In this exclusive interview, Tash, known for her hit song “It’s Really Not That Deep,” takes us behind the scenes of her creative process, sharing the emotions that fuel her music. With over 60 million streams, she reveals her secret to crafting songs that deeply connect with her audience while embracing her pursuit of musical perfection and the transformative power of collaboration with producer Mark J. Feist. She aims to create anthems that resonate with her listeners, a mission that drives her to continue her musical journey with authenticity and purpose.

Tell us about “It’s Really Not That Deep”—your process, the emotions that went into it, little unknown secrets about the process—we’d love to hear some behind the scenes!

I always write from a personal place, even if the song is not about a specific time or situation. It’s Really Not That Deep is simply a reminder to myself to not let my anxieties get the best of me. I do struggle with my mental health and I guess wanted to touch on that in the lyrics of this song. Mark and I have been following a similar process for each song for the past couple of years. He starts things off by creating a groove. I’m always so keen to get on the guitar and start coming up with chord progressions. Once we have the chord structure laid down I improvise some vocal melodies and see if anything sticks. Then I’ll write the melody and lyric, and come back the next day to record a final vocal and create a background vocal arrangement with Mark.

With over 60 million collective streams and a significant presence on various streaming platforms, your music has clearly resonated with a wide audience. How do you approach the process of creating music that connects with listeners on such a deep level and garners such widespread attention?

I honestly try not to think too hard about what people will think. Doing so definitely makes the writing process so much harder. Lyrically I try my best to think outside the scope of ideas I’ve already used, and just be authentic and honest. I definitely do challenge myself to try and make each song better than the last one. I am very much a perfectionist when it comes to writing and recording vocals.

What do you think is the key to reaching a wide audience with your music?

I think you need to be authentic and unique, but have commercial sensibility at the same time. It’s a balancing act.

With a catalog of over 56 singles and 25 music videos, you’ve built a substantial discography. How do you feel your music has evolved since your debut, and are there any particular milestones or turning points in your career that stand out to you?

My vocal and writing style have definitely changed over the years. My main influence when I first started releasing music was Tori Kelly. I wanted to sound just like her. Then my Billie Eilish obsession started and my vocal style completely shifted. In the last few years I feel like I’ve really found my own style which feels like a blend of everything I listen to. The release of “Now I Don’t” feels like a milestone as it was the first song Mark and I put out that was produced with a whole new approach in mind. We decided we would use live instrumentation on everything, and give each song a really dense background vocal arrangement. We also began writing everything from scratch together, rather than having me write the song by myself and bring it to him later to record vocals and produce and arrange. Writing with a guitar has its limits, especially as I’m no virtuoso so I am bound by my ability. It really helps to have Mark create a groove for me to write with, as this pushes me to do different things rhythmically.

Who or what, aside from Mark J. Feist who discovered you and co-wrote “It’s Really Not That Deep” and Hitmakers Entertainment which released it, would you say you owe a great deal of your success to?

My parents have had a huge hand in my success, in that they fully supported my decision to leave high school early and pursue music full time. They’ve always encouraged my siblings and I to do what makes us happy rather than pressure us into career paths we’re not interested in.

Collaboration has been an integral part of your career, particularly with Mark J. Feist. Could you discuss the dynamics of working with other creatives, and how these collaborations contribute to your growth and the evolution of your sound and overall brand?

Collaborating with Mark has helped me grow immensely as a writer and a musician. Having another creative’s input can be really eye-opening as they can bring ideas to the table that you just wouldn’t think of by yourself.

How do you hope your listeners feel when they engage with your songs, and what message or emotions do you aim to convey through your music?

I hope some of these songs become their favorite songs and that they feel connected to them, in the same way that I do with artists I look up to.

Connect with Tash

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