Taali: Coming to the Space

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Taali arrivals to the Space on May 7th as part of her tour with starts March 23

Interview conducted on March 03, 2020

by Dan Locke

Prolific chamber-pop singer/songwriter Taali today shares a soaring new single about confronting fears and weakness, “What Are You Afraid Of?“ It’s off her newly announced Were You Busy Writing Your Heart Out? EP coming May 15 on Rainbow Blonde Records, a label and worldwide collective the artist runs with creative partner R&B/jazz vocalist José James and engineer/producer Brian Bender. She’ll also be opening forJosé James on tour next month – dates below & here.

Dan Locke: What do you mean when you say you were born in New York and bred worldwide?

Taali : That’s a good question. I was born in Washington Heights. Fort Wash and 181st, to be exact. I was raised in Hastings on Hudson, New York, and cut my teeth, both as a youth and an adult, on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. But I don’t feel I really became an artist until I began touring as a musician. That’s where I moved from Talia Billig to Taali. There, in the winding streets of Istanbul, the cobblestones of Amsterdam or the shrines of Tokyo, I expanded. I learned just how much of a wandering Jew I really am, and fell in love with the world. Now, I try to write in service to both that wandering Jew and those billions of people in and outside of New York City.

Tell us about your upbringing?

I grew up in the loud, intellectual, neuroses filled, delicious smelling Jewish home of Ashkenazi-East-Coast lore. So much singing, so much seltzer, and so much love. I’m absurdly fortunate to have parents who both believed in me and didn’t stage-parent me. My dad gave me a journal when I was four years old and wrote in it, “To Talia, with love and respect for your writing.” And that sums up my ridiculously fortunate upbringing pretty well, I’d say. Gratitude for years.

How deeply are your Jewish roots within your music?

They’re so deep that I don’t even consider them “within.” They are my music. I come from a culture so immersive that it informs my every movement. My face, my mannerisms, my harmony, are all inextricably tied to my Judaism. My lyrics reflect the questions that so doggedly chase many Jewish minds and scripture. My roots run deep.

How did you discover music?

When I was 6, we moved up to a town called Hastings on Hudson, New York. All of a sudden we had a house and neighbors. Our elderly next door neighbors Tom and Kathy had a piano. When I wandered over to Tom and Kathy’s for the first time, we immediately became new family. My parents grew to understand/accept that I’d be over there with my new best friends basically every moment from then onwards. That same year I was in second grade with Linda Azif, an absolute legend of a second grade teacher. She taught her second graders Mozart, Beethoven, and opera. After Mrs. Azif I had one goal in life, which was to be a musician. I owe her everything.

How did you come up with your artist name?

Taali is what my family has called me since I was really young. When I was putting the finishing touches on my first album “I Am Here,” I realized that this music was the most intimate I’d ever made, and my born name of Talia wasn’t going to cut it anymore. So we moved the last “a” in Talia to the middle, and came up with a new artist name that honored the intimacy of the music. You’re all my family now! Welcome in.

What is your favorite musical movie and how did it affect your life?

It’s not technically a musical movie, but Amelie is a key part of me. It has been my favorite movie since 2001, and its perfect soundtrack remains my ultimate go-to.

How was it to meet Caroll Spinney?

Hooboi. Gonna try and write this without reverting to all caps. Meeting Caroll Spinney was LIFE AFFIRMING (agh! I slipped!), thank you for asking. It was the perfect New York City moment. I had just seen his movie “I Am Big Bird.” This happens to me often, a movie about another brilliant artist lifts me. I walk around with wings on my shoes for a bit. But 2015-2017 was still one of the darkest periods of my entire life, and I slipped back into that depression that was plaguing me within a week or so. When I saw Caroll walking up the street (with a big bird tie! kvell!!), I hung up the phone, threw down my bike, and ran up to him. He was so glorious and so gracious, all while speaking almost fully in a Big Bird voice. An absolute legend, may he rest in peace.

What is your connection with Leonard Cohen?

Leonard Cohen is the ultimate. He blazed the trail for every songwriter, but for one who also identifies as publicly Jewish, he is my everything. I love his ease, his depth, his tenderness. A gift to us all.

Back in 2012, you did vocals for Tiny Hazard EP. How did that come about?

I did indeed! I was in their epic music video. I went to college with the entirety of Tiny Hazard. Alena (their singer), especially is one of the great talents I’ve had the honor of knowing in my life. She sang on my very first album and is simply inimitable.

