We speak with Tam Alawa about her latest single, her plans for 2022, and much more!
The London based singer-songwriter Tam Alawa recently released her sophomore single ‘What I’m Made Of’, a striking piano driven pop number. It follows on from her debut single ‘Bring Me Back’, which too boasted her talent. There’s a bright future ahead for the rising artist who has already performed in a variety of London’s most notorious venues and generating tens of thousands of streams.
With this in mind we wanted to know more about the fledgling artist, what makes Tam Alawa tick, her influences, and much more!
Kieran: Hey Tam, thank you for taking the time to chat with us! How are you?
Tam: Hi! Thank you for having me. I am feeling very good at the moment. I’m energized for the year ahead and am really enjoying releasing my music. The first two singles are out on all streaming platforms and I’m so pleased with the results. My first single ‘Bring Me Back’ has reached over 50k which is an exciting milestone for the track and my artist career. ‘What I’m Made Of’ has just been released so I’m hoping that it will grow in the same way, but I’m very grateful for the positive feedback so far!
Kieran: Are you ready for 2022? What are your plans this year?
Tam: Yes, I am so excited for what is ahead this year! I plan on releasing new singles as well as playing live at multiple venues. My next show is happening over the great escape weekend in Brighton and I couldn’t be more excited to perform. I also plan to focus on my songwriting. I am in the process of signing with the music publishing company Prolific Songs. I am looking forward to seeing how this all unfolds and so excited to keep immersing myself in what’s going on now and in the future.
Kieran: How does it feel to be back in the big smoke and does being located in the city influence your music?
Tam: It’s so exciting to be releasing music, playing gigs and re-connecting with other musicians again. I really missed these face to face connections with other artists, writers and producers throughout the pandemic even though distance was absolutely necessary. Living in London is the dream. I feel like this has definitely influenced my music as my experiences are very different to when I was living in Singapore. I am attending Goldsmiths, University of London and pursuing my career and I couldn’t be happier. I look back on the times in Singapore fondly but I am very pleased to be based in the UK now.
“It’s so exciting to be releasing music, playing gigs and re-connecting with other musicians again”
Tam Alawa
Kieran: Your latest single ‘What I’m Made Of’ recently dropped, what was the influence behind this track?
Tam: I am so happy to have dropped this single as I’ve been wanting to do this for so long! The influence behind this track was to do with the fact that I felt like I was being perceived in many different ways by lots of different people. Some perceptions varied from positive to negative. This inspired me to write a song about how I perceive myself and the importance of self love. It’s never nice to feel weak or down based on how others have treated you and this song is a message to myself and others that you can own what you’ve got and be proud of what you’ve achieved. This is a very different topic to many of my songs and I am so pleased that I could write and release a song about the importance of self empowerment.
Kieran: Can you talk us through your songwriting process?
Tam: I would love to! My songwriting process is different every time. I am always open to finding new ways to express an emotion or situation and turn this into art. Sometimes I start with chords with my acoustic guitar and go from there, and other times I start with lyrics or the top-line melody. If I am collaborating with other songwriters (which was the process for ‘What I’m Made Of’) I like to feed off the energy of the room. I always ask about how other songwriters work and although I have my personal “go-to” ways of my writing process, why not try something different? These are the situations that stretch and challenge me as a songwriter and that’s why I prefer collaborating in comparison to working on my own. I always find that the finished product is something that I couldn’t have figured out on my own, and I think that’s a beautiful thing!
Kieran: Do you have any particular influences when it comes to your music?
Tam: I take influence from many different artists as I listened to many from different genres growing up. I’ve always looked up to Halsey’s work and feel like I have taken influence from them stylistically. Holly Humberstone is another artist I have taken influence from as I love the modern, intimate feel her music provides. Ryan Tedder is a songwriter and singer I have looked up to from the beginning and he inspired me to pursue music as well as Mike Shinoda. I could go on and on! These names have really influenced and inspired me with my artist and songwriting career.
Kieran: If you could collab with any other artist who would it be?
Tam: That is a very tough question but I have to go with Halsey. Her music is so modern and raw and it would be so cool to work with them. With that being said, I wish I could choose more than one artist!
Kieran: Do you have a dream festival or venue you would like to perform at/in?
Tam: It’s so hard to choose out of all the amazing venues. Madison Square Garden is the dream. It’s such a cool place and so many artists I have looked up to have made an appearance at this venue. I’ve never been there in real life but hopefully some day!
Kieran: Lastly, what can we expect from you throughout 2022 and beyond?
Tam: I will continue to release music and perform live shows as well as focus on my songwriting career. I am so excited to be signing with Prolific Songs, as this has always been my dream as a songwriter! I’m looking forward to meeting new people and having the opportunity to work in the career I love! I’m feeling very grateful and excited for what’s ahead and I appreciate you taking the time to chat with me. Thank you!
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