Tamayu

Music needs a good, quick, stiff kick to the arse and Tamayu is the one to do it. IN:What inspires you Tamayu? Tamayu: Everything! From a porno flick, to a Britney Spears record! Everything!! IN: What made you want to do music? Tamayu: Well, its an interesting story. When I was a kid I knew I wanted to do and would do something within the entertainment industry, but I didn't know until the age of twelve what that would be. It first started out with me listening to the R&B singer Brandy as I saw her and other rhythm and blues artist on "BET" and I thought, thats what I want to do for a living!! Basically I started out wanting to sing R&B music(laughing hysterically). IN: Whats funny about that? Tamayu: Well, considering the style I am going for now its funny. I messed around with R&B for a bit. Wrote some songs which because I did not know how to write at the time I wrote it like a story. It was very long and I could never remember the melodies so I had to scrap the lyrics!! At the age of 15 yrs old I went through a shit load of shit and life went to hell. My mother and I went through a brief separation where I went to a "Boys home" just because I was a depressed kid. I was real mental, you know. Long story short while I was in that place I met some amazing guys who inspired me as R&B just was not connecting especially with what I was going through. Marilyn Manson, Garbage, RHCP, etc. Those were the guys that moved me and helped get that rage out I had inside. IN: So you were inspired by these guy in "The Boys Home" and their taste in music? Tamayu: Yes, sir! I went through my Marilyn Manson phase where I'd wear a bit of eye liner, black nail polish and just accepting that I was different and a little quirky. After I left that place I got more into the goth thing which looking back now I think what was I thinking? In terms of style, not music. The music was great and I still rock out to some of Mansons older stuff. IN: So, through all of that how did you get to the exact sound you're messing around with now? Tamayu: Um, well I like alot of chick rock but I dig alot of male bands as well so its kind of a mixture of the two. If I had to I'd identify my sound as Coldplay, meets No doubt meets Madonna. IN: Madonna? Tamayu: Huge fan! She's brilliant! Alot of people talk shit about her but the woman is still selling records and making major money from tours. Career wise she's someone I'd like to emulate. At least as far as staying relevant and the longevity thing. Not sound!! Listen though I dig so many people. I love "The Kills", "Zep", "Pink Floyd", etc. I mean the list goes on. One moment a song I do could resemble a "Pink Floyd" song and the next I could be doing something incredibly top 40 pop/rock. I don't want to be cornered into a box though one thing that is important to me is being seen as a rock to pop/rock artist. IN: Why is that? Why are you adamant in being portrayed as a rock artist? Tamayu: Well, I don't think you need to be a genius to figure that one out. Its because I am a black guy and there aren't that many black rockers. For a long time people always assumed when I said I was doing music that it was R&B or rap. I mean its a stereotype for fuck sake!! Shortly after saying I did rock to someone I got all these comparisons. You don't hear a white guy say I am doing rock music and then someone say, Whats your sound, Nirvana? I mean I don't think I've ever looked like a rapper or R&B artist in my life even when R&B was my cup of tea. If I had found myself sooner it probably would have saved me alot of anguish as a kid. IN: Ok, so where are you now musically speaking? Tamayu: Well, I am still kind of in a place of trying to figure out the best direction for promotion, and just getting myself out there. Its tough but I am like the energizer bunny. I just keep going and going and going(laughing hysterically). Sound wise I am going with the sounds in my head. More acoustic stuff for now. Its like when you have a song with just acoustics you get a real idea of the singer and thats what I am trying to do right now. Its all about my own direction with minimal input from others. IN: Whats your ultimate goal? Tamayu: Just to be the best singer/songwriter I can be and to make the best songs I can make and to make the kind of living out of it that I want. You know the rockstar dream. IN: Well, from what I've heard I'd say you have a huge chance of achieving that. Tamayu: Thank you but its all a growing process. Even when I do succeed I'll continue growing until the day I die. My music has evolved so much. My writing has evolved as well. Its forever growing, always changing. Ever growing seems to be something true for Tamayu. From looking through both his personal history through his professional one he's come a long way and I can honestly say I look forward to seeing where his music takes him. He's both intelligent, logical, incredibly honest and yet eccentric and kind of crazy but in a good way. So, with th