About the same time, you did a Kickstarter fund in order to raise money for your debut album. You had 163 backers and raise over $12,000. Mind you, this was really before people started to do crowdfunding. How did you do it?

Yes! What a joy that was. To be honest, I think that we succeeded with the at the time new crowdfunding model because that was the most earnest I’ve ever been in my life. Sometimes I yearn for that Talia. I just … meant it so much. The album was all my friends. We made a video in my dad’s friend’s house. People around the world could feel that. I have such affection for those 163 people. I didn’t know most of them. The 10 year anniversary of that album is coming up, and I’m thinking of doing something special for all of them. Another group that I owe everything to.

Why did you start your own record label?

I started Rainbow Blonde Records with José because I believed that there was a better future possible for myself and for the people I love. Proving that that is true is, to date, the greatest joy I’ve ever experienced.

What is the hardest part of running a label?

Sleeping. Eating. Being a human. José and I joke that up until now, we’ve been underutilized, but we’ve finally met our match. We could literally work every single hour of the day, every single day of the week (and man, we’re close to it!) and still have more work to do. It’s literally just me, José, Brian and our spectacular intern Nic doing the work of a team that usually is about ten times the size. We’re fortunate to have an incredible distribution team at InGrooves (shout out to the heroic Denise Garbo and Cassie Faulding)! But I can’t remember the last time I slept for eight hours.

Tell me about your upcoming EP?

The upcoming EP is a companion piece to my last EP, both of whose names come from my favorite book, Seymour An Introduction. In “Were Most Of Your Stars Out?” I went fully acoustic. In “Were You Busy Writing Your Heart Out?” we began to explore the synths that will live on my next album. Lyrically, I’m addressing the really difficult subject matter. Painful and essential transitions that I’ve gone through. It’s my favorite work so far.

Since you have a label, I am going to ask you about some other musicians who also own labels. I would like you to say something about each if you can.

Frank Sinatra- Reprise
Frank Sinatra was one of the greats who took his influence and did bigger things with it. Reprise is no exception.
Ray Charles- Tangerine
I love Ray and know of Tangerine, but can’t speak too authoritatively to it.
The Beatles- Apple
I mean, what is there to say about The Beatles? They are number in the greatest to do literally everything musical? Apple Music is still iconic decades later? I bow down in reverence.
Frank Zappa- Bizarre/ Straight
I love Zappa. A fearless, brilliant, innovator.
Prince- Paisley Park/NPG
Prince is the OG. Prince is everything. I am deeply grateful to Prince for shining his light on a corrupt music business with authority and grace. And, of course, deeply grateful for his music and purple excellence.
Madonna- Maverick
Can’t say I know much about Maverick.
Jay Z-Roc-A-Fella/Roc Nation
Roc Nation and Jay Z are both a stunning example of the kind of structural change we hope to implement. Dream stuff.
Jack White- Third Man
Jack White is a maverick. The kind of music lover to whom my mentors were referring. The third Man stands strong as an inspiration for us all.
Kanye West – Good Music
Say what you will on Kanye, the man is a genius for a lot of things. I’m particularly grateful to him / G.O.O.D. Music for giving a deeply deserved worldwide megaphone to Hudson Mohawke, with whom I’m quite literally obsessed.
Nick Jones and Demi Lovato- Safehouse Records
I don’t know that much about Safehouse.
Led Zeppelin- Swan Song Records
Anyone starting a label back in the 70s before the internet democratized the music business deserves extreme praise, and of course, Zeppelin is legendary. Swan Song’s mission statement is very similar to ours at Rainbow Blonde. Thankful to them for being the trailblazers.

What did you learn about the music business that became part of you?

All three of my greatest mentors, Bruce Lundvall, Don Was and Brian Camelio taught me the two same key lessons: (1) Honest, beautiful love of music in the “business” is irreplaceable and rare (2) Either you find great joy in the change, or the change steamrolls you. I take both with me everywhere.

Any plan to tour this upcoming year?

Absolutely! I’ll be opening for José James in select cities this year, touring as a special guest with him for the entirety of the year, and will be touring “Were You Busy Writing Your Heart Out?” in late spring/summer of this year. Past that, though, I’m into recording my next album, so I’ll be hunkering down!

What are some of your guilty pleasures?

If I tell you I’ve watched every season of “The Office,” “30 Rock,” “New Girl” and “Arrested Development” 50 times each, would you believe me? Because it’s true.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

In 5 years, I’d love to have Rainbow Blonde set up solidly enough that I maybe could sleep and/or take a vacation. I also want to be touring worldwide under my name.

Anything in closing you’d like to say?