A Q&A with Tulliah

Captivating new voice, here’s Australian singer-songwriter Tulliah…

How did you get the title of your latest release, ‘Just My Type (A Little Bit Lonely)’ and what does it mean to you?
Originally the song was actually called ‘Imagine’. I ended up changing it because of that really small song that no one knows by John Lennon, which is called ‘Imagine’, haha. Also because I re-wrote most of the song because it wasn’t feeling right when we were recording demos in the studio. It used to be a piano ballad with lots of chord changes but Dean Tuza (producer) suggested that we should simplify it and see if we can get that feeling back. We ended up stripping it down to only two chords, guitar based, added a cool bass, harmonies and went from there. I wrote the song about falling for someone that you know isn’t good for you. I used to have a tendency to fall for people that I feel like I could help and comfort. Sometimes it’s not the best thing to do because It ends up taking a toll on your own mental health. Trying to hold someone up constantly can get very draining. I also feel like when someone is going through some sh*t, they might not actually l have real feelings for you, but only idea of having someone around to fill that spot that’s a bit broken. So the title ‘Just My Type ( A Little Bit Lonely)’ is pretty much my tendency for falling for people who are “a little bit lonely”.

What was the hardest part about putting this release together, and why?
This song went through many stages before it reached where it is now. ‘Just My Type’ took the longest out of all four songs on the EP to get it onto the right path. But if it didn’t go through these stages it would’ve never reached where it’s at now. I always had a good feeling about this song even at it’s earliest stage when I wrote it on the piano. That feeling got lost throughout the process but that was just me not realising that things don’t come straight away and being a stress head, haha. Dean Tuza (producer) is such a driven person and has a creative mind like no other. He taught me so much during this process that my mind was constantly lit up with new knowledge and wonders. He told me a quote that I thought was really beautiful, “Accept the things you cannot change, courage to change the things you can and wisdom to know the difference”.

What else did Dean Tuza bring to it?
From the start of the recording process, Dean Tuza (Stella Donnelly, Mossy, A. Swayze & the Ghosts) created a very welcoming and comfortable space. The amount of care that he has for each project he works on is so heart-warming and makes the biggest difference. Just to have someone around that understands the importance an individuals songs has to them, means the world, especially when it’s such a vulnerable thing. Dean always made sure that I was really apart of the journey and was happy with where the songs are going. We both didn’t know what this record was going to sound like so it was a matter of trying things out, going too far and bringing it back. I would sit on the floor next to the mixing desk (I love sitting on the floor for some reason haha) and just watch and constantly learn new things. He taught me so much about producing and just life in general, haha. Honestly one of the best experiences I’ve ever had, I can’t wait to start the next record.

What do you want the listener to take away from listening to your music?
I really want the listener to feel comforted and safe when they hear my music, as if someone is giving them a big hug.

“It looks beautiful”

How does a track normally come together? Can you tell us something about the process?
Usually I’ll be walking around and a random mumbly melody would pop into my head. I would quickly voice memo it and find chords that fit the melody. I then start jamming on the chords and things just usually happen, haha. It’s always a lot of mumbling but when I listen back to the voice memo I often hear words and phrases that I didn’t realise I was saying. It’s really weird when that happens because the words usually correlate to something I am going through or have experienced, but I just haven’t come to terms with how I’m actually feeling.

What band/artists have influenced you the most since you started this project, and why?
Dean introduced me to so many new artist that I had never heard of like Whitney, Aldous Harding, Beach House, Broadcast, Faye Webster and so much more. For ‘Just My Type’ there was a big variety of influences. It started with Adele’s ‘Chasing Pavements’, then to Lou Reed’s ‘Walk On The Wild Side’, then to Frank Ocean with his kick drum and clap, then Cate Le Bon, and I’m sure there were many more. I feel like this song is a hard one to pinpoint what its sound actually is, maybe it’s my sound?

When the world is back to normal where would like to tour, and why?
I have always dreamed to tour around Europe, especially play at the Royal Albert Hall and Glastonbury! I’ve never been to Europe so I don’t know what it’s like but from what I’ve seen and heard it looks beautiful. One day I hope to tour the whole world though.

If you could pick one track for our readers to listen to in order to get a taste of your music, what would you pick, and why?
At the moment I only have two songs out. The first one, ‘Company’, was released about a year and a half ago for a Australian High School completion called Triple J Unearthed High, which I was lucky enough to get picked as one of the five finalists. The second one is ‘Just My Type (A Little Bit Lonely)’ which is my latest release. I would pick the second one because it’s more of a representation of who I am now. Plus it’s a good intro into the EP which will be released in February 2022.

What ambitions do you have for the band/your career?
I really just wanna travel the world with music, keep writing and recording, and hopefully make some money off it so that I don’t have to paint peoples houses as a job anymore, haha.

Finally, as you leave the stage, what are your parting words?
Fresh hugs to you all.

For more info visit: facebook.com/tulliahmusic