Okay. If there is one thing you should know about Talitha Tan, it is the fact that the 21-year-old is as fun and bubbly on and off the stage. She’s clearly madly in love with what she does and it certainly does come across in her personality. During Discover KL’s interview with her, each reply was interjected with her carefree laughter. Nothing though, set a serious tone quite like her reply to what’s it like being a young musician in Malaysia.
“I can guarantee you that I am very serious about my music and that I plan to pursue it with every bit of my heart. I love what I do, and I am passionate,” Talitha told us.
It is this passion and love for life that keeps her going. Talitha’s been in the game for about 6 years now and in our candid chat, she shares on everything, from her musical journey thus far, to her love for all things fitness.
1. What is it like being a 21-year-old musician in Malaysia?
I’ve never liked how age should make anything different. But I guess you can say, some people don’t take me seriously in my music and career. Some just think it’s a phase in life. Or that I’m just a kid who doesn’t know what she’s doing. I’ve been making music for 5-6years now, 2 years full time. I can guarantee you that I am very serious about my music and that I plan to pursue it with every bit of my heart. I love what I do, and I am passionate.
2. Who is one musician you wish to perform with—and why?
Tom Misch & Lianne La Havas. I love their music and that’s why I would want to perform with them; Lianne La Havas specifically, because I watched her perform live at Coldplay’s concert. She was opening for them and I honestly loved her more than I loved Coldplay and I appreciated her performance a whole lot more because it was raw, it was live. She performed and it wasn’t a backing track like people do nowadays. I loved that.
3. Which came first for your track “Okay”—the melody or the lyrics?
The guitar (melody). I feel like I can only write when I have a sound that I like from my guitar. That’s when I write the best. Then, the melody and the lyrics just come naturally after I get a sound that I like. And also, when I feel the most, because that’s when I feel like I’m most capable of writing and am able to pour out whatever I feel into a song.
4. What happens backstage before a gig?
I freak out sometimes, even to the smallest crowd. I still get nervous and I feel that’s what makes it special. That’s because I love performing. I bug my musicians too I guess haha. I don’t really do much, I just sit there and get ready to perform. I’m usually excited, nervous and there’s butterflies. I just jump around, run through the setlist or maybe do some last minute setlist arranging.
5. What instrument would you pick up if you had the chance to?
The bass. I would pick up the bass, keyboards and the saxophone.
6. What is a typical day in the life of Talitha Tan?
I wouldn’t say I have a routine but every morning I cannot wake up any later than 8am because then, I’d feel like I’ve wasted my entire day. I would wake up and try to go to the gym every morning. If I can’t, say if I have a meeting or other appointments earlier in the day and feel like going to the gym in the morning would not be convenient, I would try to make some time during the day.
I like being productive so I will squeeze in as many appointments I can possibly do in a day. I can even do 4 sports in a day if it’s possible or if I’m free. I’d also have band practice when there’s a performance coming up and futsal every Monday or running every Tuesday, stuff like that. I just like being productive so anything that would make anybody feel tired hearing that I do, sounds like a typical day in the life with Talitha.
7. What is your fitness routine like?
I don’t know if I have a fitness routine. I just go to the gym and do the workout they give me. By the way, I go to Revelation Republic. Best gym in town, I would say. It gives the most progress I’ve seen in everybody that goes there. Everyone’s stronger, everyone’s fitter, and I think that’s what everyone wants to see—progress and transformation. That’s what I feel Revelation is capable of giving.
They have a “Workout of the Day” and every day, there’s a different workout in a book that they give us. I call it the Book of Death haha. I just do the workout they give or sometimes, I modify it a bit. Sometimes, I go the gym doing things that I feel like doing and the things that I’d want to work on. I also do parkour, rock climb and run.
8. When did you start fitness training?
I think I was about 15 or 16 years old. That’s when I actually started getting into sports or into “gym-ming”. I just liked being strong. Since young, I’ve always wanted to be strong and the thing that motivated me first was being able to do a pull up. That was my aim. And now I can do it. I can do a muscle up and stuff like that haha.
I still have a lot of things that I want to do, but I would say that it’s all about being strong. I started when I was 15 or 16, started doing body weight workouts at home because I could not afford a gym. Then, eventually when I got into college, (you know how gym’s cheaper there), I started going to the college gym. I also did sports like futsal, dodgeball, flag football and trampolining because I worked at the trampoline park part-time, stuff like that haha.
9. What is your ultimate cheat meal?
Anything that would make me feel guilty haha. I don’t really think about it, it’s more of what I feel like eating every day I guess. But I make myself feel better by eating cleaner whenever I can. But I don’t know what’s an ultimate cheat meal for me because I’ve never really thought about it. I guess, anything that makes me feel bad is an ultimate cheat meal. Burgers, maybe? Haha.
10. What are your makeup essentials?
I’ve only recently started putting on a little bit more makeup than I usually would. I used to go to performances without makeup, not even lipstick, because it’s just not me haha. My fans and bandmates came up to me and (jokingly) told me, “Talitha, can you please put in a little bit more effort?”
So recently, MAC has been sponsoring me with some makeup and sometimes occasionally when I feel like I want to look a little better, I’d draw like a really thin layer of eyeliner, like you can barely see it, and I’ll draw it halfway. I call it the “halfhearted-eyeliner” thingy haha. If I were to have a makeup essential, it would be a lipstick or an eyeliner. Having said this, makeup is still not exactly something I would say is a need for me, because I prefer not having anything on my face.
11. Green hair or ash gray?
I think I would go with ash gray. I’m more of an ash gray kind of person I think. I’ve never been so much into colourful hair, the most colourful I’ve had was purple which was also because the fade off would give me a nice ashy blonde colour rather than a yellowish “karat” blonde haha.
12. Heels or flats?
Is there an option for slippers haha? I don’t know, I think everybody has their different wants when it comes to what they wanna wear. Occasionally, I’d feel good wearing heels so I’d want to wear heels. Flats are alright, but I think it’s kinda outdated haha? But yeah, slippers all the way!
13. What is your proudest achievement in all 21 years of your life?
My proudest achievement in all 21 years of my life is that I am able to pursue music. I’m now doing what I love. I’m able to perform and meet the people that I’ve got to meet, and achieve my mom’s support in my music. Being able to prove that I’m capable. I guess that’s what I’m proud of. Being able to write my own music too, because I remember that being one of the biggest struggles, not being able to write.
14. Are you still single and what qualities do you look for in a significant other?
Yes I am single, proudly single! And I’d probably want to stay single for a little while more haha. I’ve never really thought of it, but I guess someone who is sporty, preferably stronger than I am, preferably ballsier than I am haha, preferably ambitious and knows what he wants rather than being a confused teenager who doesn’t know what he wants.
I guess someone who is able to take care of me but lets me be independent as well. I guess… I don’t know man haha! I’ve never really thought of it, so yeah, single life is the way to go. #SingleLife. #ForeverAlone. Haha.
All Image Credits: Talitha Tan