‘I Want To Get Weirder With It’: Wendsday Is Embracing Anonymity In The Age Of Social Media

Meet wendsday. Spelt wrong in writing and in life. A socially anxious overthinker and internet addict in forever recovery, who self describes as an existentially conflicted Sydney musician. One who is ‘trying to resist the dark side version of the internet, while being thoroughly and completely addicted to it’. 

And, an artist who has chosen to remain anonymous, and keep as humanly far away as possible from social media. Which means you’ve very likely not heard of this artist either but you might just be intrigued to know more.

As I was when I met wendsday – online of course. I assumed our Zoom call would be conducted mysteriously, with videos turned off for anonymity. To my surprise, they greeted me instead in a bit of Halloween fancy dress headgear, which was just as unexpected as a lot of things about them.

The indie art rock artist just released their latest single, I’m Fine Thanks late last month, which follows an earlier release this year, 2001 Was More Fun.

Both songs clearly set the tone lyrically and in sound for a slightly more bygone era. One where promo for music artists wasn’t about making constant videos on social media. 

To set the scene for what you could hear in his tracks, one of wendsday’s key musical influences is Blink-182.

“I don’t like that this is one of the artists I can think of,” they admit. 

“That playfulness of music has died. I don’t know why. Perhaps it’s because people are desperately trying to get something viral and end up putting out joyless output.” 

Other key music influences include Aussie rockers Violent Soho and The Smith Street Band as well as English pop rockers The 1975 and also self-producing indie artist KCH. The love of rock, pop-punk, grunge and emo is evident in his own sound. 

“I love anything that has big guitars in it that are really utilised to the maximum impact.”

Another, more surprising influence is Tyler, The Creator. 

But that’s part of what wendsday is creating. He is conscious of how what he wants to bring to the Australian music landscape might not get labelled easily. 

“It’s like David Byrne of Talking Heads,” he adds. “I want to get weirder with it.” 

But there’s more to explore in this artist’s than just a quirky style and rebelling against jumping on the social media bandwagon.

I’m Fine Thanks is also a critique of the faded Australian dream and the myth that we all have an equal chance in today’s capitalist society but channelled through an alternative punk rock sound that’s akin to the likes of Jeff Rosenstock, Sly Withers, and Weezer.

“This song is a bit of an internalised ‘freak out’ against ignoring the way things are headed,” he notes. “The post dotcom forever-scroll society, which manifests in what people talk about. Which is more about what they see in their social media feed rather than genuinely connecting.” 

Wendsday gives the example of the typical promotional videos created by real estate agents, with those swooping drone dramatic shots. 

“The song is a kick in the shins against this as it’s a disgusting thing to do in light of the fact young people can’t afford to buy a house. We live in a time where buying a house isn’t about shelter but is a wealth tool.”

Rather than conforming to a world that pushes artists to ‘act as influencers just to get heard’, wendsday would rather let the music speak for itself. 

“When you have an architecture of technology that intrinsically divides people into algorithmic bubbles, it has an impact on shared community values and impacts the ways people engage with each other,” he says.

He’s aware though, that’s a risky strategy. 

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“I’ve had people say that my career is dead if I don’t play the social game. It does rub against what I feel is bad for humanity. And seeing musicians spruce products in the same way as a skincare influencer. There’s a falseness that is mandatory. Like you have to do it.”

“It plays into what I call casino energy,” he continues. “There’s no real connection, there’s just like an awareness jackpot, which doesn’t feel like it’s in the spirit of mindfully approaching the art scene.”

“I can see a world where I am just busking if I don’t do the social game. Probably in Halloween apparatus. I’ll let you know in a year if I fucked it.”

For now though, he’s taking the risk of staying anonymous and not playing the shitty social media game. Even though he is as chronically online as the rest of us.  

“I want to taste what it’s like to not have to compromise everything,” he admits. “In Australia or wherever.” 

And that sums up what his music is; both a form of protest and an existential crisis in real-time. But, wendsday admits, that also includes how he will reach listeners.

“Being supremely shit at social media, I have Instagram now,” he notes. “It pains me to have it but I’m told I have to have it.”

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So how would he advise those same listeners to avoid the darker side of the internet? 

“Not having it (social media) helps but instead reading about good artists,” he says. “So, if I’m looking for good music and then seeing the internet as an encyclopaedia is a rich way to find music. Like reading a book.”

“It’s tough when it’s ‘act like an influencer’, even when it’s against everything in your DNA and what we miss out on when someone doesn’t do that but are scared to do that.” 

“Underpinning it is a social anxiety about what are we missing out on. Are we only getting artists that only thrive in a really specific new environment that’s nagging you for attention?” he continues. “The intention of finding something good has gone. It’s attention tactics now. People’s fatigue levels are high but everyone’s addicted to social media.” 

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wendsday’s own musical journey began earlier in life in the typical way. Being in a band in high school and doing quite well but then being given a reality check from others about the need to study, get a job, buy a house, etc. 

“I shut the door to it and felt it wasn’t viable,” he admits. “There was a lack of creative community around to bring that faith to push for it. But I was gradually getting more and more miserable with what I chose to do instead. I shot my own dream in the head.”  

“I feel like the music ecosystem has never been great. There are huge flaws. There is the ‘80s version of ‘we will make you a star then suck you dry’ and that’s improved but now there is a new landscape but now it's gamifying a tech company’s attention or algorithm to get on top of a bunch of other people hopefully but you give your life and time in a way that’s different and worse than it used to be.” 

Despite that, wendsday has come back to creating music again, with a forthcoming album, Now or whenever, also in the works.

The artist has decided to release it single by single over the coming months because it’s “better digested as an ongoing story.” One that will describe the feeling of ‘depresso suburban malaise but with big rock opera energy.’

Wendsday has, in fact, just moved out to the suburbs and is ‘freaking out about it’.

“I hate it but the music is pouring out,” he admits.

But, in amongst all the nihilism and internet addiction, wendsday still sees some promising stuff like the concept of no phones gigs and the support from his record label We Don't Exist and its founder Chester Bossly, for his ‘unwavering faith in squeezing dollars out of artists no matter the price on his soul…’

“Rock has stepped aside culturally. It lost its soul and hibernated. It had to go away and evolve,” he says. “With rock and punk, there’s something about it that’s unique to generate an ability to feel angry.” 

“Maybe we will see more people in small rooms thrashing around. Getting therapy from the world and online.”

Perhaps wendsday has the answer to all the questions we’ve been asking ChatGPT? Does he have any final pearls of wisdom for us as listeners?

“Don’t follow me on Instagram,” he urges. “Keep going to gigs, put your phone away – you’ll feel better and do some reading on what these apps are designed to do to you.” 

“I reckon the reason we like the music we like is because we seek out what brings order to the chaos of our reality. It’s a part of our survival instinct. And in these fucking cooked times, that’s why music could be more important than it's ever been.”