Tarah Who? – Illusion of Freedom

By starrymag | July 5, 2021

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

CH: I would describe Tarah Who?’s sound as a mix between different genres like rock/punk/grunge, but at the same time is unique.

TGC: Yes, we don’t really fit in one category. I am influenced by the 90s for sure and I think you can hear that in our songs. I am more focused on making sure that the emotions are well transcribed and that I am happy with the results rather than trying to fit in one specific genre. Our live shows are the reasons why we got the punk label, I think. Of course, we have a few songs that are just punk but overall, I think that people who have seen us live have noticed the energy and anger and overall, it’s the attitude. [winks]

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

CH: My favorite band is Nightwish, a symphonic metal band from Finland, but more generally classic rock and metal.

TGC: Motorhead, The Distillers, Pantera, RATM, Joan Jett, L7, Tool, The Smashing Pumpkins…all of these guys and gals. [smiles]

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Illusion of Freedom.”

 

TGC: My dad was born in Vietnam and all of my dad’s side of the family was born in, at the time called Saigon. They fled the country during the war as my grandfather was a diplomat and fought against Ho Chi Minh. My mom was born to a French mother and German soldier during World War II. As an immigrant myself now in the US, I have been confronted with situations that seemed “unfair.” By this, I mean all I wanted to do since I am a kid was to be in the US, so why couldn’t I? I am more of a citizen of the planet kind of mentality. I love to learn about other cultures, foods, languages – it all fascinates me. My heart has always felt good and home in one place: Los Angeles. I don’t know why. I don’t care to know why. I just want to be where I feel at home. Of course, Paris will always be my home because I was born there and I am comfortable there, but to live my life and be myself, Los Angeles is the place to be. Growing up, whether it was in France or in LA, my friends were from all around the world – North Africa, or Africa, The Caribbean, Asia, South America, Russia, anywhere. And I heard and still hear about many “paper stories.” Those friends are just like me. They just feel comfortable somewhere else. They are not doing anything wrong. They love the country they have chosen to move to, but they are constantly confronted with visa issues. “Illusion of Freedom” was inspired by all of those stories but also, the refugees from Syria, the Mexican families that were separated, anyone who has to flee their country for a better lifestyle or survival. This is what ‘Illusion of freedom” is about.

 

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

 

TGC: Ha! Well, hopefully, any immigrant will connect to the story! lol, but I think overall that anyone who understands that we are not as free as we think we are. Without getting into a dark, conspiracy speech…the concept of freedom is really just in your mind otherwise… we really aren’t!

 

Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?

 

TGC: Well, truthfully, my friend Kacey is a pro-roper and she is pretty darn good at it. So, I thought, “WE MUST SHOW HER SKILLS!” I told Maria Quintana, our friend, and go-to videographer. Since it was all during COVID, we had to make really simple and with a tiny crew – three people! We decided to make it look like we are both running away for our freedom. I was lucky because I got the part where I was just driving Kacey’s pickup truck, but Coralie had to run…a lot!! All she did was run. Kacey was on her horse trying to rope Coralie! But that’s my sense of humor for you…

 

Q) What is your song writing process? 

 

CH: Tarah wrote the demos, playing all the instruments, and sent them to me after. She tells me the feeling and groove for each song and I’m keeping it when adding my own thing to it.

TGC: Yeah, we usually work like that. This time was a bit different though because of the lockdown. I started writing while we could not go out. We were Zooming each other so I could explain it all and then we Zoomed with Jason Orme, our producer. It was weird because we usually rehearse for weeks prior to going to the studio so that we are very comfortable playing the songs. But this time around we could not leave our house, so we had to trust that each one of us was rehearsing on their own! We met for a weekend at Jason’s studio, and we successfully recorded all of the songs!

 

Q) Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

 

TGC: Not necessarily. Sometimes I have a lot on my chest, so I write the lyrics first. Sometimes I hear riffs so I record those first. Sometimes It all comes down together. Usually, when I have the riff though, I hear it all. The drums, bass and guitar noises or fun stuff like the Jew’s harp or theremin come naturally.

 

Q) Jason Orme co-produced the track, but how much of hand does Tarah Who have in the production of your music?

