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Interview with
TIALI

(5th December 2022)

Interview by Dave Bruce

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Australian singer-songwriter Tiali returns with her second release of 2022, the melancholic and reflective ‘Icicles’, out now via Arcadia Records / Sony Music Entertainment Australia.

Speaking on the track, Tiali says “You’re contemplating your future. You know the world is waiting for you to explore it. You’re in love. He’s classic, he envisions the picket fence. You’re unconventional, you envision anything but. You reflect on this contrast, voice your uncertainty, and go to your old room at your parents’ house to contemplate. He’s shattered. So are you. But the stone-cold wall he’s put up between you is what makes it unbearable. So much so, that it feels as if your internal organs are being penetrated by a million tiny shards of ice – that feeling, is what ‘Icicles’ is about.” 

Subconsciously inspired by Tiali’s love for Jeff Buckley, ‘Icicles’ showcases her innate ability to effortlessly push her vocals right to the edge of their limit and then strip them right back to their bare roots.  

“I didn’t think too much about the sonic elements of this song, it came out incredibly organically,” Tiali says. “A very cathartic process – just myself and my guitar. The one intention I had was that it would be melancholic and reflective. Naturally though, it graduated to a big releasing climax, which in retrospect, I should’ve seen coming.”

‘Icicles’ is written by Tiali, with contributions by Justin Kane (drums performance), Maxim Avigdor (lead / slide guitar parts and performance) Oscar Dawson of Holy Holy (production & bass performance) and Robby De Sa.

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Have you always wanted to be a musician? When did you get the song writing bug?
Funnily enough, no. I mean, I sang & played guitar from a young age, but I was so heavily invested in dancing while growing up that I always thought I’d pursue that. Once I got to 13-14 though, I started writing more and sort of naturally drifted into the music world. I eventually started playing gigs at 16 and things just kept flowing from there.

How would you describe your sound? Why do you think people resonate with your music?
This is always a hard one. I think how I perceive myself is different to how others would describe me. Let’s say alt/indie rock with an ever so subtle sprinkle of spooky jazz. I imagine what would resonate with people is that I mostly write of personal experience, growth, change, etc. I pull a lot of songs from some dark places, and it can be nice to listen to someone else’s pain and feel understood.

Which artist’s music and/or performance, past or present, inspires you today?
It’d be rude not to mention Jeff Buckley! I also love Radiohead, Mazzy Star, PJ Harvey, Ty Segall and Wolf Alice.

Your new single ‘Icicles’ has just been released! Describe its origin and evolution.
Ooof, it was raw. I was at a bit of a crossroads, so I went to my old room at my parent’s house for some space and reflection. I just sat there, in the night, with my guitar, and the song pretty much poured out of me. I then took it into the studio and Robby De Sa helped cook up a solid demo, which then turned into recording it live with my band and having Oscar Dawson (Holy Holy) produce the final track.

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Is there an EP or Album on the drawing board?
Yes sir! An EP is well on its way and I cannot wait to share it.

Any tours or events coming up soon? What are you looking forward to, and what can the fans expect?
Sadly, no gigs are currently on the calendar – it’s killin’ me! We’ve been playing the odd gig here and there, but being patient and mainly focusing on getting this music released at present. I’m super keen to get back into the live music scene very soon though.

If you could perform with any music artist, Alive or Dead, who would you choose? And why?
I’m gonna go with The Doors, because the era, and the energy in their live show is something I’ve always have always wished I got to experience. Although I’m not sure what my place would be in that scenario ha ha.

What are your long-term aspirations as a music artist and how are you progressing towards them?
Not putting too much pressure on progression is important, I feel. Being grateful for the smaller things keeps me excited to continue working and invites more forward movement – Law of Attraction, baby!
In saying that, I do aspire to reach a point where music can be my full- time job. Being able to spend even more of my time creating would be such a blessing. I also really want to build a fan base overseas and play some big international shows & festivals, and feel the energy of some big crowds that resonate with me and my music.

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With that in mind, what piece of advice would you give to an artist starting out?
Trust what you create. Try not to overthink or get too caught up in genre & how it’ll be perceived. I ended up doing a full circle and coming back to songs I swore off, because I realised I shouldn’t judge myself for my own expression.

What is the best thing about performing to a live audience? What’s been the career highlight so far?
The energy exchange between yourself and an audience who is truly engaged is really special. One of my favourite shows recently was a solo set one evening at a plant shop near home. There were probably 30 people in there, but the genuine connection you feel in an intimate gig like that is beautiful. I love playing with my band though – that’s a whole other level of vibes.
The highlight is probably playing a show with Holy Holy, or The Lighthouse Festival, so much fun.

Finally, a few questions for some quick answers –
FAVOURITE:
Album – Brazilian Girls (self-titled album)
Artist – Currently, Brazilian Girls
Movie – Fight Club (I think)
Place to visit – my inner psyche
Venue to play – my old bedroom @ mum’s
Food – Tarka Dal
Drink – Soma Cacao
Person in History – my dog
Tattoo – back of my right arm, an eye surrounded by flora – it’s always watching my back for me

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Follow TIALI
Facebook – Instagram – YouTube

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AMNPLIFY – DB