Tegan Clark
On Growing Up, Getting Honest and the Story Behind 'Tallest Businessman'
There’s something about a song written at 16 that can follow you around. 'Tallest Businessman' is one of those songs for Tegan Clark, a sharp little reflection on ambition, material success and the things that matter when nobody’s keeping score. Written before she had fully figured out the mechanics of songwriting, it has since grown alongside her, picking up new layers through different versions and a playful production filled with office noises, harmonies and counter melodies. Her album 'Sick or in Love' takes that same instinct for turning lived experience into song and stretches it across the years between 16 and 21, moving through first love, heartbreak, friendship, jealousy and the uneasy business of figuring out who you are.
You wrote 'Tallest Businessman' at 16. What do you hear in the song now that you’re older?
Some honest truths still. Especially as I grow into myself, it reminds me to continuously check what I am prioritizing to see if it is still serving me. In the case of the song, its material success verses loving connection, but this can be translated to any area of life too. On a more self-critical analysis, I find the lyrics are slightly simple (no hate to 16-year-old Tegan). I decided to keep it that way as I find it communicates just enough to the audience what the song is saying, while still allowing room for interpretation.
The song tackles ambition and regret but has a playful, carefree feel. Why was that contrast important to you?
Between when I wrote the song, to when we produced it, I guess I understood that nothing is ever black and white. Everyone has a reason for why they do things, so this contrast showcases that these situations are complex. This final product reminds me of movies like ‘Mean Girls’ and ‘Clueless’, where there is always an underlying theme of struggle or character development, while also viewing from the outside that material success can be fun. Showcasing both of these sides is the only way to see the full picture.
You’ve described songwriting as a thrilling unknown. How has that curiosity shaped your sound across your recent releases?
It’s been a combination between learning technical skills and the theory behind songwriting, as well as constantly exploring my own emotions and experiences. With these recent releases, I find following what I want to say and knowing how to best serve the song has led me down multiple different styles and genres to achieve this.
Vulnerability and connection are big parts of your music. Has becoming more comfortable with vulnerability changed what you’re willing to write about?
Definitely. I find the more honest I am with myself through songwriting; the more people can relate. Even though everyone experiences such different lives, we can still relate to a baseline feeling or a similar situation. The connection that’s shared through music is true magic!
‘Give me a moment’ on the album is the most honest song I’ve written. It helped me get through the breakup of my first love, and all I can hope for is that through my honesty and brutal vulnerability, someone can relate and it help them through as well.
'Tallest Businessman' has gone through many versions over the years. What did revisiting it teach you about your growth as a songwriter?
As both a songwriter, and a person, I’ve grown a lot alongside this song. When I wrote this song, it was before I knew much about how to write a song, the options of chords or melody or anything. Something about that makes this song seem both simplistic and captivating with what I knew at the time. With that simplicity came a lot of space to work with during production. This is where Matty (MattyMadeIt) and I had a lot of fun with office noises, counter melodies and harmonies.
Your album explores everything from whimsy and relationships to ambition. What story do you feel 'Sick or in Love' tells about who you are now?
‘Sick or in Love’ tells the story of my life from ages 16-21, which are fundamental years of growth about who you are, while also learning about the world and your place in it. Every song shares a different stage of those years and a range of emotions that occur as well. I fell in love for the first time, experienced friendship, heartbreak, jealousy and questioned things within myself and about the state of the world that were all new to me.
Listening to some of these songs now is bittersweet. Knowing what I know, each experience whether good or bad, has shaped me into the person I am today and I am a lot stronger for it. All I can hope for is that at least one of these songs reach someone who can relate, and it helps them to not feel so alone.