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WondrWomn: Get to know the North London rapper and founder of The RecordShop

(Article for Threads radio, Can check it out at https://threadsradio.com/wndrwomn-interview-with-alejandra-cabrera/?fbclid=IwAR1tdnAJZGdJX4MKkYhbehVSaU5pn5ob9vsRV9foIFNZSHTnzFYYt_h46Xk )



Mary "WondrWomn"

North London rapper WondRWomN is back with the demure and sultry single “Table 4 1” her first single release of 2019, which is presented as her most honest track yet.


Mary Otumahana is a talented artist on the rise and an inspiration for women in the creative industries. Mary started her music career 14 years ago under the name WondRWomN:

“I felt like Wonder Woman being a female in a male dominated environment. She was one of the few female superheroes and I felt outnumbered by males in the hip hop genre.” On top of being a unique artist, she manages The RecordShop, a free recording studio in Tottenham for young people to engage in music activities.


Mary talks with confidence and passion and she shares with enthusiasm her story and future projects. While growing up and as she started to get more drawn to music, Mary noticed the lack of opportunities for young people. She grew up and still lives in East Finchley but Tottenham was always an area of impact for her due to its vibrant and diverse community.

Mary found a passion in writing poetry and saw in rapping a perfect way to express herself. Rebellious artists by the likes of Eminem and Tupac encouraged Mary to put her feelings into songs. “Growing up a shy kid, these sorts of outspoken personalities attracted me and inspired me to write poetry and put it in a musical form”.


Mary insists on resilience and a lot of drive to pursue a career in music. When she had the opportunity to record in a studio at age 17, she got the reassurance that music was her passion: “This is what I really wanted to do, you know”, she says, “If you feel like this is really for you, just keep going. Be persistent and you will see rewards from it.”


Although the music industry continues to be male dominated and it’s harder to be successful as a woman in the higher positions of power, Mary feels like she started her career at the perfect time. She has felt a tendency for change and openness that has made her feel more comfortable everyday with what she does. She feels it necessary to carry on the attempt of balancing better the quotas of women in all aspects, such as festival lineups, but Mary is hopeful and thinks that society is on the right track.


“I feel like now we're heading towards a very good place in terms of an agenda balance and women just kind of not being restricted in what type of music they should make or what sort of image they should portray. I feel like people are lot more open to different things right now and I feel that that's given me more confidence and I feel more comfortable making music now.”

Mary is involved in a monthly show at Threads Radio called “The Wondrwomn show” where she plays different genres from underground hip hop to Garage and R&B and songs from the young people that recorded at The RecordShop. You can tune in for her International Women’s Day special show this Thursday 7th from 4 to 6pm to listen to her new single “Table 4 1” and to genres ranging from underground hip hop to R&B and garage.


Mary feels hopeful for the future and would like to tour abroad. She will be heading back this month to Jerez, Spain, where she opened up last year for Spanish Hip Hop group SFDK to a crowd of over 3000 people.


Don’t miss her performance at The Cause this Friday 8th from 7pm to 10.30 and the release of her video on Sunday 10th March.

The Cause's Asher


“Why did I get involved? I ask myself that everyday,” says Asher while laughing, “because I love it. I really enjoy being here.” Asher tells me about The Cause, the new club he helped to make happen last November in Tottenham, in a calm yet passionate manner.

It’s a Tuesday afternoon and we are meeting at the venue, which gives industrial vibes the second you step in. The Cause has a concrete, DIY look. Everything from it looks like it’s been rescued and given a second chance at this old North London tyres warehouse. Asher, who is smoking at his office, welcomes me and offers a seat. He asks if his story would make for an interesting one. I assured him that it does as he starts telling me from the start.


Asher went to university in Nottingham to study property planning and development, but he grew up to realise that this wasn’t what motivated him and that life could be different. He then started to get involved in something that’s always been a huge part of his life: music.

Planning never got Asher to where he wanted to be: “The way that I got here is by literally going with the flow and sort of winging it. Although that doesn't really sound very promising, you end up potentially exceeding your own expectations,” he says.


The Cause was a project that started through meeting the right people at the right time who wanted to “actually add positive aspects to the whole party scene, kind of bringing out something out of it like helping mental health charities, while being able to put on good parties,” he says.

The Cause is different from all the other clubs in the British capital because apart from celebrating dance culture, they are a community project that supports local and independent businesses, arts and good mental health. It’s clear from talking to Asher that for him putting on a good event is not about making profit out of it.


It is constantly getting harder to find a good atmosphere in a space where everyone gathers for their love for electronic music without having to plan it weeks in advance due to the high prices of tickets. “Because of the aesthetic of the place, the general atmosphere and the way in which we treat our customers, you don't get this feeling of pretentiousness .There's no judgement here”

You can immediately see this as you notice the layout of the The Cause. From the way that everything’s been put together to how the DJ booth is installed in the middle, which allows ravers to enjoy the music better and feel more included.


Asher is involved at The Cause in many different ways, from booking the artist’s flights and accommodation to managing social media, but his favourite aspect of the job is the people he gets to meet: “This space attracts a lot of creative people. There's a really strong community vibe that is here and it feels really nice that knowing that I've had something to do with it and I'm able to contribute towards it. It’s just a cool space that tends to attract good people.”

For the time being, Asher wouldn’t like to be anywhere else. “This place isn't always going to be around, but the people that I met through being here is going to help me hopefully through life. So I'm kind of grateful to be around in a place where I can meet people that have the same mindset as I do”



Written work: Blog2
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