Check Out Willie Schandel’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Willie Schandel.

Hi Willie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I went to my first concert when I was 14 years old which was Van Halen. Seeing Eddie play solos that were out of this world really inspired me to be a musician and then I started playing guitar at 15 years old. Learning cover songs and started along the line writing my own originals at 18 and in 2010 I threw myself into the music scene playing open mics every Tuesday at the Alley and then I started creating guitar videos and playing songs on YouTube instrumental and original songs I wrote. When I hit age 24 I was going through a really dark time battling depression and anxiety and got to the point where I needed help to treat it and the therapist I met surprisingly was a musician and a producer who became my mentor and helped me out a lot. He gave me a project during a session and told me to write two songs one that’s positive and the best version of yourself and one that’s the dark side of yourself and that’s when I wrote which became my first single Enough is Enough and my 2nd single Jealousy. It really awoken the fire inside of me to get out and play music and that’s what started my path on my musical career.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It was very challenging and really competitive along the way. During the pandemic of course was really hard to get out and play shows it was like there was a brick wall in the way of the stage. I also battled hardly with anxiety and depression during that time but I’m blessed with the music and my family that helped me along the way, it kept me going through it all. I say it was worth going through the dark times cause as they say, whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and as you keep on learning, you’re still living

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Music is definitely my life it really makes me feel more than I ever thought I could be and it makes me feel on top of the World, alive, and happy I really wanna spread that to the world and to all my friends and family and everybody out there that’s going through a tough time and I wanna be the voice to tell them that don’t give up and keep moving forward. Everything I put in music is like sending a message to the world telling everybody to not give up on their dreams and not give up on themselves and that anything is possible as long as you put your mind to it and if you believe in it so much it becomes real. My song enough is my proudest accomplishment and will always be my favorite song because it’s a reminder of who I am and how far have come and I want it to be a message to anybody out there that no matter what life throws at you no matter what people say everyone is beautiful in their own way no matter what. I’m also a really spiritual unique type of man I’m not religious by any means I’m the one that stands out crowd and goes for wherever my heart takes me instead of following the same trend like everybody. If that makes me a rebel or an outlaw then I say I’m proud of it. I rebel against what the world thinks of me and I live life through will, passion and determination which is what I’ll always live for in life and in my music every day till I die

What was your favorite childhood memory?
Having Thanksgiving dinner with my great-grandmother having all my family there.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://wildwilliemusic.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wps2013/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wildwilliemusic
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/user/wps2013
• SoundCloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/1YmLTGHMc3SBsRr88 

Image Credits
Phil Stone, James Steinbach, Ryan Elwood, Kyle Lamar, Dan Schandel, Uno photography, Digital Mile