Sina Wynne Holwerda (born April 25, 1997), known mononymously as Wynne, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Lake Oswego, Oregon, she began rapping at age 12 and moved to Portland in 2016, where she began performing in cyphers. Videos of her freestyling went viral on various social media platforms from 2016 to 2018. She subsequently released her debut mixtape, If I May (2019), and two extended plays, Do My Own Stunts (2021) and Some Like It Hot (2023).

Wynne
Birth nameSina Wynne Holwerda
Born (1997-04-25) April 25, 1997 (age 27)
Lake Oswego, Oregon, U.S.
OriginPortland, Oregon, U.S.
GenresHip hop
OccupationRapper
InstrumentVocals
Years active2016–present
LabelsEYRST
Websitesinawynne.com

Early life

edit

Sina Wynne Holwerda[1] was born on April 25, 1997[2] in Lake Oswego, Oregon to a mother who works as an attorney and a father who works as an investment manager.[3] She was also raised in Lake Oswego, which she has described as "very white" and "very separated".[4] She has one older brother. When she was nine years old, he introduced her to rappers such as 50 Cent, Eminem, Jay-Z, and Lupe Fiasco, whom she stated gave her a "a window to the outside world".[1][5] At age 12, she began writing poetry, and soon started rapping in fourth grade, eventually rapping at a talent show in seventh grade.[3] In high school, she read books about the history of hip hop, including Gospel of Hip Hop by KRS-One and Vibe History of Hip Hop.[6] She studied music at the University of Oregon while working as a rapper.[7] Despite her parents telling her she could drop out of college after witnessing her success as a rapper during her first year, she stayed due to her classes about social justice. After graduating, she moved to Portland.[4]

Career

edit

Wynne began rapping as part of Portland's hip hop scene in 2016 in cyphers.[6][5] A video of her freestyling over the beat of the 21 Savage song "Bank Account" went viral later that year after she posted it on Twitter and it was reposted on Instagram by Snoop Dogg.[3][7] After posting the same video the following year, she gained over 70,000 followers, signed a publishing deal, and began getting managed by Courtney Stewart. She was also signed to Genius for distribution. Her 2017 songs "Cvtvlyst" and "Open Letter to Donald Trump" had progressive slants.[8] In 2018, another video of her performing at the Portland rap showcase Mic Check went viral on Facebook when users mistakenly believed she was the daughter of rapper Eminem.[9][10] Her singles "Buzzer" and "Don't Touch" were released in September and October 2018, respectively.[11][12]

Her debut mixtape, If I May, was released on October 24, 2019.[13] It was preceded by the singles "The Thesis", which features Portland rappers Dame D.O.L.L.A., KayelaJ, Vursatyl, and Illmaculate, and "Ego Check", a collaborative single with JID.[4] In 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic, she toured with EarthGang on their Welcome to Mirrorland Tour alongside Mick Jenkins and Spillage Village member Jurdan Bryant.[1][14] Her collaborative extended play (EP) with producer Christo, Do My Own Stunts, was released in November 2021 through Portland record label EYRST Records.[15] Its single "Carrot Cake" was released earlier that month.[16] Her next EP, Some Like It Hot, was released in July 2023 with its lead single, "Jaw Morant", being released in April of that year.[6][8] Later that year, she embarked on the U.S. Some Like It Hot Tour, her first headlining tour.[5]

Musical style

edit

PJ Somervelle of The Line of Best Fit wrote that Wynne had "fast flows and cadences" with lyrics "combining politics, humour and sports analogies".[17] Vibe's Armon Sadler wrote in 2023 that Wynne had a "sexual image" and "very confident lines".[18][19] Patrick Lyons of the Willamette Week wrote that Wynne "deliver[s] mile-a-minute rhymes in a dizzying array of flows".[7]

Discography

edit

Mixtapes

edit
List of mixtapes, with selected details
Title Mixtape details
If I May

Extended plays

edit
List of extended plays, with selected details
Title Mixtape details
Do My Own Stunts
  • Released: November 11, 2021[20]
  • Label: EYRST
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
Some Like It Hot
  • Released: July 14, 2023[21]
  • Label: 101
  • Format: Digital download, streaming

