Photo by Deb Draper.

Want to know what goes into creating an album? Learn from the best in the biz in this two-part series of virtual discussions hosted by A. Harmony. Hear from JUNO Award-nominated engineers, producers, and special guests to get a look into the creative process behind Canada’s most iconic songs and albums. The panelists for part two of this series are first-time JUNO nominated artists Wondagurl and Murda Beatz.

Ebony Naomi Oshunrinde is best known as Wondagurl, who is a Canadian record producer, songwriter, and record executive who has worked with several prominent artists in the music industry, including Mariah Carey, Travis Scott, Jay-Z, Drake, and Kanye West, among others. WondaGurl started producing on her keyboard with drum pads at age 9. At age 15, she entered the 2011 and 2012 Battle of The Beat Makers competition in Toronto where Canadian record producer Boi-1da was present as one of the guest judges at both years. She won first place in the latter year, earning herself a trophy and a Roland SH-01 Gaia Synthesizer. WondaGurl became a protégé ofBoi-1da shortly after the competition, and around 2013, started to closely work with American rapper Travis Scott at 16 years old, whom she also signed to years later. She also garnered one of her first high-profile music placements that same year, with rapper Jay-Z on his twelfth studio album, Magna Carta Holy Grail, working on the track “Crown” with Travis and record producer Mike Dean.  This led to her working with other major artists and producers since then, producing her first top 40 hit single Antidote by Travis Scott in 2015, which was co-produced by Canadian record producer Eestbound. She would soon after go on to sign Eestbound to a production deal at the time, becoming her first co-producer.  His deal with her later ended around 2016, leaving them to go their separate ways. In 2018, she was featured in the Music category of Forbes 30 Under 30. She is one of the youngest women to add production to a platinum-selling hip-hop album. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100043952927975&sk=about In July 2020, WondaGurl signed a worldwide publishing deal with Travis Scott’s Cactus Jack Publishing and Sony/ATV Music Publishing, in conjunction with her own record label and publishing company, Wonderchild Music.

Shane Lee Lindstrom, known professionally as Murda Beatz who is a Canadian record producer, DJ, and songwriter. He has produced hit singles like “Butterfly Effect” by American rapper Travis Scott, “Back on Road” by American rapper Gucci Mane, “Nice for What” by Canadian rapper Drake, “Motorsport” by American rap trio Migos, “Fefe” by American rappers 6ix9ine and Nicki Minaj. He began producing beats at age 17 when he was still in high school using FL Studio. He chose his stage name “Murda Beatz” to promote his music on Youtube. When he turned 18, he moved to Chicago, and later worked with Chief Keef and Lil Durk. Lindstrom stated that he met most of his early artists through social media and mutual friends. Eventually, he connected with Atlanta rap group Migos and moved in with them to start producing their music. Murda Beatz is notable for being a lead or featured artist on some tracks he produces, similarly to DJ Khaled, Mustard, or Mike Will Made It.  He made the decision to transition to a “producer-artist,” as Billboard describes it, in order to have more control and release music on his own timeline, instead of being dependent on the artists in the song. He released his first mixtape, Keep God First, in December 2016. He opened for G-Eazy‘s tour in the summer of 2018. His first single as a lead artist, “Shopping Spree,” was released in 2019 with Lil Pump and Sheck Wes. He released his second single called “Banana Split,” which features YNW Melly and Lil Durk, in March 2020. He plans to release his debut album by the end of 2020.  In March, he confirmed the title to be Murda She Wrote with an initial release date of June 2020. In 2019, Beatz created his own record imprint called Murda Beatz Recordings and signed artist Adam Halliday. In 2021, Beatz was honored in the Forbes 30 Under 30 listing under the music category. http://www.murdabeatz.com