Defwil

Growing up with a debilitating hearing impairment, Will ‘Defwil’ Kroger was bound to tell a story few would ever experience. Alongside his struggle with deafness, Defwil dealt with nervous system damage and a speech impediment, which would have far more restriction on any man not so strong.

Alas, Defwil had a life to live, and he wasn’t going to let a few unfair dealings stop him from fulfilling his dream of becoming a music producer and DJ. He loved music and he knew one day he would make it his life.

Growing up and throughout school, Defwil had limited access to electronic music. His taste of the eccentric genre came only on his late nights with alternate radio, but he wanted more. Mere moments after turning 18, Defwil started to deeper explore the once illusive musical valley, calling on Tony Harvey from Lightsounds to gain a better understanding of the renowned art of DJing. It was during these lessons that he gained a better understanding of the genre, quickly developing his own sound as he traversed deeper and deeper into the international marketplace.

For Defwil, his love revolved around European house, dutch, electro and progressive audio. Having well and truly put his foot in the door, Defwil was thirsty for more. The Brisbane local made a conscious decision to focus on production, knowing that it was there he would progress his skills far enough to gain nationwide recognition. He decided to turn to well-known producer Nick Galea for production, learning the ins and outs of his chosen DAW and spending sleepless nights in front of the computer. His work was paying off, and the more he learned, the more he realised that his unfortunate disabilities were never going to hold him back.

They certainly didn't either, given Defwil was a semi-finalist in the Chalk Sunday Stereosonic and Sunday At The Victory DJ competitions, and runner up at the Wharf Tavern Competition on the Sunshine Coast in 2013. It's these accolades that landed him a spot at the prestigious 2013 Schoolies event this year, which Defwil can't wait to destroy. Now a well-rounded musician, Defwil is using his talents to promote disability awareness in high schools throughout South East Queensland.

It’s this amazing social conscience that couples so perfectly with his compassionate nature and undeniable talent. Thankfully, men like this still exist in the world, and to have someone as driven and devoted as Defwil in an industry that’s notoriously cut throat is as refreshing as his mixtapes are. With the future of Defwil still unwritten, he's set on continuing to push boundaries and use his talents to raise awareness for disability around Australia and throughout the world.

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