Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Glori Wilder. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Glori, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.

I am lucky to say that I have parents who have supported my musical journey since the beginning. As an adult reflecting on my creative endeavors I explored as a kid, listening back to recordings I had made since I was nearly 7 years old, I recognize that the vision was hard to see for me. I was always passionate but I was not always skilled with music and technique. Thankfully my parents saw the light in my eyes when I would write and share my original pieces, good or not, and they put the faith in me to continue down the path of creative self discovery.
With their support and love, I was given the space and tools to develop my skill and sound, turning it into something quite special. I take in their constructive criticism that aids me to dive into self reflection on my work. Their unwavering faith in my projects make me capable of continuing even when music seems like a ridiculous path to follow.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I was born into a musical family in the outskirts of Boston. Surrounded by instruments from the very beginning, I was encouraged down a path of creative expression. My interest in the arts grew more and more with age, taking advantage of every opportunity to perform that I could. With a family who hosted wild block parties in their neighborhood to performing throughout the city, I had many chances early on to build my stage presence and share my stories.
On my 5th birthday I marched into a my local music shop and purchased the tiniest guitar with my $100 birthday money, that was the true start of my musical journey.
I have never been good with authority or following someone else’s path, so I deeply struggled with lessons, choosing eventually not to take music lessons at all for many years. Instead deciding to go onto my homes desktop and teach myself how to strum basic chord progressions. With little bits of tips and tricks here and there from family as well.
Starting that way, then learning piano after a few years in the same manner, I became proficient enough on the instruments to self accompany during live performances.
For years throughout youth I took every opportunity to perform live I could, growing my strength as a performer, songwriter and vocalist.
When the time came to look into college, the only school that gave me any sense of excitement was Berklee. Despite going through the audition process and getting accepted, I had decided that school at this time was not meant for me. Maybe due to the fact that Covid had shut down all in person schooling and I had no interest in the debt that would accompany the online version.
Instead, I was scouted by a local indie record label in the Berkshires of Massachusetts where we worked on artist development and production of my originals over the course of 3 years.
As often happens, there were differences that eventually lead towards my independence once again as an artist. Leaving with a new sense of belief in myself, I took the reins of my career and began booking and managing myself over the past year. Growing my name, identity and following across New England.
Since then I have played a handful of the beautiful stages that the Berkshires and tristate area have to offer, such as; The Indigo Room @ The Mahaiwe, Great Barrington MA, Daryl’s House Club, Pawling NY, Park Theater, Hudson NY, The Triad Theater, NYC and many more.
At the end of 2024 releasing my first project as an independent artist, my album ‘A Culmination of Years’ is a deep dive of original songs, all performed one take, first take, live and unplugged at Stone Studio in Austerlitz NY.
WIth many works in the midst of production again and a lineup of shows across the east coast, 2025 is going to be a powerful year of career growth!

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist or creative has been the connection I feel to the audience when I perform.
As a musician or songwriter you have to start from the bottom. You take the shows you are offered that are often not true listening spaces. You learn to zone out the noises around you during your performance, locking in solely to the sound of your instrument and your voice, which often creates a barrier between you and the audience.

Over the years of developing my name throughout my musical community, I have begun to draw in audiences that are there to connect to the lyrics and share the space with me as well as venues who create the atmosphere to do so.
In these moments where I stand on stage, eyes on the audience, pouring my heart out through my deeply emotional original pieces, the connection I feel with the audience and the power and love it brings is an incomparable feeling.

Often as a performer you question yourself and the legitimacy of the career you’re pursuing, but then you get off of stage and speak to the audience members and hear how the music moved them. I get to see how music is a necessity in life and that the stories I write and share are relatable to others and aid in healing.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I have had many moments of pivoting my career and changing perspectives. As an avid lover of change it feels nothing but natural. However, when I left the label I had been signed to for 3 years starting when I was 19, I had to relearn who I was as an artist and person, diving into a deep self discovery.
During the time with the label, a main focus had been developing a brand. Who was Glori Wilder? It was a question I struggled with, especially as we dove more and more into a dark feminine character.
As a songwriter becoming reliant on the tweaks of a label, I began to lose faith in the strength of my original pieces.
When the realization came that the label was no longer serving me as an artist, business woman or person, I was able to step away from it.
In turn I had to take control of my career. My successes were my victories and my failures were mine to own as well. As a 22 year, at this point living in the middle of the woods in Connecticut, there was a constant fear of what my life may look like without music, if I was unable to continue the growth.
Thankfully with time to process who I am, truly trying to understand where my passion with music lies and to start believing in my songwriting again I was able to find that confidence.
Leading to my first album, ‘A Culmination of Years’. A one take, live take, solo acoustic album. As well as a new sense of artist identity that focuses on the strength of the divine feminine without the need for darkness to show power.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.gloriwilder.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glori.wilder/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gloriwilder/
• Other: Spotify:
  https://open.spotify.com/artist/3CgHNEOw8m4IHic1JWKImp?si=RzVRZgWqQA-4xw-x_-6M4w

Image Credits

All outdoor photos taken by Eli Jenkins