Some artists have this ability to translate emotion so honestly through music that you can feel it instantly. That’s the exact feeling upon first listening to Tia Gordon. There was something so raw and intimate in her voice that immediately draws you in. Her music feels atmospheric in a way that quietly consumes you – soft, emotional and deeply reflective, like reading pages from someone’s diary.
With the release of her new EP, I asked the stars for this.x, Tia opens up an even more vulnerable side of herself. The project is a beautiful embodiment of hope, manifestation, anxiety and self doubt, all woven together through delicate songwriting and emotional honesty. There’s something incredibly relatable about the way she captures feelings so many people struggle to articulate, the fear of not being enough, the uncertainty of chasing your dreams, and the quiet hope that maybe things will work out anyway.
Ahead of her upcoming UK/EU tour, Tia spoke candidly about anxiety, independence within the music industry, finding comfort in creativity, and learning that vulnerability can often become the very thing people connect to most.
Your music feels incredibly intimate and emotionally honest, there’s something so raw and relatable about it, while still creating such a distinct mood and atmosphere.
I think you’ve kind of described it for me, to be fair. It’s just very honest. I try not to be somebody else, and I can only really speak from the extent that I’ve met myself at. So yeah, it’s very honest, sometimes probably too honest for my own comfort, but honest.
I think what I’m learning is that, unfortunately or fortunately, when you’re going through something, you often feel like you’re the only person experiencing it. But in reality, our emotions and experiences are a lot more universal than we think, there’s other people that have been through these things as well. When you’re stuck in your own head, it’s hard to step outside of it and realise you’re not alone, that other people are feeling the exact same things. But through music, I’ve realised that so many people connect to what I’m writing about because they’ve lived through those emotions too.
How would you describe your sound?
At the start of my career, I remember someone saying, ‘You don’t have any dance songs,’ and I panicked a little. I thought, ‘Oh God, I don’t.’ I tried to make more popular sounding music, so people could dance to it. Then I realized that I don’t need to be that artist. I don’t think I’m that artist. If you want to dance, there’s incredible artists out there, Zara Larson to name one, like you can listen to those and you can have the time of your life, but I also think you need other artists that are a little bit more simple.
Do you get messages from your fans?
Yeah, I get messages from people saying my songs have helped them through difficult times, or that they’ve been listening to them during a breakup, or whatever they’ve needed them for in that moment. It’s definitely not something I expected when I first released those songs.
How would you describe your listeners?
I think a lot of the people who come to my shows have been through really difficult times, or they’re just natural empaths, people who feel everything deeply, which I really love. I think I have quite a soft-hearted audience, and I find that really lovely.
You’ve been singing since you were four years old. Tell me a bit about your creative journey. Was there a specific moment where it stopped being something you simply loved, and became something you knew you were meant to do?
For me, music was always my thing. It gave me a lot of comfort, and it was just the thing I naturally did. I’d sing all the time, and I never really stopped. I mean, I did stop at one point, but it was always the thing I kept coming back to. It was really fun, and I didn’t even realise I was any good at it. It was just my outlet for a really long time.
I think the only reason I know it’s meant for me is because it keeps coming back around. It wasn’t some huge moment where I suddenly thought, ‘This is what I’m going to do with my life.’ I’d stop making music and then somehow end up back in it again. I think it’s probably supposed to be my path because I keep falling back into it, even when I’m not trying to, and it just comes really naturally to me.
People always say that if you’re given a gift, then that’s probably the thing you’re supposed to pursue. But yeah, I never really had this big realisation that music was going to become my career, it just kind of naturally grew into what’s happening now.
How did it start for you?
I actually started posting online because my parents got divorced and we needed money. Me and my dad were trying to keep the house, and in my young brain, I genuinely thought, ‘I’ll post online, get a record deal, give the money to my dad, and then we won’t lose our home.’ So at first, I wasn’t really posting purely for the love of music. I was posting because I hoped it could help my dad somehow. But then people started connecting with what I was sharing, and over time it also became an outlet for me.
Life was really difficult during that period, and making music became a distraction in a way. It gave me something to focus on and some kind of structure. I had this responsibility where every Wednesday I needed to post something, and I think having that routine helped keep me grounded.
i asked the stars for this.x is such a beautiful and emotional title. It feels hopeful yet vulnerable at the same time. What does that title mean to you?
It was more about the idea that I’d manifested being at this point in my career. I’m a very spiritual person, and I like to speak to the sky and to my surroundings. There were so many moments where I’d think, ‘I can’t wait until I get to this place,’ or ‘I can’t wait until this happens,’ or I’d ask the universe to send me a sign, or something like that.
So getting to this point feels like a result of me speaking things into existence. I genuinely asked the stars to be where I am now. But I think every project is vulnerable in some way because it’s a part of my life that I’m sharing with whoever finds it. So it’s always vulnerable, and honestly, always a little scary too.
“Should I Give It Up” feels emotionally conflicted in such a relatable way. What headspace were you in when creating this track?
