses disco, funk, house, indie dance, and live instrumentation with his signature wonky bass sound. After releasing his Disco Wonk EP and the first volume of his Disco Wonk Mixtape series earlier this year, he’s brought the sound to surprising new settings, from a trampoline park in Orlando to a roller rink in Denver.
This January, the next evolution in WonkyWilla’s silly signature arrives at Denver’s Mission Ballroom, where Wonkaria: Carnival of the Cosmos will combine dubstep with live instrumentation, trapeze performers, aerial acts, fire performances, and custom circus-inspired production in what’s set to be his most elaborate headline show yet.
First announced during his Red Rocks debut in front of 9,000 fans, the show signals a larger creative mission for his once offbeat bass project, as the artist explores how far he can take his sound without losing the playful personality behind it.
EDM Maniac caught up with WonkyWilla to talk about going from construction work to touring, the creative freedom behind Disco Wonk, what he’s learning on the road, and his plans to bring a full-scale wonky circus to one of Denver’s most high-profile concert venues.
EDM Maniac: You’re halfway through the Wonking on Sunshine tour, and fresh off appearances at Lost Lands, WAKAAN, and Seven Stars. What has this stretch meant to your career?
WonkyWilla: Honestly, it’s pretty surreal. I was still working construction last year, so to be out on my own tour and playing festivals like Lost Lands and WAKAAN is a lot to take in. Everything moves so fast that sometimes I have to remind myself to stop and actually appreciate where I’m at.
The coolest part is seeing people connect with the whole WonkyWilla world. People show up dressed up, get wonky with us, and bring their own energy to it. That makes every stop feel different. It’s a busy stretch, and I’m learning a lot as I go, but seeing that support in person makes everything feel real. It makes me excited to keep building this and see how far we can take it.
EDM Maniac: What kind of construction work were you doing, and were you listening to music on the job? If so, what was in your rotation?
WonkyWilla: Before going full time with music, I was actually a heavy equipment operator in construction! I operated bulldozers, excavators, and loaders, doing everything from digging out ponds to building roads and parking lots. It was definitely a crazy contrast going from operating massive machinery all week to flying out and playing shows on the weekends.
Music was always a huge part of my day, though. Whenever I could, I had something playing, whether it was bass music, unreleased tunes from friends, or just whatever I was feeling that day. I was constantly thinking about music, coming up with ideas, and excited to go home to work on new stuff. A career in music never stopped being the end goal for me, so it’s pretty surreal looking back at how much my life has changed in such a short amount of time!
EDM Maniac: You’ve been playing festivals with really different crowds and identities this year. What have you learned on the road?
WonkyWilla: The biggest thing I’ve learned is to leave room for people to surprise you. You can look at a lineup and have an idea of what a crowd might want, but you don’t really know until you’re up there. Sometimes a weird tune or a switch into something funky gets a bigger reaction than the heavy drop you thought would be the moment.
For example, with the Disco Wonk stuff, it’s been fun seeing how that connects with different crowds. A groove gives people something to grab onto, even if they’ve never heard my music before. And a big reaction doesn’t always look the same. People can be dancing and locked in without going completely crazy.
I’m learning to read that while still trusting what I do. I want to give people a WonkyWilla set, and part of the fun is taking them somewhere they weren’t expecting to go.
EDM Maniac: How much do you adapt from city to city, and how do you read a room without compromising the sound and identity you’ve built for yourself?
WonkyWilla: The core of the set stays very WonkyWilla, but how I get there can change. I might let a song ride a little longer if people are really dancing, or take things somewhere heavier if that’s where the energy is going. A lot of the adapting is in the pacing and what I choose to follow a track with.
I try to watch how people respond over a few songs instead of letting one reaction dictate everything. Sometimes people need a second to catch on to something unfamiliar, and I want to give those moments room too.
On my own tour, people are coming to experience my taste and my world, so that gives me confidence to take chances. Each city should have its own moments while still getting the full personality of the project.
EDM Maniac: How do you handle making new music on the road? Does touring change what you go back and work on in the studio?
