TYA ROSE

The Other Side explores the push and pull of falling in love through an ethereal, almost supernatural lens. Can you take us deeper into the emotions and experiences that inspired the song?

There was a lot of longing, yearning for and pining over the person I wrote the song about. There were moments in time where it really did feel otherworldly and supernatural. I had all of these things to get off my chest and didn't really know how to approach it so I just started writing about it instead. That's basically where the song came from.

How did the song change from its original form to the finished version, and what did that process teach you as a producer?

There were a lot of different elements that went into the track and I tried to follow a format that would catch the ear of the listener without over-doing it production wise.

There's an intentional build during the intro that introduces a few of the key elements that become motifs through the track. I wanted it to sound quite bold and grandiose, as if making a statement of sorts.

There's also parts of the song, namely the breakdown, where I tried to highlight the same integral elements while I stripped the production back to something quite simple and let the vocals take the lead.

Ultimately, what I learned while producing the track was that you don't need to adhere to any rules musically. Just trust your gut and go with what feels right as opposed to following a specific structure that is 'musically correct'.

You've described wanting to create something people could dance to while still retaining the emotional depth that defines much of your songwriting. How did you balance those two goals throughout the creative process?

The large majority of the music I make begins with the lyrics, and this track was no different. I knew once I began to produce it that it was going to be a step in a different direction sonically, and I liked the idea of a dance beat juxtaposing a more eerie yet almost romantic (at times) set of lyrics. I tried not to overthink it and just went with it, and I think those contrasting elements balance each other because there's enough space for the two of them to work together as opposed to working against each other and fighting for the spotlight.

Artists such as Empara Mi, LEXXE and PVRIS blend compelling visuals with strong sonic identities, often drawing on occult and supernatural themes. What is it about those worlds that resonates with you, and how has that shaped your own artistic vision?

I've always been drawn to the darker elements that these worlds bring. I'm quite fascinated with that of which cannot be explained. I think this track is the first where I've really expressed my devotion to and for all things mystery and magic, and the direction that these things take me artistically is a path that feels very authentic to me and one that I want to continue to go down.

The imagery surrounding this release leans heavily into mystery and atmosphere, from the graveyard photoshoot in Newtown to the song's title itself. How important is visual storytelling to your music, and what narrative are you hoping audiences discover through this era?

I try my best to tell a story through my music and I think this can definitely be heard in some of my other tracks like Riviera for instance. I think that moving into an era of using visual content that goes hand in hand with the audio is something that feels like another step up into really painting a picture for the audience.

Looking at your journey from bedroom demos and self-engineered releases through to The Other Side, how do you feel you've evolved as a songwriter, producer and artist, and where do you see your sound heading next?

I feel as if I've really stepped up my game with The Other Side. I've really put my heart and soul into it, and I feel like the journey I've taken musically to get here has a lot to do with perseverance and passion. I started making music behind closed doors, it was just me as a teenager writing with a guitar in my bedroom not thinking anyone would hear it. I've moved into a space now where I'm proud of my work and I'm excited for people to hear it.

I think what's next for me is continuing to keep the ethereal energy going and also to keep crafting a visual world around my music. I had a lot of fun marrying the audio and the visual with this track, and I'm really keen for people to hear and see what's next.