TASH SULTANA, the gender-fluid multi-instrumentalist, producer, singer-songwriter, engineer, and entrepreneur, is set to release their second single, "New York," on May 10, from an as-yet untitled EP out later this year through their label Lonely Lands Records.
Amid a global lockdown, the music industry struggled, with tours and festivals cancelled left and right. During this time, TASH found themselves again hidden in their studio. "New York" is a track written about a specific experience in the city itself.
“I will never forget a time last year when I was so f**ked up, TASH says. “It was before my Pier 17 show [2022], one of the lowest points of my life, professionally and personally, and I just wanted to know what it is or what I could do to make it stop. Do I run, do I scream, do I jump into the water, do I cry, what's it going to take to get me through the night.”
It began as a little jam project on their hard drive, written in just an hour on a keyboard. What started as a simple experiment eventually evolved into a powerful and reflective piece of music written in crypticism with hidden stories camouflaged in happy sonics. It’s a common approach for TASH—their darkest songs usually sound the happiest.
"I have always found New York hard to find my place in,” TASH explains. “Everything is so fascinatingly fast that I think people are running from something. The city never sleeps, and its people don't either. Among the chaos, how do you cope, drink it, smoke it or medicate it away? What do people do to get through the night.”
"New York” showcases a different approach to songwriting, focused heavily on beat production and sample flipping. The listener hears TASH taking a different musical approach than in previous material. TASH has remained tight lipped about the true meaning of the track, saying that “it’s not quite what you hear it as. I am telling a story, and it's not a happy one either. ‘Cover me in sugar just to get me through the night’ is a reference to self-medicating yourself just to get by, which is something many people face as a coping mechanism in society.”
One key element that sets TASH SULTANA apart is their ability to effortlessly blend various musical genres, including pop, hip hop, funk, reggae, alternative, indie, rock, jazz and psychedelic folk. Their dynamic live shows, which feature TASH playing multiple instruments, including guitar, bass, drums, synth, keys, mandolin, trumpet, saxophone, flute and pan flutes/pipes, just to name a few, have seen crowds amass in thousands to watch what can only be fully experienced in person.
In June and October of 2023, TASH will embark on an extensive 50-date international touring schedule taking in the EU/UK and North America. Fans can expect to be blown away by the artist's genre-defying sound and electrifying live performances.
TASH explains, "Every tour is a professional and personal cycle, and I feel that what is laying ahead of me is the best yet to come." With this dedication and passion, it's no wonder that TASH has become one of the most exciting Australian exports.
Full tour dates at https://www.tashsultana.com
