Who Is Tayah?
Who Is Tayah?
You may have noticed that in last month’s Spotify playlist (May 2021), there was a song called ‘8 ‘Til Late’ by an artist called Tayah. Following this, I stumbled across Tayah’s Instagram profile and was shocked by not only how recently she had started doing music, but also how underrated she was. In her music, I hear energy, vibes, positivity and realness, and as a result, this month I thought I’d shed some light on this incredible artist.
For this month’s IAB Music Challenge, tag to your Instagram story or upload an Instagram reel or Tiktok post with an underrated artist’s song. Don’t forget to hashtag it #IABMayMusicChallenge and to tag @girlbossgirlsavage and @iambeyoutifuluk.
Nina G:
Who is Tayah?
Tayah:
Trust me to say something witty- Tayah is simply just another energy experience moving through life.
Nina G:
When did you start making music and why do you do it?
Tayah:
Music has always been a part of me and most of the memories I have revolve around music. In terms of why I do it, I think it just started because it’s the way I express and interpret things.
Nina G:
How would you describe your sound?
Tayah:
I try to just make music that’s honest within myself. In the sense that I make music where I give myself the full floor to create whatever feels right to me in whatever moment and without any rules.
Nina G:
Talk to us a little about your debut project, Wonderer of the West. What inspired the name and what is the project about?
Tayah:
Wonderer of the West is a small tape that came together from a particular timestamp in my life. I would say it’s a little introduction to my versatility, especially in different genres. When you’re somebody who has spent quite a lot of time in different types of settings and situations, it can aid you to introspect. In other words, this project is a tape that explores the journey you go on when you’re learning about yourself.
Nina G:
On Instagram, you describe ‘8 ‘Til Late’ as an ‘ode to & references from some of my fav tunes growing up’. Which tunes are you referring to and what inspired you to make a song in ode to them?
Tayah:
The playlist of inspiration looks a lot like this: Tweet & Missy Elliot- Turn The Lights Off, Dave Hollister- Programme, and Starvue- Body Fusion. Music is literally another form of communication, so when writing a song based on referencing these types of tunes, it feels like you’re connecting the dots and it is very fun.
Nina G:
‘Company you keep is who you gonna be’. This line from your latest release Just In Case is so true and I feel will and does resonate with a lot of people. What inspired this release? And talk to us about this message of ‘just in case, keep it safe’.
Tayah:
There’s a quote from one of my favourite rap albums that goes, “sometimes the best teachers is ourselves going thru some, real life will teach you way fast”. I like to remind myself to self-reflect and recognise when I’ve allowed things that maybe I shouldn’t have, as well as things that could have gone differently. We spend so much time tryna check everyone else, but I think if we spent more time being honest with ourselves- good and bad, it would be a great thing. I also think it’s important to note that it’s absolutely okay to have areas that need working on because we all have them, and by acknowledging and accepting them, it can help build growth, especially within ourselves.
Nina G:
Some themes that are consistent within your content is self-love, passion and the idea that even when you’re down, you’re always finding ways to fall back in love with yourself. This is super inspiring and would love to hear your take on this.
Tayah:
This interpretation is very nice and I’m glad that my music has been interpreted this way. I would say that usually when we feel down, we treat ourselves as if we hate ourselves, and just feel disinterested in everything really. I guess the only difference is making the regular choice to know that there is something better coming and that sometimes what we feel is not always what is. Underneath, there are loads of reasons to be passionate about life and about many of the things within it.
Nina G:
If you could tell your past self-anything, what would it be?
Tayah:
Trust yourself and represent yourself 24/7. By doing so, you start learning what you stand for, what you value, what you can’t stand, etc. Overtime, these change of course, but regularly exploring them helps lead to what’s meant and what’s right for you.
Nina G:
What’s one thing you want to say NOW, for your future self to read and look back on?
Tayah:
Ya come a long way, very nice. Hopefully you are still going and I don’t mean music wise, I just mean existence.
Nina G:
What are your plans for this coming year and what should we be on the lookout for?
Tayah:
I would like to just do my part in connecting with others through music, which starts from me continuing to put the time in to make it. The process is therapy for me, and hopefully whoever needs to hear it will hear it eventually, at the right time.
@girlbossgirlsavage
