The young UK singer Tamera has released her new single ‘Poison’
In 2019 you released your first single, to what extent have you developed as an artist and as a person in the recent years?
Since releasing my first single in 2019 Ive grown so much. I’ve had incredible opportunities to work and connect with some really amazing creatives that have helped me to become better at what I do. Life has changed drastically since then. 2020 forced me to do my emotional dirty laundry. 2021 I was able to step into a new more confident and light version of myself. 2022 I had a year that required a lot of focus & spiritual glow ups that allowed me to creat this next E.P where I’ve been able to confront certain trauma and really flourish into a woman that I’m super proud of.
What were your first touching points with music? And when did you know you wanted to fully commit to it?
I’ve always been fascinated with music and how it has the ability to make you feel so much. I think it started with cartoons and Disney movies and just becoming obsessed with the songs. Then getting a bit older and singing in church with my grandma & in Primary school I always wanted to lead role in school plays so I’d get a nice solo. My mum had a crazy CD collection when I was growing up and when I was about 12 I dove into it and discovered so many different sounds. The way that made me feel, I’ll never forget. It was as if I’d discovered something that no one else ever had before & I knew that what ever I did with my life, I had to work in the music industry.
What would you say has been the most defining moment of your career so far?
I’m so good at taking everything in my stride I feel like I often forget to give myself props for how far I’ve come in life but the moments where my art and talent is shown love by other creatives who I’ve long looked up to are the moments when it all becomes clear as to why I’m here & reminds me that I should be proud of myself. When I was younger I’d always hoped to have been signed to Roc nation and by the time I was 19 Jay brown reached out to me to show love, in the same year I’d connected with Swizz beats and I was able to work with him multiple times. Recently The legends Rodney Jerkins & Timbaland have contacted me to show love and plan to make music together in the future ! It’s moments like these that fully charge me up.
You are releasing your new EP ‚LIT’ this September, ‘lost in translation’ – how would you describe the EP in 3 words?
Transformative – honest – vibes
Guiding themes are the controversial feelings between shame and self-confidence, light and darkness and generally one’s own emotionality. How do you personally deal with emotions?
For most of my life I’ve learned to push my emotions down as far as I possibly could so I could try to enjoy my life. I think this coping mechanism came from being the eldest sibling in a house hold that was quite turbulent when it came to emotional stability & it just became a way of life. I think it worked for a while but eventually you get so full of pent up emotion your body has to purge it weather you want it to or not. I would often put the feelings into a song and then forget it but that just wasn’t enough, so for the first time in my life I finallyheld myself accountable when it came to allowing myself to actually feel, accept and let go and my recurring depression hasn’t been a problem for me in just over a year which is a huge accomplishment. So I make it a point to truly feel every emotion as deeply as possible.
To what extent is music an outlet for emotion for you?
Music always has and always will be a huge emotional outlet for me. I think all of us have a song that we can directly link to an emotion or a time in our life where we had it on repeat because it embodies everything essence of what we were going through. So I believe music is an outlet to everyone as listeners and I find myself to be extremely blessed to be able to also make that music. Writing a song whilst going through something really helps me to make sense of it & in turn not be so conflicted by it.
In your first EP you found your feminine energy and since then your musical journey has also become a project of personal growth – what does feminine energy mean to you and how would you like to further develop it and as well yourself?
I think feminine energy is such a beautiful thing. To me it means being a state of comfort and feeling safe enough to actually be feminine. For years I didn’t feel safe & I believed I had to protect myself from others and the world. So that meant leaning into my masculine energy which is much harder. So stepping into my feminine energy was such a celebration for me for finally coming into a new chapter of life where I felt so protected, safe and free. I was able to be so soft & it was a side of myself I had truly missed. I aim to flourish in this feeling for the rest of my life.
You just released the latest single called ‘Poison’, as a small teaser – which core themes have particularly preoccupied you in this song? Can you tell me a bit more about the other singles too?
The singles leading up to the project are portraying different element of myself and who I can and have been for past lovers. Poison is more of a toxic trauma bond where you know that the relationship isn’t good for you but you choose to stay. The first single of the project ‘Diversion’ released earlier this Summer is deeply rootedd in Co-dependency & staying in a situation that is not serving you well out of fear or being alone with your thoughts & being taken away with the distraction from your own darkness. The single that will introduce the project is less dark and way more positive, you’ll truly see my lioness come out in that one as it’s about how far you would go to protect your loved one from the outside world that wants to harm them.
Which musical and personal goals do you have for the year 2023?
I want to begin my debut album this year & play shows around the world. I want to sign a publishing deal and venture into writing for other artists too. Personally I want to continue finding things and people that truly make me happy.
Pictures WARYMUS
