Q&A: TSHA Embraces Vulnerability and an Evolving Sound with New Album ‘Sad Girl’
LONDON-BASED DJ AND PRODUCER TSHA is set to make waves with her highly anticipated new album, Sad Girl. Known for her dynamic soundscapes that seamlessly blend emotion and energy, TSHA's latest project marks a shift towards more danceable, club-ready beats. As she embraces the heartache and joy that have shaped her musical journey, she invites listeners to join her on a deeply personal adventure that balances euphoria with introspection.
Drawing inspiration from a range of influences—from the nostalgic synths of Cher to the conceptual depth of Pink Floyd—TSHA's Sad Girl explores her evolution as both an artist and a person. The album reflects her experiences growing up and the emotions she felt during pivotal moments, capturing the complex interplay between happiness and sadness. Stepping into the vocal booth for the first time, TSHA brings an added layer of authenticity to her music, showcasing her vulnerability through lyrics that are both raw and relatable.
As she prepares to tour the new album, TSHA is looking ahead with a mix of excitement and determination. With plans to continue expanding her "Jackfruit" party series, launch her own record label and push the boundaries of her live performances, TSHA remains committed to creating music that resonates with diverse communities.
Read below to learn more about the stories behind her latest work, how it feels to connect with fans on a deeper level, and her vision for the future of her career.
LUNA: Congratulations on your upcoming album, Sad Girl! This project sees you exploring more danceable and club-ready sounds. What inspired this shift in your music?
TSHA: It's been slowly happening since my first EP. I started with more organic live instruments, but as I've DJ’ed more and my music pace has changed, I've leaned more into electronic sounds. I'm very into stuff that makes people dance, while also keeping them feeling something.
LUNA: The album title, "Sad Girl," evokes strong emotions and reflects a balance of highs and lows. What does the concept of "Sad Girl" mean to you, and how did it shape the overall narrative of the album?
TSHA: "Sad Girl" was just something I came up with that reflected musically the music I had on the radio around me as I grew up. I wanted to reflect the music I'd been listening to on the radio or MTV, but also my emotions and how I was growing up. At my core, I'm a sad girl. I think I joked about it one time and it stuck. It's a good name for the album. It reflects the vibe and feelings I had growing up. It reminds me of an MSN name.
It links from the sound from then and then just how I am as a person. I think it represents the overall theme of my life.
LUNA: "Lonely Girl" and "Green" seem to tap into deeply personal experiences. Can you share more about the stories or emotions that influenced these tracks?
TSHA: "Lonely Girl" is based off of when I was little. I was always quite lonely. I wasn't allowed to go out much when I was 10 or 11, so I used to play with the flowers and pretend to talk to birds to keep myself entertained. I watched movies like "The Secret Garden" and imagined finding a little imaginary friend or creature.
When I wrote it, I could feel myself imagining the scenario and it felt like I was just soundtracking that moment I wanted the album to represent those elements of being a kid,
For "Green", the synth was inspired by “Believe” by Cher. That was one of the first songs I recorded off of radio onto tape when I was a kid. So it's always stuck with me, that song. It always used to make me feel euphoric and if I hear it now I’m super nostalgic.
So when I started the song, I started with those synths, and then I started writing. This was the first time I was singing and writing. This was the first song I tried to put my own lyrics and stuff down. I'd had an argument with my partner, and I was just left on my own and started being in my feelings about thinking about being a sad girl. I've lived so many lives, lives most people don't know. I've just had so much shit happen in my life that no one really would know.
So I just started singing, “I've lived 1000 lives, in my 31 years, I’ve cried a million times”. That's how I was feeling in that moment. When people say things are green, that's talking about the grass is greener on the other side and I'm basically saying I hadn't really been to the other side, and I don't know what that feels like.
LUNA: I feel like a common misconception in EDM world is there's not deep lyrical meaning behind tracks, but you have some of your music where this is something that people can deeply connect with and relate to.
TSHA: Definitely. I like to contrast it too, so I’ll put that track to a dance beat, and it sounds like a happy song. When I played it the first time, most people did not know that's where that was going. It’s a danceable journey, but I’ve just put my own meaning into it.
