INTERVIEW: Tina Says on new single 'Limbo': "I'm showing no signs of slowing down as I want to maximise everything that is thrown my way, whether it be positive or negative"
Perth-based producer Tina Says recently released her first new music of 2020 with the single ‘Limbo’. A sleek, euphoric electro-synth track featuring vocals from Jeremy Beamish, there is a warmth and a soul mixed in with the industrial beats, highlighted by a gorgeous piano lead break at the two minute mark.
Tina has been releasing music since 2016 and scored a breakout hit last year with her single ‘Elevate’ attracting attention from Triple J and a number of international outlets. Also an in-demand DJ, Tina has supported the likes of Fatboy Slim, KLP, What So Not and Fisher.
To celebrate the release of ‘Limbo’, we recently spoke to Tina to find out more about the new single and her career.
Hi Tina! So great to chat to you. How have you been surviving lockdown and isolation?!
Hey hey thanks for having me! To be honest, I quite enjoyed it. I finally had some solid down time to rest and reset. I didn’t feel obligated to go out or endure FOMO for anything. It gave me so much time to really focus on music and do things I’ve always wanted to do but complained I didn’t have time to do it!
Your new single ‘Limbo’ was released last Friday, congratulations it is a brilliant track. Can you tell us a little about the inspiration behind the track?
Thank you! I wrote ‘Limbo’ about a year and a half ago when I was living at this really cool house with two friends. My studio was at the back of the house and it was like a dungeon. I was messing around in the studio when I received Jeremy’s vocals for another track and I felt it wasn’t working so rewrote the entire thing without any intentions of where it would go. I think due to being in a dungeon style studio and the vocals being moody - it led it me to the final product of ‘Limbo’!
As you mentioned, the featured vocalist on the track is Jeremy Beamish, how did you two meet?
I was connected to him through my manager as we were speaking to someone who connects producers with singers and he introduced me to Jeremy. Everything he does is actually on point, he is really talented and has a quick output.
Was there a particular mood or vibe you were going for with this track?
At the time of writing this track, I wasn’t really. All I knew is that I wanted it to be driven by a big bassline and capture the full depth of the vocals because I thought they were so good!
After ‘Spin’, ‘Limbo’ is only your second track to feature full vocals and lyrics as opposed to being fully instrumental. Is there a difference creatively for you when you are working with lyrics + vocals vs no lyrics or vocals?
Usually if I’m writing a track without vocals, there is more space to fill up with other sounds. So if I am writing a track for a vocalist, I tend to leave them lots of room to come up with a melody and to sing on it without getting distracted. Then after that, I will play around more with sounds to fit in with the vocal without taking it away too much.
What role did music play in your life when you were growing up?
I would take my Walkman everywhere with me and tune out of the world and listen to all types of music. It just made doing whatever mum dragged me to more bearable! Music like it is for many, is a huge escape for me but also an outlet for my emotions. While growing up, you grow through so many phases and trying to learn how to manage your emotions can be really difficult and I definitely felt music assisted me in this.
You are not only a songwriter and producer but you also DJ. How did you end up going down this career path?
I was that person in high school that the teachers would ask me what I wanted to do when I left school and I just couldn’t answer that question. I left school, started experiencing festivals & would always jump on the decks (had no clue what I was doing) at the parties. Then one of my good friends let me use his equipment so I could learn properly. Over time, I just started to DJ at clubs and one thing led to another. I’ve had moments where I question whether this is what I want to do, but doing something you are passionate about and get excited about everyday will always be more rewarding to me then slaving away doing something I don’t like.
It has only been in recent years that we have started to see women working as DJs becoming far more common and mainstream. Was it a difficult industry to break into because it is so male dominated?
I personally didn’t find it difficult to break into a male dominated industry. I suppose it was because I was friends with half of the dudes running the clubs or events and I guess they had curiosity when I began to DJ which gave me gigs. Obviously I had to have the skill to back it up and continue getting booked though! Also not that I completely agree with this method but now there is a quota to fill of equality on line ups, so there is actually more opportunity for women to breakthrough.
Outside of DJ-ing, what are your thoughts on sexism and gender equality in the music industry as a whole, both from the inside and also how the general public perceive, or react to, female performers?
My personal journey has been smooth and I have not faced any adversity due to being a female DJ/producer (that I know of). However, I acknowledge that my experience is not a reflection of what many female musicians have experienced in the industry. I personally just want to put my head down, bum up and focus on my productions and what I want to do with them.
Coronavirus and the resulting lockdowns have hit the music industry so hard, what do you think the long term effects will be, both good and bad?
I could probably write paragraphs on this but to keep it short and sweet, we all know there will be venues, promoters, festivals, contractors and artists that won’t make it back into the industry. I also believe that the dynamics of the market will change significantly, from how we release music to how we play shows. For example, ‘Limbo’ was going to be a release for another time but we brought it forward as it had an element for both radio and club. Where as my other singles were only for clubs - I mean no one is going out, so you potentially lose half your market. With playing shows, I think it will be about residencies again rather than touring but we will see. I also think it’s a GREAT opportunity for Australian artists to shine through because our borders are closed so there’s so much opportunity to get booked. That’s why I show no signs of slowing down as I want to maximise everything that is thrown my way, whether it be positive or negative!
What’s up next for Tina Says?
WA just eased up its restrictions, so we’ve just announced WA Unlocked which features Crooked Colours, Slumberjack, ShockOne and myself. Hopefully, I will announce a few more awesome shows/festivals within the state soon!! Also excited to have my first lot of Merchandise almost ready to go. I also have the next few singles basically lined up so will be go go go for the rest of the year. I guess next steps depend on how quick the world goes back to normal and I can tour again!
‘Limbo’ by Tina Says featuring Jeremy Beamish is out now via Tinted Records. Buy/stream here.
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