Photo: Dave Myers
Following on from the enormous response to her glittering debut single 'Bring Me Back' in recent months, emerging singer and songwriter Tam Alawa is back once again with her vibrant new effort 'What I'm Made Of'.
Channelling a beautifully rich and soaring energy from start to finish, 'What I'm Made Of' makes for a wonderfully vivid and enticing release. Showcasing her stunning voice with a flurry of euphoric alt-pop production throughout, she is certainly set for big months in the years ahead.
So with the new single available now, we sat down with her to find out more about her background and influences over the years.
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What was the first band or artist you fell in love with?
The first band I absolutely loved was Linkin Park. People are usually surprised by this as my musical style as an artist is completely different, but they inspired me with their emotional delivery and vulnerability through their lyrics and as performers and the band are still extremely important and influential to me today.
Did you ever form a band when you were younger and if so, what did they sound like?
I actually never formed a band but my school was participating in its own version of ‘Battle of the Bands’. I was put into one by my music teacher and we performed ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ by The Chainsmokers. I was on electric guitar and vocals and I remember having so much fun playing with a band. After that performance, I was asked to judge the competition a few years later!
What has been your primary inspiration in writing music?
I started writing music as an outlet, a way to document and turn my experiences into a form of art. After writing in this way for many years it had become a passion and this inspired me to study music and now I am taking Popular Music at Goldsmiths, University of London. I just love to write and I’ve always enjoyed collaborating with other artists and songwriters. Now I am in the process of signing with the publishing company Prolific Songs and I am so excited to do this as a career!
What is a song you wish you had written yourself?
It’s so hard to choose! I am a huge fan of Ryan Tedder and he’s been involved in writing so many of my favorite songs. He wrote the song ‘Stop and Stare’ with Zach Filkins, Drew Brown, Eddie Fisher and Tim Myres. I think the song was released 15 years ago and I still think it's one of the best ones out there! This is the song I wish I wrote.
If there was any moment in your career you could relive, what would it be?
The release of my single ‘Bring Me Back’ was such a special day for me. I would love to relive the excitement I felt when people were engaging with my debut single and reaching out to me. I felt I was connecting and reconnecting with so many people and that is one of my favorite parts of being a singer-songwriter.
Which artist would you most love to share a stage with?
I really look up to Halsey and it would be so cool to share the stage with them. She has influenced my music and inspired me throughout my career and to perform with them would be an honor!
And is there an artist you would love to collaborate with as well?
I would love to collaborate with Tove Lo on a track. I love her music and she is also an amazing songwriter!
Where do you see yourself in five years?
I hope to see myself working full time in the music industry. I’d like to be writing music for myself and other artists and continue to release music regularly. Hopefully I will be doing some live shows at venues and festivals too!
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Tam Alawa's new single 'What I'm Made Of' is available to stream now. Check it out below.