Archives October 2024

Despite having just unveiled her debut track last month, Indigenous vocalist Tia Wood has consistently attracted followers since the start of 2020. At 25, she initially gathered a fan base on TikTok, where she frequently promotes her Cree and Salish lineage through melodies on the platform (she boasts over two million followers). Now, she is prepared to introduce her distinct musical style to the mainstream industry with the launch of two fresh tunes: “Dirt Roads” and “Losing Game”—her initial releases since formally signing with Sony Music the previous year. “It’s been a huge relief to finally share a part of my soul with the world after keeping everyone waiting for so long,” Wood expresses to Vogue. “I’m extremely grateful for all the affection and encouragement we’ve been receiving on these initial two songs. Little Tia still finds it unbelievable!”

Coming from the Saddle Lake Cree Nation in Alberta, Canada, Wood seemed destined for a musical career. During her upbringing, she often traveled the powwow circuits, performing and dancing with her relatives—some of whom are part of the Grammy Award–winning ensemble Northern Cree. After showcasing her vocal talents on TikTok, she swiftly caught the eye of Sony Music, becoming among the first Indigenous females to join the record label. “It was incredibly surreal,” Wood shares. “I still sometimes struggle to fully comprehend it. Growing up without representation made dreaming dreams like this seem unattainable, and being one of the initial Indigenous women signed with my label is something I could’ve only envisioned as a child.”

During the previous springtime, Tyson found herself in Los Angeles—and without specific plans. The artist, who was raised in London, originally journeyed to the US to participate at South by Southwest. When she had the chance to stay at a family friend’s annex for a month and a half, she accepted, acquiring a luxurious vehicle—“It was inexpensive, though, because it’s LA,” she mentions, with a smile—and reuniting with her close associate, musician Oscar Scheller, to initiate crafting some fresh creations at his personal studio. In London, they typically attempted to fit in sessions amidst their busy routines, but dedicating consecutive days solely to writing revealed something different. “Breaking away from the normal routine in London enabled me to ponder in a novel manner,” Tyson reminisces. “I felt motivated in an alternate way.”

The outcome of that period is noticeable on Tyson’s latest EP, Chaos, which releases on November 15 through the independent London-rooted label LuckyMe. Throughout 10 tracks, she exhibits the complete scope of her musical persona, shifting from the fusion of soulful singing and rattling two-step rhythms on the playful lead track, “Jumpstart,” to the precise R&B beat of “Carousel,” where Tyson vocalizes about pursuing happiness and escape in unsuitable places, to the flowing synths and trip-hop beats on the sorrowful farewell to a romantic partner, “300Khz.” It’s an remarkably confident exploration through a variety of styles made unified by Tyson’s candidly introspective lyrics and velvety voice.

In the fall of 2022, Nilüfer Yanya found herself standing at a pivotal moment. The British musician and songwriter—whose inaugural duo of albums in the complex and emotive indie pop genre had established her as a rapidly ascending figure with extraordinary cross-genre charm—finally had the ability to step off the relentless cycle of composing, recording, promoting, and performing. For the first period in her career, she had the chance to halt and consider her future moves with genuine clarity.

It felt slightly intimidating. “I believe I’ve grown more aware of my work style,” Yanya mentions. “I didn’t wish to hurriedly return to creating another album because taking a break in between is crucial. But I hadn’t previously grasped a wider comprehension of the method. Now, with the third album, I somewhat understand it. I recognize my patterns a little more.” Given the challenges that touring artists face post-pandemic, figuring out when conditions were stable enough for Yanya to take a pause was a tricky endeavor. “Reaching that point took time,” she continues. “No creative profession is consistently secure. Thus, you have to sense it internally, without delving too deeply. You must be able to say, ‘No, I can handle this. This is alright.’ You’re permitted to do that.”

The tangible benefits of that pause can be heard on Yanya’s stunning new album, My Method Actor, unveiled today on her fresh label Ninja Tune. Across 11 tracks, she doubles down on her trademarks: guitar playing that transitions from gritty, reverb-heavy fuzz to intricate acoustic exploration; dynamic percussion that can resemble both classic rock drumming and delicate, syncopated trip-hop; her quietly impactful lyricism. (And, naturally, there’s Yanya’s smoky, androgynous voice, exuding a piercing intimacy that gives the listener a feeling of eavesdropping on a secret.) This masterful fusion of styles imparts the album a quality that echoes timelessness, yet also feels unmistakably current.