Singles

edit
List of singles
Title Year Album
"Cvtvlyst" 2017 Non-album singles
"An Open Letter to Donald Trump" 2018
"Buzzer"
"Don't Touch"
"DL" 2019
"The Thesis"
(featuring Vursatyl, Illmac, KayelaJ and Dame D.O.L.L.A.)
If I May
"Handle It" Non-album single
"Ego Check"
(with JID)
If I May
"In the Morning" 2020 Non-album single
"Carrot Cake" 2021 Do My Own Stunts
"Mary's Lambo"
"Throw the O (University of Oregon Women's Basketball Anthem)"
(featuring The University of Oregon Marching Band)
2022 Non-album singles
"Nature Heals"
"Holiday"/"U Sick"
"Ex Boyfriend"/"Gossip at Brunch"
"Where 2 Next"
"Look at You"
"Glass Slipper Flows"
"Catalyst II" 2023
"Jaw Morant" Some Like It Hot
"Hot Friend"
"High Standards" TBA

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c Pettigrew, Jashayla (April 7, 2023). "After debuting as a teen, Portland rapper Wynne is finding her confidence". KOIN. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
  2. ^ @sinawynne (April 25, 2023). "26 today 🎂 Jaw Morant out Friday, Look At You just hit 700k, we up ☝🏻 grateful, grateful, grateful. working harder than ever. big year ahead. thank u for the bday wishes 🫶🏻" – via Instagram.
  3. ^ a b c Singer, Matthew (August 30, 2017). "Is Portland's Next Viral Rap Star a Babyface Blonde Girl From Lake Oswego?". Willamette Week. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c June, Sophia (October 23, 2019). "After Years As Portland's Viral Rapper, Wynne is Putting out Her First Full-Length Project". Willamette Week. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Pettigrew, Jashayla (November 11, 2023). "Rising Portland rapper talks her first headlining tour ahead of homecoming show". KOIN. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c Lamarre, Carl (July 21, 2023). "Portland Rapper Wynne Is Turning Heads One Verse at a Time: 'I've Always Had My Confidence'". Billboard. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  7. ^ a b c Lyons, Patrick (March 14, 2018). "Wynne Is a Sharpshooting MC Coming Straight Outta, Um, Lake Oswego". Willamette Week. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  8. ^ a b Moore, Jenni (November 14, 2023). "Portland-Based Rapper Wynne Plays a Special Homecoming Show; We Look Back at the Hip Hop Star's Rise". Portland Mercury. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  9. ^ "'Eminem's Daughter' Goes Viral After Rap Video Stuns Fans". Capital Xtra. December 1, 2018. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  10. ^ Walker, Jerad (June 2, 2021). "11 Oregon Artists To Watch In 2021". NPR. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  11. ^ Gormley, Shannon (September 14, 2018). "The Video for Lake Oswego Rapper Wynne's Debut Single Features a Damian Lillard Cameo". Willamette Week. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  12. ^ "Wynne's 'Don't Touch' is about forging your own path". The Fader. October 19, 2018. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  13. ^ Ivey, Justin (October 24, 2019). "Wynne Releases Debut Mixtape 'If I May'". HipHopDX. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  14. ^ Williams, Aaron (July 9, 2020). "Portland Rapper Wynne Explains Why Hip-Hop Needs White People To Be Allies More Than Ever". Uproxx. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
  15. ^ Walker, Jerad (November 13, 2021). "Portland rapper Wynne continues her climb to the top". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  16. ^ Reed, Conner (November 5, 2021). "Song of the Week: 'Carrot Cake' by Wynne". Portland Monthly. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  17. ^ Somervelle, PJ (November 11, 2021). "Burgeoning Portland rapper Wynne and producer Christo fight fire with fire on Do My Own Stunts". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  18. ^ Brown, Preezy; Sadler, Armon (July 16, 2023). "Lil Tjay, King Von, Dave East And More Deliver New Hip-Hop Releases". Vibe. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  19. ^ Brown, Preezy; Sadler, Armon (April 28, 2023). "G Herbo, Jack Harlow, Lola Brooke, And More Unleash Must-Hear Rap Releases For New Music Friday". Vibe. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  20. ^ "Do My Own Stunts - EP by Wynne". November 11, 2021. Retrieved March 3, 2024 – via Apple Music.
  21. ^ "Some Like It Hot - EP by Wynne". July 14, 2023. Retrieved March 3, 2024 – via Apple Music.