AFTER WONDERLAND - THE SOUND OF MAGIC
WHAT COMES AFTER WONDERLAND?
WHY, MAGIC OFCOURSE!
By RubySage
6 November 2026
Meeting and working with After Wonderland and in particular, Rixie Campbell came as a breath of fresh air. Her song writing style appeals and resonates and leaves me wanting more, with songs like 'Petty Song', 'Girl of your dreams' ( to mention only a couple) and their very latest release, dropping on Friday, 13 November, 'Beautiful Heights'. Truely mind bending, alluring and mezmerising singles, to say the least! A more humble, honest and pure soul I am yet to come accross in the music industry, yet oozing sassy spunky vibes with a flair for sarcasm and magic all at once, Rixie soon became a special lady in my eyes and someone who inspires me!
I was fortunate to have them on the line up at one of the music festivals I hosted a while back, and not only was I blown away by their mindaltering (in all the best kind of ways) music, but also by their synergy, incredicle stage presence and all round brilliance. After Wonderland guitarist, Paul Hodgson, I met a few years prior when I was fortunate enough to meet and interview The Parlotones for Fanbase Music Magazine. I remember being impressed by his awesome friendliness and welcoming manner and when I later discovered how talented he is as an artist, it only makes sense that he forms part of this dynamic band.
After Wonderland is an Alternetive Indie Rock band from Johannesburg, South Africa, formed in 2021 and is a name for themselves that is growing fast, reaching more and more music lovers who crave a particular excellence and unique sound. They fast became one of my favourite bands as they deliver a sound that I imagine is what pure magic would sound like if it had one definitive sound.
I had a little Q&A with Rix that I am thrilled to share with you...read on and discover more about this incredible artist and the ever wonderful After Wonderland.
1. Q: Who are you, on and off the stage?
A: I’m Rixie. On stage, I’m the singer for After Wonderland and an occasional guitar jangler. Offstage, I’m a designer. So, both on and off stage, my life is pretty creative, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
2. Q: When was After Wonderland started ? .. And By who? Tell us the story…
A: After Wonderland started in 2021. I had just moved back from the States, and my previous drum teacher, Mark Trump, was pushing me to start a band. He saw something in my songwriting and singing that I didn’t see in myself, and I’ll always have a special place in my heart for him for that. The rest of the band joined shortly afterwards.
We’ve had a few drummer switch-ups over the years, but I think we’ve got a pretty solid four-piece now.
3. Q: Who are the band members and what are their respective roles?
A: We have Paul Hodgson on guitar, he brings the dad humour to the band.
Lee-Roy is on bass, he brings an expansive knowledge of almost everything to the band.
Aiden Foyster is on drums, he brings the silly to the band.
And then there’s me on vocals and guitar, bringing the sarcasm.
4. Q: Who inspired you to make music? How and when did your music journey start?
A: I think growing up in a really musical family meant it never started with just one person. I’ve been surrounded by music and art my whole life.
My dad was a drummer in a successful band called The Rising Sons, and music was a part of his life until his last day. My brother was a very talented guitarist in To Hire a Nurse and also played drums in a band called Doe. I grew up surrounded by incredibly talented musicians, and my mom always loved going to local shows to support bands like Wonderboom and Sugardrive.
Music just felt like a part of me, part of my natural rhythm. I don’t think there was any chance I could have come into this world without making some form of music, whether that meant playing piano alone for the rest of my life or doing what I’m doing now.
5. Q: How would you describe the music that you typically create? And does it differ from the music you enjoy listening to?
A: I’d say After Wonderland has a very indie pop-rock sound. I love rock ’n’ roll and metal, so it’s funny that I never went down that route myself.
6. Q: What is your favorite sound unrelated to music?
A: The sound of my cats “mewing”. I love feeling like they’re talking to me, and it brings me so much joy.
7. Q: Who writes your songs and what does that creative writing process look like?
A: I write the lyrics, and we all work collectively on the structure, arrangement and so on. It’s a fun process.
It usually starts with just me and a guitar, getting the melody and lyrics sorted out. Then I’ll show it to the guys, and they’ll go, “This is great! Let’s change this, this and this!”
8.Q: Who would you most like to collaborate with?
A: I’d love to collaborate with Simon Neil from Biffy Clyro. He writes some of the best lyrics, in my opinion, and the idea of writing a song with him and his band would absolutely shatter me in the best possible way.
9. Q: If you could go open a show for any artist who would it be?
A: Either Biffy Clyro, Wolf Alice or Nothing But Thieves! I can’t choose just one!
10. Q: What is one message you would give to your fans?
A: Thank you! Thank you for coming to shows, thank you for streaming our songs, and thank you for supporting us. There’s so much music out there, and having people who care about what we do means so much to all of us.
11. Q: What is the most useless talent you have?
A: I’m really good at writing backwards. I’m not sure how or when I acquired this talent, but I can write a sentence upside down for someone sitting in front of me, and it’ll just look like I have messier handwriting than usual.
12. Q: Do you sing in the shower? What songs?
A: Not usually, to be honest. My showers are normally my quiet time or thinking time. But when I do sing, it’s usually random nonsense directed at my cats, who watch me shower… (creeps)
13. Q: If your instrument suddenly developed the ability to talk… What would its first complaint be about you ?
A: t would probably tell me to stop trying to invent chords and just practise a bit more.
14. Q: Bragging rights… They go here…
A: I’m proud of how much we’ve achieved as an independent band that has had to fund everything ourselves. We don’t really “earn” anything. Whenever we do make money from shows, it all goes into a savings account to help fund our singles.
So, the next time we hear, “When’s the next single coming out?”, please come to more shows so we can afford to record more!
15. Q: One word of advice for new bands and musos ?
A: Go to shows! It’s important to get out there and experience other people’s art. There’s so much to learn from others, and if you stay in your own little bubble, it can become a dangerous space where you stop growing and challenging yourself.
16.Q: How do you feel the Internet or more specifically AI has impacted the music business?
A: The world has definitely opened up a lot more, which is both a pro and a con. We’re no longer just trying to make noise in the South African music scene, we’re trying to reach the world.
It’s louder and harder to break through, BUT we also have more ears to reach.
17. Q: What is your favourite song to perform?
A: My personal favourite is “Petty Song”! It has such a power to it that I just feel great playing it, and I always have fun performing it.
18.Q: Share one most embarrassing moment. Or what is the most trouble you’ve ever gotten into?
A: I’m terrible with names, and especially on the spot. I once announced the next band as “Wolf Mother”. It was not Wolf Mother. I’m just really bad with names, and it was embarrassing.
I now go through the names of the bands playing after us multiple times before we get on stage, and if I can't remember on the spot I don't say anything lol.
19. Q: What is the best advice given to you , that you never followed, but wish you had?
A: I genuinely can’t think of anything. I like to listen to constructive feedback and criticism whenever I can, so I’d like to think there isn’t any advice I’ve ignored that I should have followed.
20. Q: If you could change anything about the local music industry, what would it be?
A: More and better venues, and booking agents who don’t just book the “legend acts”. I get it, they sell tickets. But what happened to bringing in good, lesser-known bands to keep the industry evolving and growing?
Lately, it’s felt a bit like an exclusivity game. If you’re not in the right room, which you’d probably never be invited into in the first place, you won’t get booked.
We need more venues that take care of their equipment, sound engineers and musicians.
Listen to the show here: https://musiciansdomain.com/activity/p/8298/
Find After Wonderland here: Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@
Website - https://afterwonderlandband.
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