Elise Wunder

by  Cici Sharstrom
With a sultry voice that digs its roots into the soul, Elise Wunder is emerging as one of Northern Colorado’s most promising new artists.  Her style is something familiar, timeless, and yet entirely her own. A blend of pop/Americana/roots styles, Wunder combines the honest down-to-earth sound of velvet vocals with perfected guitar strums that remind us why we need music.
A self-taught vocalist, Wunder has always been singing. She learned guitar at 15 and began performing on stages at 19. She pursued her vocal studies at both the University of Northern Colorado and Colorado State. Enraptured especially with the UNC choir, Wunder studied for a few years before deciding to pursue her own independent musical career by joining local bands, including her own project Das Wunderband.
As an ever-evolving artist, Wunder is finally embracing a solo career.
“As an independent artist, I feel I can be unique and genuine,” says Wunder. “I feel like now I can really challenge the audience and reach into its soul.”
Wunder has a charismatic, enrapturing presence both in person and on-stage. She is nothing short of herself, and performs as honestly as the music itself. A down-to-earth girl with an ankle tambourine, guitar, flowing skirt and a Stevie Nick’s-esque top hat, Wunder is a joy to experience. She has written many of her own songs, but also does fantastic covers of classics, including Pink Floyd, Zeppelin, Tom Waits, Fleetwood Mac, David Bowie, Leonard Cohen, Jethro Tull and even Dolly Parton.
She is an engaging and humorous personality, creating a familiarity with her audience that goes beyond just her performance. She creates an environment of honest, human interaction, and is easily one of the most accessible artists performing today. Her smoky, soulful rendition of Parton’s “Jolene” creates a moving experience relieved afterwards by her jokingly stating, “I wrote that.”
Wunder is currently immersed in the self-production of her first album In The Darkness of My Light, a title that pays homage to Bob Dylan.
“I have a lot of people contributing to this album,” she states excitedly. “It’s going to be something new and challenging.”
Wunder plays weekly around different Fort Collins venues, and the best part is it’s usually free. She is at Tap & Handle quite regularly, including every third Tuesday of the month. She plays Elliot’s Martini Bar every second Thursday, and also frequents The Colorado Room, Town Pump, and Equinox Brewing. Wunder is the  perfect hometown girl for a perfect hometown crowd.
“I think I appeal to a wide age group,” states Wunder. “My voice is timeless, and I think FoCoians are receptive to that. I have a lot of encouragement as an artist here.”
More information on Wunder, including song samples and venue dates can be found on her website, www.elisewundermusic.com, her facebook artist’s page, or at ReverbNation.