Tim Atlas in Conversation with FAULT Magazine

Tim Atlas

Tim Atlas doesn’t take the straightforward route. There’s something inherently fulfilling about an artist who rejects shortcuts in favour of putting the work in to get to something more meaningful. Brought up in and around Silicon Valley, gigging in the Bay Area wasn’t the most obvious path to success. Equally, making a steady income producing doesn’t clearly translate to striking out on your own. But real artists need to tell stories of their own, and Tim Atlas has taken every opportunity to do precisely that.

An appearance on The Voice is usually enough to give singer-songwriters a springboard to stardom, but Tim’s reluctance to discuss his own time on the TV stage borders on distancing himself from it. Physically moving away from his old stomping grounds on the West Coast further underlines Tim’s determination to forge his own path. And now, with a new EP, ‘Le Soir‘, set for release on 25^th August and a headline tour to look forward to, it seems his decision to take the scenic route to success is paying off.

FAULT: Tell us a bit about your background – how did you get into music?

Tim Atlas: I think I was voluntarily and involuntarily surrounded by music growing up. My dad led the songs at church growing up. My mom, the Filipino woman she is, never skipped a karaoke opportunity. But I discovered a love for music playing in bands in the Bay Area, participating in school band programs, and eventually just became obsessed with production and songwriting.

Name some of your key inspirations, musical and/or otherwise?

I’ve always been a fan of artists that are across everything. As a listener, I like to know that what I’m hearing is an honest representation of who they are. So people like Pharrell, Toro Y Moi, Tame Impala – all artists that aren’t just singers but sort of world curators. I’ve definitely felt burnt out trying to do everything and I get better and better at delegating certain tasks, but I also find comfort in knowing that what my supporters see and hear comes from me.

You’ve described your forthcoming EP ‘Le Soir’ as “…the first instalment of three in this collection of songs.” It sounds like you’ve almost batch-baked a lot of music and you’re now in the process packaging it into smaller releases. Is that a fair description? What’s behind that approach?

Yeah, so one reason I moved to NYC was because I felt really inspired in this environment. I knew it was sort of pushing my boundaries sonically. So, once I was settled, I spent the last year and a half writing, producing and marinating in so many songs. And when you create a project over a long period of time, your tastes change, your interests change. I ended up with a bunch of songs I loved, but they felt sort of scattered. By splitting them up and creating 3 different chapters of this record, it just allows me to tell the story in an interesting way.

Which do you prefer: recording or performing live?

Both allow me to be creative in different ways. I think being in the studio is my comfort zone. But performing live is where you get to see how much it means to people. I miss one when I’m doing the other. So I can’t truly answer this question…! [laughs]

How did performing on The Voice compare to an ‘ordinary’ live performance?

Celebrities judging you is the main difference.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

A goal I set for myself back in 2018(?) was to reach 1 million monthly listeners. Felt farfetched, but we reached it and doubled it soon after last year. I don’t like to get caught up in data and numbers, but I felt like that one was special.

Who would you most like to collaborate with and why?

Currently either Rick Rubin or Pharrell. I think those guys are masters at unlocking things in artists, and if I desire anything out of being an artist, it’s to be pushed creatively to make songs that are the truest representation of myself.

If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?

I graduated with a degree in photography. I’m a big fan of creative direction, art, fashion. So maybe something along the lines of design and art direction? I don’t know, I don’t think about this very often because I really don’t see myself doing anything else!

In addition the release of ‘Le Soir’, what else can we expect from you in the near future? Anything you’re particularly looking forward to?

Definitely looking forward to my headlining tour in the Fall. Lots of new music post-‘Le Soir’ era. Excited to just keep building this world and enjoying the moment.

What is your FAULT?

My biggest fault would definitely be mistaking a right for something that should be earned. Sometimes I default to feeling undeserving; sort of imposter syndrome for my own mental health. Trying to take a step back and tell myself that I am where I am for a reason :)