Work Text:
This is Tamara Collins… in Pieces
Madelynn Hobb
Image from the ‘pieces’ music video
Directed by Dan Lesser
Last month singer songwriter Tamara Collins released her first EP and I think it’s safe to say that the young artist has taken the internet by storm once again. Her debut single ‘ Birthday Cake’ reaching number twenty on Billboard's hot 100 two years ago after its initial release. Since then Tamara has released a number of singles and performed at a handful of live shows, but the release of her EP is the artists biggest project yet. The project consists of five songs which further prove how vulnerable the young artist is when creating music.
I was fortunate enough to join Tamara on a zoom call that allowed us to discuss the EP and its writing process, which shockingly didn’t stem from personal experiences.
“ pieces the title track of this EP isn’t about me, or my relationship.” she explained. “I actually came up with the idea after seeing this couple online go through a difficult breakup. It’s so incredibly relatable I think for someone to be so in love and basically handing their heart to someone they trust. It’s such a hard thing to do in any kind of relationship I think, to open up and be vulnerable. That's why when this person you’ve trusted with everything ultimately breaks that trust you had with them… it just kind of destroys you.”
This can be seen in the following lyrics of the song: Oh, I’m just so confused / how you could love into leaving / me with the pieces
Cover art for the ‘ pieces’ EP
Fans of Collins and her work have been gushing online ever since the release of this EP, praising the artist for her vulnerability and willingness to write about the hard things.
Some posts from twitter after the release of Tamara’s EP
“I am blown away by all of the love and support I have received in the past month.” Tamara said during our interview as we discussed the large number of fans who have posted about the EP on social media. “I mean it can be overwhelming at times don’t get me wrong, but knowing that I am able to create something that another person can listen to and really get, it just means the absolute world to me.”
Collins wasn’t done yet though, contrary to what many of her fans believed. Since she had released the EP in August fans didn’t expect new music for a while, until Tamara announced another version of her song ‘ Birthday Cake’ .
It was just three days before our Zoom interview that Tamara announced on her instagram ( @tamdabambam ) the Birthday Cake- Duet FT. Alexander Stewart.
“He was the perfect person to sing the duet with.” she explained when I asked her about the new song. “I love his work and when my team reached out to him he was more than happy to do the project with me.”
cover art for ‘birthday cake-duet’
My interview with Collins’ was a month and a half ago, and since then the duet has been released and added to the songs listed on the ‘ pieces’ EP. While still keeping the first verse and original chorus of the song, the duet features a new second verse written by the featured artist Alexander Stewart.
Stewart’s verse adds more heartbreaking lyrics to the song as his lyrics explore the emptiness left behind after losing someone. One of the lyrics that I found the most heartbreaking was; just his voice can make you happy / want to call him up so badly.
As if that wasn’t enough…. More recently Tamara has announced her very first headline tour to begin later this month.
tour poster that was posted to Tamara's Instagram
While Tamara has headlined a for a local charity event and opened for other performers in the Los Angeles area this will be the young artist's first tour of her own!
Buy your tickets here before they’re gone!