WonkyWilla: I’m still learning this one. I prefer being in my home studio to be creative. Having my own space and time to settle into an idea makes a big difference, and finding that headspace while traveling can be tough. I’m figuring out that balance and trying not to force it.
Playing the music live gives me ideas for when I get home. I’ll notice where a track keeps people moving, where the energy drops off, or where something needs more room to breathe. That can change how I approach an arrangement. The crowd response is useful, but I still want to follow what excites me creatively. Sometimes hearing a track on a big system gives me a clearer sense of what to do with it.
EDM Maniac: You’ve put out some songs with interesting names. What’s the most unhinged track title in your unreleased folder right now?
WonkyWilla: Probably “Oompa Hurl.” Like an Oompa Loompa throwing up. I don’t really know how to explain that one, but apparently that’s where we’re at with the unreleased folder right now.
EDM Maniac: Disco Wonk brought clear disco influence into your wonky bass sound without losing what people know you for. How has that EP opened the door for you to experiment with other sounds or genres?
WonkyWilla: Disco Wonk gave me more confidence to follow those ideas and see where they go. There are a lot of genres and different influences to play with while still keeping that weirdness people connect with in my music.
I don’t want to feel like every song has to fit one formula. Something can be funky, heavy, or a little ridiculous and still feel like WonkyWilla. I’m keeping that door open with what comes next and letting myself experiment without needing to decide exactly what genre it is first.
EDM Maniac: As the project keeps growing, is there anything about WonkyWilla that you want people to understand now that maybe they wouldn’t have picked up on a year or two ago?
WonkyWilla: I want people to see how much room there is for this project to grow.
Someone might find me through one song or a funny clip, and that’s cool, but there’s a lot more I want to explore musically and bring into the live shows, like the circus!
The humor and weirdness are a big part of my personality, but I care a lot about the music and the experience people have. I want people to feel like they can show up, be themselves, and get wonky with us. As WonkyWilla grows, I want to keep that feeling, give people more reasons to come back, and continue giving back to the community that gives so much to me.
EDM Maniac: You grew up in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and you have two Pittsburgh dates coming up in November. What does it mean to come back through your home state at this point in your career?
WonkyWilla: It’s pretty surreal coming back to Pennsylvania with something I’ve built and having people show up for it. I grew up in Bucks County, so Pittsburgh is a different part of the state, but there’s still something special about being back in Pennsylvania. It makes me think about where I started and how much has changed since then.
EDM Maniac: The tour ends with a punctuation mark at Mission Ballroom in Denver. Are you thinking about how that final show represents what this tour has become?
WonkyWilla: Definitely. Mission Ballroom is a huge moment for me, and I want to give people a show that feels different and reflects how much this project has grown. Every stop on the tour teaches me something about what connects, what surprises people, and where I can push an idea further. I want to bring all of that into the final night.
I’m thinking about how the music, the visuals, the circus, and the ridiculous WonkyWilla moments can all come together. I won’t give too much away yet, but I want it to feel like a celebration for everyone who’s been part of this run. Being able to end it in a room like that is something I’m still wrapping my head around.
EDM Maniac: With the Wonking on Sunshine tour ending in January, have you thought about what the next chapter looks like?
WonkyWilla: Definitely. One thing I’m looking forward to is having more time in my home studio to work through the ideas I’ve had while touring. That’s where I feel most creative, and I’m excited to see what comes out when I have time to sit with those ideas.
Disco Wonk opened up a lot of possibilities for me, so I want to keep exploring that and seeing what else fits into the WonkyWilla world. I’m also thinking about how to bring more personality into the live show. I don’t have every detail of the next chapter figured out yet, but I want to give myself room to try things and surprise myself too.
EDM Maniac: Is there anything else you want to share with your fans? What should we be keeping an eye out for?
WonkyWilla: Huge thank you to everyone who’s been showing up, listening to the music, bringing your friends, and getting wonky with me. Seeing something that started in my room become a part of other people’s lives is still crazy to me. I don’t take that support for granted.
Keep an eye on Mission Ballroom and what comes out of the factory next. I’ve still got a lot to explore with WonkyWilla, and I’m excited to share it with you. And now I guess I have to finish “Oompa Hurl.” Lol.
Featured image courtesy: Wonky Willa.
