It’s easy to draw the blueprint for the person you wish you could be. The hard part is doing it. But Sydney-based singer-songwriter Tyoow is ready to trace her lines for the world to see.  

Tyoow has been a prominent figure within the Sydney music scene for years. Initially starting her music career as a part of the indie rock outfit The Year Of Our War, she chose to take a five-year hiatus. During this time, she drew herself towards the budding club scene. So in the last couple of years, if you’ve ever found yourself sweating it out on a dance floor between Surry Hills and Inner West, you know who to thank!

Tyoow constantly flirted with the idea of fully emerging herself into songwriting and producing. It wasn’t until a little pandemic came along, did she decide to explore the depths of her artistry. In 2021, she is finally ready to embrace her identity as a soloist with the debut track ‘Breathe’.

‘Breathe’ couldn’t be a further departure from the pulsating club anthems she’s become synonymous with. Instead, she has opted for a far more intimate affair. Snappy drums and dreamy synths paint a sonic landscape underpinning lyrics that ache with raw honesty. By the end of the track, you get the feeling that each of you has experienced a shared catharsis. So remember to deeply exhale at the end of this one!

We caught up with Tyoow to discuss ‘Breathe’ and the process of refocusing during the pandemic!

Congrats on the release of Breathe! How does it feel for it to be out?

It’s a relief to be honest! I always think there’s something else I can add or change to make my songs better so I sit on them for far too long…releasing it means I can’t touch it anymore and I can finally call this song “finished”.

Over the last five years you have been leaving your mark on the Aussie music scene as a DJ. What inspired you to recast your attention towards becoming a vocalist and songwriter?

I was a vocalist and songwriter long before I was a DJ but I lost a lot of faith in my abilities when I was in my early twenties…I guess I was suffering a lot from imposter syndrome. DJing made me feel like I was good at something but songwriting/producing has always been my passion. I had to overcome my self doubt and get back to doing what I love the most.

You’ve detailed in the past how the pandemic allowed you to refocus your artistic energies. What did you learn about yourself in that time?

Covid rendered me unemployed for a time so that really forced me to slow down and take stock of my life! I’m always working on music but with no gigs to prepare for I was really given this gift of uninterrupted creative time. Still, I was apprehensive about sharing what I’d been making. I had become secretive to a point where I would clam up if people asked to hear even a few lines of a song so I had to address the fact that I’m undoubtedly my own worst enemy and critic…its a weird mindset to be in where you KNOW that your biggest obstacle is yourself.

I’m learning to overcome the mindset that what I have isn’t good enough…I have to trust that there will be people out there that resonate with me and my work.

What was the process like of creating Breathe? Why was it the right track to debut with?

I wrote the first few lines of Breathe all the way back in 2018 and they’d been gathering figurative dust in my notes app since then. When I finally sat down in 2020 to put it to music, it was originally a much darker song. About a week in to sketching out the arrangement in Ableton, I had a change of heart and started from scratch…everything flowed pretty easily then, I just kept adding layer after layer until I realised it didn’t need anything else haha.

It felt like the right track to debut with because those few lyrics from back in 2018 were so important to me. It’s something I’d been wanting to say out loud for so long that I didn’t want to wait another minute to put it out.

Breathe deals with themes surrounding mental health and toxicity within relationships. Why was this important for you to explore?

When I tackle difficult themes in my music, I always do it with the mindset of, “I wish I’d heard this when I was younger” because there is still such a stigma around mental health and it’s just stupid to me. Like…if 2020 taught us anything it’s that the way we’re living is SO UNSUSTAINABLE in so many ways and majority of us have been just toughing it out for years, too scared to admit we need help or we need a break, and for what?

Like the song says, I’ve been working really hard on my mental health for a few years now and it’s interesting to see the friendships that deteriorate when you’re finally looking after yourself/growing into a healthier, happier version of you.

Breathe is my way of getting a lot of things off my chest. Its not about one specific person, rather, its about four to five people…I’ve stitched different situations together in the song to keep it ambiguous enough that I’m hopefully not going to get any phone calls after the release from people saying “why did you write this about me?”

While we impatiently wait for the release of your debut EP Goodnight Sunrise, do you have a message for music fans?

Please look forward to it! Goodnight Sunrise is so special to me…I’m equally terrified and proud to share it with the world. It’s filled with stories and sentiments that I wish I’d heard when I was younger so if even just one other person finds solace in it, then I’ll be satisfied.

Thanks to Tyoow for taking the time to chat! Check out ‘Breathe’ below and on all music streaming platforms. Make sure to stay tuned for her debbut EP ‘Goodnight Sunrise’, due later this year! Find more info on Tyoow here. Follow @tyoow.music for both instagram and TikTok.