When I was in the studio with Ivan, we were talking about the music industry, and he was saying how great it is that I’m an independent artist. I remember explaining that while being independent is rewarding, it’s also really tricky at times. He was also talking about his own struggles in the industry, and I remember opening up about how sometimes I genuinely feel like I’m not good enough, or like I want to stop doing this altogether.
Like I was saying earlier, anxiety can really distort the lens you see yourself through. I second guess myself constantly, and I think this song was something I really needed to get off my chest. It came from those recurring thoughts I have every week, like, ‘Am I actually good at this? Should I give it up? Do people really like my songs, or is my manager just gaslighting me into thinking I’m good?’ It’s really just the voice of an anxious mind.
You’ve spoken openly about living with chronic anxiety, which is something so many people relate to. How do you protect your mental wellbeing and how much does that experience influence your music?
I don’t think I’ve fully found a way to manage it yet. A lot of it is just having conversations with my manager and the people around me whenever I start feeling overwhelmed. Usually, when my anxiety gets bad, it’s really obvious because I stop answering my phone. That’s definitely something I want to work on, because I know it shows that I’m not yet at the stage where I’m managing my anxiety the way future me hopefully will. Right now, I just take it day by day. Anxiety is such a complex thing to live with, and I think you have to be gentle with yourself through it. I haven’t mastered it yet, but I will.
For me, it’s a lot of anxiety around things going wrong, constantly second guessing myself, or feeling panic before something even happens. If I’m on my way to a soundcheck, for example, my mind immediately starts jumping to worst-case scenarios. I’ll think, ‘What if I miss the train? What if something happens and I miss soundcheck?’ and then suddenly I’ve convinced myself the whole performance is going to go badly, and I’m literally just sitting on the train.
Being in that mindset all the time can get really exhausting, and I think it can also take you away from appreciating the beauty of the present moment. So I try to remind myself how beautiful life is, how grateful I am, and how honoured I am to be here. I also think it’s really important to talk about anxiety openly, because those kinds of struggles thrive in silence and shame. I think the more you talk about it, the more you take away its power and start rationalising the situations you’re in.
What keeps you going?
If I gave up music, my grandma and dad would be immensely disappointed in me, so that’s probably number one. And then closely after that is the fact that such lovely people connect with my music. If my songs are able to reach people like that, then I don’t really think I’m in a position to stop doing it. It would almost feel unfair. The audience my music attracts are genuinely such beautiful souls, they’re kind, emotional, empathetic people and I think that’s what keeps me going. If the music was reaching people who didn’t really care, maybe I’d feel differently. But the people who listen to my music are honestly so lovely that it makes me want to keep creating for them.
The EP was developed between London and Los Angeles. Did being in different cities shift your mindset or influence the sound in unexpected ways? And how was it collaborating with such an incredible range of creatives and producers?
Before going to LA, I was actually really anxious that I wouldn’t be able to create anything. I’d always made music in London, so I think I worried that if you took me out of that environment, maybe I wouldn’t know how to create anymore, or maybe I was only capable of creating in one specific space. But then I got to LA and felt completely inspired. It was such a new world to me, and it genuinely felt like a breath of fresh air. I worked with incredible people, and we all connected really naturally, which made the sessions feel very easy and comfortable. Honestly, it felt like the stars aligned while I was there.
I also think the environment itself changes your mindset. Having bright weather and sunny days affects your energy and makes you excited to wake up and create. In London, sometimes the grey skies make everything feel heavier, we’re all dragging ourselves out of bed, sitting on the train together looking miserable. That’s kind of the London way. But in LA, it felt completely different.
Which artists or albums completely changed your perspective on music growing up?
Definitely artists like Amy Winehouse and Adele. I remember growing up listening to them and realising that you could actually hear pain in music, and I thought that was such a beautiful thing. As I got older, I realised they weren’t trying to sound emotional, they were just genuinely experiencing those feelings, and you could hear it in the music. I always found that really special, the idea that you can be going through something painful and still create something meaningful from it. I honestly can’t even pick apart their work because different songs and albums have helped me through different stages of my life. But those two artists definitely shaped the way I think about music.
I think in a world full of pop music, it’s refreshing to hear actual sadness, not just sad lyrics wrapped up in something polished and shiny, but real pain and real anguish. I really appreciate artists who are able to do that.
What’s a movie or show you could rewatch forever? does it ever inspire you creatively
Trainspotting and Amélie. I have so many favourites, honestly. I wouldn’t necessarily say they directly inspire my music, but I really, really love films. I also love DVDs, just the physicalness of them. Opening the case, putting the DVD into the player, pressing play… I love the whole experience of it.
In shows, right now I’m watching Euphoria and rewatching Skins. Rewatching Skins breaks my heart every single time.
With your debut UK & EU headline tour coming up, what are you most excited about? Are you nervous at the same time?
Yes, I think you are supposed to be nervous about things that mean something to you, so I am definitely nervous and I am very very excited. I am excited to see who all I am going to meet and the audiences I play to. And also being able to be in places that I have not been, as my own person
What advice would you give to people trying to pursue their dreams, even when things feel uncertain?
Just start now, follow your dreams and don’t ever stop.
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Words: Nandini Bhattacharya
Photography: C.E