Malaysia’s beloved soulful singer Talitha. is back with a brand new beat with Hip-hop producer, Yewy.
Talitha. is no stranger to the local music scenes: captivating both International and local crowds with her distinct voice.
Having garnered over a million streams on Spotify with her singles “Okay”, “Please Stay”, and her first debut EP “BOYS” on December 2018, and now, Talitha. continues to venture into new grounds with the release of her first single in 2019 that you’ll find it heart to resist – “on you”, a fresh new collab with Hip-hop and US-trained producer, Yewy!
In today’s Featured Interview, Talitha. walks us through the story behind “on you” and how the outstanding artist is establishing new grounds in experimenting her ever-evolving musicality!
1. Hi Talitha.! What a privilege to have you with us for this Sevenpie Featured Interview! Our last interview with you was almost 2 years back. Give us a little update: how has the journey of being a full-time singer-songwriter been like for you?
It has been tiring, haha! There are always endless expectations for the music you write. But, the support system is what keeps me going! When people react to your music and share your music, it really makes it all worth it.
But, man, writer’s block can be a real pain, haha!
2. You’ve recently released your fresh new single “on you” with Yewy. Can you share with us the inspiration behind this song? When did you and Yewy start working on the song?
The idea was actually given by Yewy! “on you” basically talks about a big “eff you” to the toxic people in your life. The song name itself is self-explanatory, like: “I’m done with you, and that’s on you.”.
It also talks about false hope and being tired with the “games” played in relationships with our lyrics that went “why you gotta do me like that, break/love me like that”, and “you can’t own me, you get lonely/you should know that”.
3. Your first single, “Okay” debuted back in 2016. How would you say your musicality has changed from then until today? Would you say that “on you” has a slightly different edge as compared to your other singles?
From my first debut to today, I would say I’m still experimenting on sounds, testing new grounds, and trying different things. “on you” was a lot of fun, especially being able to collab with Yewy!
4. What has been your favourite part in the creation process of “on you”? How did you and Yewy work together to breathe life into this new song? Did the both of you had to make space for each other’s individuality and musicianship in the creation of ‘on you’?
Not really! Yewy and I flowed reaaallly well together for this track. Both of us got the whole vibe to the song. I told Yewy that he’s got to get his music out there. We sat in his room, played this track he produced, and here we are!
5. What would be that one takeaway you would want your listeners to gain from “on you”?
Don’t let the toxic people in your life define who you are. Go out and be you, love yourself.
6. With plenty of music and art festivals now, and the popularity of social media, there have been a rise of platforms for our young and talented local artists showcase their music and talent. Malaysians are also definitely showing more appreciation to our local talents as well. Would you say that there’s an improvement to the local music industry now in comparison to when you first started?
Hmm, yeah, I guess so! There are definitely a lot more platforms for people to showcase their music now, especially seeing how social media has evolved a lot. There are definitely more people who are aware of Malaysian talents, but yet, there are also plenty who know absolutely nothing about our local music.
7. Now that you’ve established yourself in the music industry, how do you cope with juggling your passion for fitness and music at the same time?
I wouldn’t say I’ve established myself yet in the music industry, haha! I still have so much to work on. But I do have to say that fitness does come in the way of my priorities for music. I actually took a break for about 2 years to fully concentrate on my music. To keep me fit, I was just doing constant fly cycle for those 2 years.
8. When it comes to your own individuality and musicianship, how do you draw a line between the expectations of people while staying true to yourself?
Well, the expectations of other people do pressure me a lot, to the extent where I’m always doubting my own music! To me, I’m just experimenting and having fun with that process. What helps me is when I take those expectations and use it as an encouragement for me to write more.
9. What are your latest music inspirations right now?
There’s so many! Tom Misch, SG Lewis, Kiana Lede, Jeremy Zucker, Charlie Puth and many more!
10. Take us all on your song-writing process. How do you make sure you put a little piece of “Talitha.” into every song that you write?
By singing, haha! My voice is me. I don’t try to sound like anyone else. I think I can confidently say I’ve got my own tone and sound that definitely helps identify me.
11. Career and personal goals alike, what are the plans that you have for yourself in the next 5 years?
I could never answer this question. In another 5 years time, I think, I want to become a “Tai Tai” (a wealthy married woman), haha! But jokes aside, there’s actually a lot that I wish to explore. I would definitely want my music to be out there, all around the world. That would be a dream!
12. Lastly, any piece of advice you can give to potential young talents out there who are also keen to dive into the music industry?
Just do it! Don’t drop out though, keep pursuing your studies. I really believe that there’s another way of getting opportunities and meeting people.
Honestly, if you really want something and you go all out and get it, you will definitely get it. If it doesn’t work out, it just means you don’t want it enough. Keep exploring, the world is filled with so many surprises!
