Following her highly anticipated major label debut, “Dirt Roads,” Tia Wood returns with her sophomore single “Losing Game.” Produced/co-written by Micah Gordon (The Kid LAROI, Neon Trees, Ellise) and Jay Isaiah. The emotionally charged track displays Tia’s ability to blend her touching lyrics with an influential and distinct R&B/Pop sound.
The single explores the intricacies of loving another person when you know they're not the one for you. “…but the memories stay and faces tend to fade / How can I be safe / When your love is a losing game” she sings pleadingly. Tia captures the essence of unfulfilled promises while searching for certainty in the person you love.
“This song is about wanting to feel secure with someone you consider to be your person, but just don’t,” said Tia of the track. “It’s hard to drift away but also important to recognize when it’s time to move on,” the singer continued.
Tia created her visuals to capture the uncertainty you feel when you’re gambling your heart. The retro visuals were filmed on Super 8, in the Topanga Canyon on a summer evening. The single cover was designed by Indigenous designer and DJ, Kehiw Eagletail.
Tia’s first single, “Dirt Roads,” was released June 21, 2024 after years of anticipation from the strong fanbase she built across social media. The accompanying music video beautifully captured intimate moments with her family and friends in her hometown of Saddle Lake, Alberta, creating a piece that is grand and deeply personal.
Born in Saddle Lake Cree Nation in central Alberta, a community of about 6000 people in Treaty 6 territory, Tia’s musical journey began at home. Her first experiences on stage were performing with her family, singing traditional music at powwows, schools, and community events.
Even though she calls her younger self “the shyest kid” among her other siblings, Tia says those early performances and musical teachings from her family were hugely formative, and led her on to the path she continues to follow today, proudly celebrating and sharing the songs and dances of her people.
“I just liked being able to sing in front of people with my family especially,” she says. “It was really nice to bond in that way.”
But becoming a solo artist one day was always in the back of her mind. As a teen, she gravitated to all kinds of singers, from musical legends like Etta James and Amy Winehouse to more contemporary stars like Remi Wolf, Dominick Fike, Leon Bridges, Jesse Reyez, and SZA. In her 20s, Tia developed a massive social following as a creator, and many of her videos introducing Indigenous sounds to a mainstream audience have gone viral and brought her widespread acclaim.
Those influences and experiences, along with the music of her Indigenous nations, have provided the foundation for her debut, which is rich in style, genre, and spirit. Threading everything together is Tia’s smooth and stunning vocals, creating a vibrant tapestry of modern music that she feels is strengthened and enriched by her Indigenous background and luxe R&B and Pop production.
“I feel like I dip into a lot of different things,” she says, “but as of right now, it’s more like R&B and Pop, and since I grew up right along with traditional music, I kind of try to add that in when it calls to do so.”
Her debut songs are as eclectic and rich as the young adult experience. The instrumentation under her sonically rich vocals ranges from classic sounds like piano and guitar to the modern beats and hooks that flourish in modern R&B.
Tia says exploring self and identity through songwriting and honing her musical skills has been therapeutic. “It’s allowed me to open up and really dig into feelings,” she says, and she hopes her journey and her music can inspire people everywhere, especially young fans in Indigenous communities.
“Just to show somebody that they can do it no matter where they come from, and what circumstances they were given and what cards they were dealt out. It’s doable.”
FOLLOW TIA WOOD
Comentarios