On behalf of Sheesh Magazine, I had the privilege of collaborating with my dearest friend Tabi, a 19-year-old singer-songwriter. We spent a full rainy day in New York City inside— sharing ideas, shooting images, and engaging in meaningful dialogue about what it means to be a young creative. At the end of the shoot, we decided to sit down for a formal interview. And the rest is history…
SOFIA: I’ve interviewed quite a few people before but never have I interviewed one of my friends. It seems a little odd right? Well, pretend that I don’t know you at all. How would you introduce yourself?
TABI: Well… I’m Tabi, an artist born in New York but raised in LA. I’m so excited to be interviewed by someone like Sofia.
SOFIA: Likewise! So tell me, where did your passion for music come from?
TABI: Honestly, this is a question I ask myself all the time. I really think it came pretty naturally, no one in our family plays instruments or sings. My whole family definitely loves listening to music and I’ve grown up with it playing all the time. I grew up on rock music like Fleetwood Mac, The Police, Guns N’ Roses, The Who… etc. Then quickly found my own influences in the RnB and alternative realm. I started playing piano when I was 5 and quickly started singing some shitty made up lyrics with it. I really started writing when I was around 11 and have been doing it ever since.
SOFIA: In addition to the bands you grew up on, who would you consider to be your biggest influences?
TABI: My influences come from literally every end of the spectrum in music since my music taste is so varied. My biggest inspirations are probably Fleetwood Mac, Lauryn Hill, Amy Winehouse, Anderson Paak, and Frank Ocean, but that’s just a few on the list.
SOFIA: How would you describe your sound?
TABI: The sound of my music reflects a combination of everything I listen to so I’d say it’s mainly heavily driven by a Neo-Soul sound mixed with alternative influences. Some of my music has come out with a dancey, techno kind of sound mixed with the RnB, but then also a sort of stripped-down soulful piano/vocals.
SOFIA: How do you feel about the music you have released? Do you see a difference between your released music and the music that has yet to come out?
TABI: One-thousand percent, yes. I think my music evolves with every song I make. Some say that’s a bad thing and that an artist should have a cohesive sound, but honestly, to me, I think an artist should be able to create something new every time they walk into a room. Based on the music I’ve released, I’m super critical of myself, so I always find something wrong in there. But, at the end of the day, I worked really hard on each of those songs to reach the best of their ability, so I’m definitely proud that people can listen to them on their own. The music that’s coming out next definitely is more experimental which I love. I love the idea of having songs that make people think and have nothing to compare them to. I think that’s what’s been starting to happen with the music I’ve been creating.
SOFIA: How does being bicoastal (LA & NY) affect you both socially and creatively? How has leaving home, moving back to New York, and the overall stress of 2020 affected your music?
TABI: It definitely has pros and cons. Living in such polar opposite places adds so much more to write and talk about, but at the same time, I think it’s almost harder to create in New York. LA is so much more laid back and slower-paced, which is what helps me write. Meanwhile, NY is such a go go go place that I think sometimes I get lost in it. Although, the chaos of NY is a creative tool in itself. Coming back to LA after a few months in NY felt almost like a breather, and I could really sit down and digest what I just experienced living there to put it into lyrics and melodies.
SOFIA: Where can we find your music? In a digital era, how have you used social media to expand your growth?
TABI: My music is on all the main platforms Spotify, Apple, Soundcloud, etc. The last song I just put out was only on Soundcloud but will be put on the rest soon! I mainly use Instagram in terms of social media. I post about all my releases and music updates on there.
SOFIA: I saw that you did a recent collaboration with Madhappy for your newest release “Offline”. Can you tell me about that collaboration and what it meant to you?
TABI: Yes! This actually was a super important collaboration to me. I wrote “Offline” when I was in a really shitty place mentally. I know everyone’s been through that at some point, and I really wanted to emphasize mental health in general with the release. Madhappy’s whole theme is about creating a conversation around mental health, so I wanted to find ways to incorporate their clothing and message with the song. I made a short Instagram video wearing their line as well as giving proceeds from the song to Teen Line. Teen Line is a hotline for teens through Cedar Sinai where they can call about anything related to mental health: suicide, relationships, anxiety, all of the above. I wanted the song’s meaning to really be pronounced and be able to help other people with it, instead of just being another typical ballad sad song per se.
SOFIA: What’s the importance of collaborating with other artists like myself? Have you noticed a difference working with your peers vs industry professionals?
TABI: I think collaboration is the key to every artist’s success in some form. I know I’ve learned and grown so much from working with artists of all fields. Collaborating with other photographers, co-writes, producers, and clothing designers brings out something unexpected every time because you have another mind to bounce off of.
SOFIA: Lastly, what can we expect from Tabi in 2021?
TABI: Music. Music. Music. Going to be putting out a lot of new music starting in the next few months. I definitely hope I can play some shows at some point in the future, but obviously, that’s not something happening right now. But the biggest thing right now is just more music.
SOFIA: Well, thank you for taking the time to chat and take some photos with me today. I’m one of many who can’t wait to see where your career takes you. I also look forward to our future collaborations. It has been a pleasure shooting and talking with you. Wishing you the best of luck!
Keep up with what’s next Tabi on Instagram and stream all her songs on Spotify, Apple Music, and Soundcloud.
