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FROM BUSKING TO RECORD DEAL…
Teenage singing sensation is first act to release single on new Belladrum label after wowing festival boss on the street.
@Daily_Record
This article was written in the @Daily_Record referring to Tamzene. The 20 year old artist from Scotland that is captivating audiences with her voice.
Finland will have the opportunity to hear her on October 5th at Passion Baari, as she will take part in Lost in Music Festival in Tampere. http://www.lostinmusic.fi/home
@lucilewis
Here, an interview with Tamzene, about her childhood, inspirations and experiences as a young artist.
How did you got started with music?
I actually started playing the violin in primary school. It just became an option to take up music lessons, and I really wanted to do it just because it sounded fun. I really loved singing in all of our music classes anyway. So I took up the violin and then shortly after I took up the piano as well.
I was always singing. It didn’t really become a thing until I moved school and there was a lot of people doing their own thing there musically, and I started singing with some more people at Gordonstoun’s School. And I started recording for fun and stuff, and then started writing, and that was when I was about 14.
@InvernessPhoto
What music, albums or artists do you remember from your childhood?
Well, my mum played all these fantastic voices. She gave me a Roberta Flack CD to play to fall asleep to. That was a big one. I thought her voice was just absolutely stunning. And a lot of Aretha Franklin. She loved that kind of music, that kind of soulful music, those voices. My stepdad played a lot of Beatles, like every Beatles album, and also a lot of jazz music which is nice. I never quite got into jazz, but it just develops your ear I guess, without you even noticing. Eva Cassidy as well. My mum and I would sing to Eva Cassidy every car journey.
www.tamzeneallison.com
You have musical theater background. Tell me about that.
It was just kind of an option at Gordonstoun. They had this incredible performing arts department, and so first of all I took drama. I took theatre studies as a subject. I felt that that really grew my confidence in terms of being on stage and auditioning for shows. It wasn’t that easy, but I liked it and I wanted to be comfortable on stage because I knew I wanted to perform music. I think it was great for confidence. Great for singing. Because a lot of the songs are quite hard, so I had to master these quite big parts and that was just a confidence boost, because when you perform and people like it, that’s a really good feeling.
You have participated in collaborations and songwriting workshops. Have you learned something from those sessions?
So much. I want to do more collaborations. I think it makes better pop music often. Sometimes you write a song and you just want it to be how it comes out. But most of the time for me, a second listening just highlights where the song could be stronger. It was hard at first my first ever songwriting workshop. You feel very vulnerable, you’ve never opened up your song to that kind of criticism before. But I’m really comfortable with it now, and I think you’ve got to be open to these things if you want to be the best songwriter you can be, because it is so much nicer to have a different perspective.
Could you tell me about your music and inspiration for composing?
I guess it’s like soulful pop music. They’re original songs although they’ve been reworked with my producer. They are about my experiences as so far a young girl. I am quite a positive person. Most of my songs are pretty cheery, so not too many heart breakers in there! They are pretty happy songs, they’re about people.
@tamzene
You’ve been getting good reviews for playing in festivals. How has the festival scene been for you?
It’s been so cool. And this year is the first time that I did get to play a bunch. I love it! I think the festival crowds are so cool and so unique. Most of the ones I played, people didn’t know who I was at all, except from my local one, Belladrum. So you get people wandering in and if you manage to captivate them, I think it’s really special. They’re all rooting for you. I loved the ones on the Western Isles. I played the Hebridean Celtic festival which is on the Isle of Lewis and Tiree Music Festival which is on the isle of Tiree. And I’d never been to either of these western isles before. They were so gorgeous and it’s like the whole island comes to the festival. It just feels like it’s a real community vibe. Going to sweden was pretty amazing as well because it was just great to experience a swedish festival.
@tamzene
Which other countries have you traveled to perform?
That’s actually my only one other than America for MUSEXPO. Sweden is the only one so far, and Finland upcoming!
@thisisadp_houdi
Regarding Finland, what do you know or what do you think when you hear Finland?
I don’t actually know a lot about Finland at all, which is really shameful. I’m going to have to do some research before I come. But anybody who’s ever gone, they say it’s beautiful and they say it’s friendly. Those are the two things. I’ve heard after asking people, so I’ve got no doubt it will live up to that. But I’m hoping to find out a bit more.
TAMZENE’s links
Manager/Contact:
Dougie Brown
Text and interview by: Carlos Portilla 2017
