With attention spans shorter than ever, Elyria-born musician Will Cherry just needs one minute – literally 60 seconds – of your time. “Gimme a Minute” is Cherry’s latest visual EP that consists of eight episodes, featuring original music and cameos from performers across Cleveland.
“Every episode is a song. The idea is that it doubles as a TV show and a musical project. It’s a new way to put out music that works within the confines of the algorithm and the internet.”
Cherry is an award-winning music video artist who has also been featured on MTV and Pitchfork. As a kid, he started writing his own music and even wrote a screenplay by sixth grade. Around 2015, Cherry started performing locally around Cleveland and Elyria. With three albums and one video project under his belt, he’s comfortable on the mic and behind the camera.
Video still from Episode 1 of “Gimme a Minute.” Credit: Will Cherry (pictured)
“My process has always been to do everything from the ground up. If I want to do something, I have to create the thing,” Cherry said.
The series follows Cherry as a fictionalized version of himself – still a musician, but employed at Maybell’s Burgers, a made-up restaurant. Each episode is a step toward Cherry deciding whether or not to leave his job to pursue music full-time.
So far, two episodes have aired with the third episode coming out today, June 24. Featured performances have included poet Substance and hip-hop artist Trav Hen. Cherry said it’s been the “biggest leap” for him as a musician and a budding director.
Video still from Episode 1, featuring Substance as Dee (right). Credit: Will Cherry
From here, the rest of the series is about the downsides of giving up a piece of yourself for money or fame, a feeling familiar to Cherry. Although he has multiple titles on his resume – including performer, writer, director, producer, photographer, and more – Cherry still has to work a full-time job to stay afloat.
For many artists, especially in a poorly funded music scene in Cleveland, it’s often the biggest question: Do I sell out for money or do I keep everything and risk staying broke?
Cherry’s solution is to introduce more people to Cleveland’s diverse and vibrant music scene. Putting on shows and hiring local vendors is one way to “put money in artists' pockets” and “bring everyone along to create community with each other,” he said.
Episode 3 featuring Will Cherry (left) and Trav Hen (right). Credit: Will Cherry
“Gimme A Minute” is set in the “same universe” as Cherry’s last visual project, “Somewhere in Ohio.” Released in 2024, “Somewhere in Ohio” is an album and short film that centers Cherry’s experience as an artist in Cleveland.
“Everything that I make, I collaborate with people from Cleveland who are a reflection of the city as a scene. All of this is building a huge world so people can see how expansive the city is,” Cherry said.
