EfremWilder

02 / Behind the voice

A life in music.

Efrem Michael Gregory Wilder, also known as EFREM, is an American singer, songwriter, artist, and poet originally from Northern New York. His creative journey began at an early age as he wrote poetry and honed his skills as a poet and painter, eventually finding a new avenue for expression through the acoustic guitar.

He spent several years singing and playing in the New York music scene, busking in subway stations throughout metropolitan New York City.

During these formative years, he moved from the subway into the bars and clubs of Manhattan and Brooklyn, performing at a wide range of venues with musicians from across the city. Throughout his long career, he has collaborated with several outstanding musicians, including guitarist and songwriter Marcin “Samba” Otrebski from Warsaw, Poland. Now based in Maryland, Marcin works as a freelance guitarist—an axe-wielding machine playing in several cover bands throughout the Baltimore–Washington area.

Efrem also collaborated with Paweł “Baby” Mąciwoda, bassist for the legendary German band Scorpions, in the group Stirwater. Together, they achieved critical acclaim for a series of unreleased compositions and the single “Water Water,” which received attention from the prestigious Polish Radio Three, known as Trójka, in the summer of 2012. The song also reached Poland’s mainstream pop Top 40, peaking at No. 32.

Efrem is the only American musician to have achieved a Top 40 single with a Polish band in Poland—an amazing yet humble accomplishment that should not be overlooked.

Currently, Efrem is the lead singer of Volume Control, a project featuring Bartek Szwed, also known as BARTBASS, alongside various musicians and producers.

Their latest releases are available on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube under Volume Control Acoustic, showcasing covers of songs by artists such as The Verve, Pearl Jam, and more. They have been releasing original tracks since 2014 and continue to produce music whenever possible.

With the future on the horizon, stay tuned for more explorations of song and art from Efrem in the coming years, including ongoing collaborations in music and the visual arts. You’ll find it all here!

P.S.
Time to let go, leave the past, and move ahead.
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