"I'm always the loud one," smiles Katy Tiz.
Well, it's the "loud ones" who get heard first, and you're going to want to hear everything that the UK singer and songwriter has to say. On her forthcoming debut for Lava Records/Universal Republic Records, Tiz artfully
She penned the confessional and catchy "Fire Fire" buoyed by snappy beats and offbeat production. Influential blogger Arjan Writes reviewed the track positively, and they began corresponding via Twitter and then email. Arjan informed the artist that Harinder Rana— Senior Director A&R, Lava Records—wanted to get in touch with her as soon as possible after hearing the song.
"I didn't believe him at all," laughs Tiz. "I gave him my number, and then Harinder actually rang me and asked for more music. That same week, the label offered me a deal. It was a total dream. I don't think I could write it better. It was such a quick transition from living in my friend's spare room in London to being in Los Angeles writing an album."
The first taste of that album is her debut single, "Famous". With synths that sound plucked from a retro video game, propulsive percussion, and an irresistible refrain—"You only want to f**k me 'cuz I'm famous"—it's an explosive anthem replete with sharp quips about Twitter, name-dropping, and Nintendo.
She reveals, "It's a tongue-in-cheek, ironic song. It's funny because I'm not famous. I take my profession very seriously, but I want to enjoy this experience as much as possible and have fun—whether it lasts two months or 15 years. I'm almost making this song to prove I'm not one of those fake people. I always want to be real. I want to be me. I'll never change. The only thing that changes is my address." weaves together pop, hip hop, and a little reggae with witty lyrics and punchy hooks. It's meant to be blasted with the volume way up.
At just 17-years-old, Tiz would join her older brother for local acoustic gigs. The duo would trek up to London from the suburbs and play open mics, doing covers and originals. That's where she really began to cut her teeth as a performer, gigging anywhere and everywhere for over three years. With big bro pursuing production, she focused on developing a style of her own. After flirting with a myriad of genres that didn't seem right, Tiz came to a pivotal realization in early 2011.
"I was trying to mold myself into what everyone else thought I should do," she sighs. "Then, I decided, 'F**k it! I'll make the music I love'. That's when things started to work out."
Tiz may not change, but pop music might once the world gets a load of her. Often starting the songs with an acoustic guitar and reggae groove, her approach differs immensely, and she never holds anything back.
"I'm definitely an open book," the singer affirms. "I want to share my journey with everyone. This music is me. I'm relatively outspoken. I'm not rude, but I believe in saying what you feel. Everything is so clean-cut, and people in the industry are so perfectly formed. That's not me. I'm slightly messier. You know who I am when you hear this. It's real."
At the end of the day, that's the precise reason why she's also going to connect with everyone who hears her.
"Personally, I search for songs that comfort me and let me know I'm not the only one who feels a certain way," Tiz concludes. "If I help one person through what I was feeling when I wrote a song, I'll be happy. I hope I can give them what I searched for in music—and that a couple of people other than my mom and dad like the songs."