I started out as many musicians do – singing in the bathroom.”
With a loyal following on YouTube and an impressive list of gigs (including some corporate events) under her belt, singer Talitha Tan has certainly come a long way since her bathroom singing days.
Despite her humble beginnings as a self-taught musician, the bubbly 18-year-old is ready to make her mark in the Malaysian music industry as part of a new generation of local YouTube musicians who are changing the scene.
Inspired by musicians who found their fame online like Tyler Ward and Kina Grannis, Tan started posting covers on her YouTube channel (youtube.com/talithabe) three years ago.
“Getting people to share my music was hard. It’s always a nice surprise when someone shares my videos without me asking them to!” she said with a laugh.
All her efforts in promoting her videos and performing at small open mic events paid off when she caught the eye of Darren Teh, the An Honest Mistake frontman. Impressed by her unique voice and laid-back style, he invited her for her first gig at Laundry Bar in 2012. Once she had a taste of performing live, there was no stopping her.
Ever since, Tan has become a well-known face and voice around venues in Petaling Jaya and Kuala Lumpur, like Merdekarya, Feeka and Table 23. She has also headlined at events such as Alter:Native and Fete de la Musique and opened for Singaporean act The Summer State in 2013.
“When I first started singing at open mics, the crowd wasn’t very supportive and I felt like no one was listening. But, it taught me something important – people aren’t obligated to listen to you. You have to make them listen.
“It can be scary to be on stage with people staring at you. I like to tell the audience cheesy pick up lines to break the ice. It’s fun to embarrass yourself a little to make both yourself and the crowd more comfortable.”
Things are going well for the mass communications student, who is planning to release her first original song soon. However, she still has decisions to make regarding her future in music.
“I want to see myself as a musician, but I don’t know how far I can go. I still need to convince myself and my parents that I can make a career out of it. Music is my passion and I would love to do it full-time.”
But Tan, of course, isn’t the only singer-musician out there using YouTube and social media to spread her music. To all other aspiring YouTube musicians out there, her advice is for them to make sure they go beyond just recording YouTube videos in their bedrooms.
“Go out and look for performances. Don’t be shy. You can do so many things, from open mics to paid gigs to singing jingles for corporate clients.
“If people like your voice, they will look for you. As harsh as the crowd may be or how hard it is to get support, don’t give up.”
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