 

TGC: I write the whole song. That is the demo I send to Coralie and Jason. Guitar, vocals, drums and bass. Then, for what I can’t play on the drums, I tell Coralie, “I played this, but I actually hear this.” Sometimes she adds other fills or different types of fills. Then, Jason comes in after. He comes with fresh ears, and he suggests sometimes to lighten up on the drums for a better flow for instance or to add a fill there instead of another place to let the song breathe. He also helps me sometimes with the pronunciation and enunciation of certain words, he records all of the lead guitars and once all of this is done, we both come up with arrangement ideas. It goes: “I hear this.” “I hear that.” “How about this?” “I was on tour with Alanis [Morissette] in India and I bought this! Let’s try!” Jason has amazing recommendations and suggestions. This is why we work so well together. We both put our pride aside in order to make music and to have a good song. He also cares about authenticity and sounds. He knows what I like and don’t like. I trust him, and I believe that is all one needs to work in harmony. I have worked with a lot of producers and engineers whose end goals were different. If the producer that you pick is not and doesn’t feel slightly invested in your project, I don’t think that this person is the right producer for your music. It is far too much money to just be spending because he or she worked with so and so. If that producer worked with a big act but doesn’t care about your music, do you think that he or she is going to promote it as you hope they would? Nope! At this point, they will just overcharge you and forget about you. Jason, Coralie and I are a small team that works, and we have a lot of fun recording. It is also exciting to see where this evolution is taking us. We both are learning different things as we move forward. Jason mixes our songs and he learns new tricks as we record new material, so it’s all part of the growing process but different angles.

 

Q) Your latest album 64 Women was dedicated to those who were detained in an immigration detention center in downtown LA on November 19, 2014 alongside Tarah. Tarah, what was it about your experience with these women that inspired you to honor them?

 

TGC: I felt touched by their stories. When you are in this immigration jail, you are going home. Whatever the reason why they “got caught” for, it was just a matter of time before they had lost their rights to be in the US. Initially, I wanted to write a song with some of their stories but then I decided to dedicate the whole album to them and asked my friend Amber Ledet if she could paint a painting – women, all ages, all ethnicities that would represent them. The album cover is for me to continue honoring them. [smiles]

 

Q) Will there be a new album or EP coming in the near future?

 

CH: We actually have a new album coming up in September!!! I’m really excited about it!!

TGC: Yes! The album is coming out in September with “Illusion of Freedom” in it. We are really excited for all of the reasons mentioned above with this process of writing during COVID. We also are super excited about all of the music videos that we have released and that are coming out soon. I dared to talk more about certain things, and I can tell that the response is different. I was just talking to my brother who was saying that he is seeing how those new songs are having a much bigger impact and that it is fun to see!

 

Q) With concerts currently on hold, what do you miss most about being on stage?

 

CH: I miss the energy with the audience and having fun playing songs.

TGC: For sure! Connecting with people, traveling, I love being on the road, I love the adrenaline and screaming. The whole ambiance of getting into a venue, being onstage, trying to bring people into your world and make them forget about their worries the time we are connecting. I miss feeling the high we leave people with after a show, and you still see days after that people are still talking about it. It shows that you have done something right. People related to us that night.

 

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

 

TGC: [laughs] We are actually doing it!! Finally! We are collaborating with our friends from YUR MUM in the UK we are so happy about this song!

 

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them? 

 

CH: I’m listening to Ad Infinitum and their album Chapter 1: Monarchy, so good !!

TGC: I love BALA, a band from Spain. I would love to share the stage with. But their drummer Violetta is in other bands that I am currently listening to and totally digging! I love their sound. Violetta is a great drummer. I feel like we listened to the same bands. So far, all of her other projects I get and I’m super into. Anx, the singer, guitar player from Bala is also super fierce. She has a great voice, super cool guitar riffs and together they have a FAT, heavy, grungy sound. I also really enjoy hearing Spanish. It works really well. It is super refreshing. They make Tarah Who? sound like Britney Spears next to them, but oh well. So, this is really fun for me. I get REALLY excited when I find new music that I like! Mainstream wise I am enjoying Royal Blood.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

 

TGC: Well, really, I am on Instagram and then I connect everything I can to it. I am a visual person, so Instagram is natural to me! I don’t really understand Twitter or Tik Tok and Facebook is just too much. In today’s music industry, you HAVE to have some type of way to connect with the world. Even if artists don’t like to be on social media, then they have someone do it for them. Why? It is FREE publicity. Well, when you don’t click on that “promote” button! [winks] Social media KEEPS you connected with people you have met on the road, but also connects you with people you can’t meet just yet.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

 

CH: Thank you so much for the support and hope to see you guys on the road!!

TGC: Thank you so much for taking the time to listen and for supporting us. For sure, we can’t wait to meet you on the road or via social media. (i.e., Instagram) and thank YOU for the interview because without the fans and the press, we wouldn’t be able to express all of those other things we need to share!