Provide Background of your music career that not many know about:
When my mother was pregnant with me she used to put headphones on her stomach and play music. As platitude as it may sound, that’s where it started for me. My mom worked in the music industry. I don’t know how she did it, but she brought me to work with her every day. So I was exposed to artists I loved and “studio life” at a young age.
What has given you thick skin throughout your career?
Constant rejection has given me thick skin. Honestly, I don’t even consider it rejection. I consider it another opportunity for something greater. The older I get the more confident I become within myself, but I’m still a work in progress. I take direction well and even though I’m sensitive, I accept constructive criticism. Sometimes it’s hard to keep my emotions in order, but it’s always business, never personal.
A few months ago someone sent me a message on Instagram from a fake page and called me “fat face”, among other things. It really hurt my feelings. I realized I was only hurt because I agreed with the comment. I’ve been struggling with my weight for some time now and the comment shined a spotlight on an insecurity I had buried.
How do you level with yourself when something doesn’t feel right in your music making?
When something doesn’t feel right, I take a break from it. I have to. If I don’t, I’ll overthink it and get frustrated. I was working on a record the other day and the hook didn’t come out the way I wanted it to. My team assured me it sounded great, but my gut disagreed. I knew I could do it better. So we started working on another record.
There is a lot of celebration surrounding your music, how are you celebrating all the success?
It means a lot to me that people are listening to my music and enjoying it. Over the years I’ve recorded hundreds of songs that were never released. Now that I own my masters, I’m able to release what I want, when I want.
I haven’t really taken time to celebrate. I’ve just been in work mode. I want to keep releasing singles and build my fan base.
What is the next big challenge for yourself in this industry?
I think my next big challenge is getting comfortable doing shows again. Choreography, the flow of the show, costumes, hair & make-up. I have a clear picture of how I see myself as an artist and I want to present myself to the world in that way.
I know what excites me when I see my favorite artists perform. I want to pay it forward and give my fans that same feeling.
Your journey is special, how would you define it in your own words?
Life is all about perspective. I used to reminisce on the regrettable experiences I’ve had in this industry and dwell on it. One day I realized I didn’t want to hold on to it anymore. The weight of the past was too heavy.
For every bad experience I’ve had, I’ve also had 20 great ones. I have so much to be grateful for. I’ve met some of the best people through some of the worst people. It’s been a long time but I’m so fortunate that great opportunities are still coming my way. I don’t take that for granted.
People say “I take it with a grain of salt”, but I prefer to take it with a shot of tequila.
Trying day in and day out to make sure your music is magic, how do you keep the magic within yourself to keep creating?
I can’t be what I’m not. When I realized that, my music really came to life. My music is so authentically me now. That’s where my magic is. Being Tashi.
INSTAGRAM: Instagram.com/TashianaWashington
End of Interview