LUNA: You’ve mentioned that the album represents a new era for you, particularly with your vocals debuting on the album. How was the experience of stepping into the vocal booth and expressing yourself in this way?
TSHA: I mean, it's great. I'm not a sick writer yet in terms of lyrics, and I wouldn’t say I'm a sick singer, but I’m working with what I've got and hoping that I can grow with it. It was very therapeutic and exciting to be able to be like, “Oh, this is my voice, and these are my words and this is my own meaning for the song.” Obviously, all songs are my songs, but when you've got a singer, you've got their feelings and their thoughts influencing the track, which affects how that track manifests itself, so to have something that's just all me felt kind of liberating.
I played Lost Village recently, and it was my fourth time playing. It's my favorite festival in the UK. Everyone just dances and has fun. It's very safe because everyone's just in such a good mood. I thought, “I'm going to try out some of these new songs.” And, it was a great feeling. It went down really well. People have been messaging me, “What was that song?” and I get to be like “That's my song!” People started singing after the first verse and singing it back to me. Hearing people sing the lyrics that belong to me is just a great feeling. So I'm hoping that I can continue to build on writing and singing on my own material.
LUNA: So then moving forward, are your live sets going to be incorporating your live singing more? Are there going to be live sets where you're singing and then more DJ sets?
TSHA: I had a live band last year. I wasn't singing obviously because I didn't have any songs with my own vocals yet, so I had a live band, and performed with a vocalist, and I played bass. I'm on the fence about doing another live show next year, because of the financial cost. I would absolutely love to but it’s a huge financial burden. It just takes a lot of thinking and planning and funding. If I do it, I would have a band, and then I would have a singer and maybe sing my own songs. For the DJing, I think if it's a headline DJ show or an hour festival DJ slot, I might consider singing along with my own songs. It also helps the material make more sense to people who have never heard the music, it makes it easier for people to connect to the song…So I think in the future, I'm definitely considering singing along to my own tracks at certain sets.
LUNA: Yeah, it's a totally different experience for the listener. You’ve cited influences ranging from Pink Floyd to Caroline Polachek. How have these diverse musical tastes shaped your sound, particularly on Sad Girl?
TSHA: Right now, the sound has been mainly shaped by the music I'm playing out at DJ sets and electronic music in general. I watched a video of Caroline Polacheck’s producer and he showed one of the ways he made music to maintain a cohesive narrative. They would take something from one track and use that as a starting point for the new song. Just a little element. So I did that through this album, and even though all the songs are different sonically, it somehow sounds like they belong together. And I obviously love concept albums. I love Pink Floyd's albums because they are full concept albums. So that's why I always include an intro, or an interlude, because those vibes help pull things together.
LUNA: You've played so many shows and supported so many incredible artists like Chemical Brothers and Flume. How has your live show evolved?
TSHA: I'm usually quite stubborn about what I play. As in, “This is what I play and you like it or you don't like it” vibes. I will play tracks that people might not understand straight away. But, I also think it's my job to make people listen to new music.
At the same time, I've gotten a lot more flexible in terms of finding music that I know that will help people have a good time, regardless of it's exactly my taste…The more I play, the more I'm like a chameleon in a DJ setting. I will change things in my set depending on where I'm playing in order to customize my sets to what people people are used to in that space, or might want to hear.
LUNA: You've described “Girls” as a proper club anthem "for the girls and gays." How important is it for you to create music that resonates with and represents diverse communities?
TSHA: Naturally, I attract a more diverse fan base and I think I naturally write things that will adhere to certain crowds. I've found a lot of love in the Queer community and when I played at New York Pride the love was definitely there. I am queer myself, but it's not something that I shout about because I married a guy. But I identify with it as well, so to see my girls and my gays, smiling and dancing to my song, just warms my heart. I don't know why, but it’s the best feeling. People are more open to what I play.
LUNA: What intentions do you have for the upcoming season?
TSHA: I'm contemplating doing a live show after the album comes out, but I’ll definitely be touring more with the music. I’ve just moved to Ibiza, so I'm setting my roots here. I'm trying to launch my Jackfruit party in other places, as well as bringing my party to life. I also want to start my own record label, because I want to be able to sign music that I love and get sent via promos. It'd be great to be able to provide a platform for all of the amazing musicians and music that comes my way.
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