Tasche: Essentially, I wanted to do an album about love and all the different facets of love using my musical influences. I play a wide range of different genres of music. So my songs may range from R & B, Soul, Funk, Latin or have a Rock flavor. I called this project From the Soul because these are the songs I really needed to get out to the world first. When people listen to my music, I want them to hear where I’m coming from and that’s from my soul. This allows me a chance to share with my audience what’s in my heart; this gives you a true introduction of what I’m all about!
Leilani: Is there any particular song that stands out to you on your project?
Tasche: The song that stands out to me would be “ I can’t imagine my life without you”. This song reflects on a true-life moment that happened in my life. I met someone I really was feeling and it inspired me to write music and put it together showing a duality in the song. One may think they are doing great on their own and you meet somebody and you connect with them and then your whole world changes. You can here where I’m going with that in my song, it starts off with a funk groove and then it goes into this Latin groove which is the hook. In my songs you can hear the transition from one place later changing. I really love this particular song.
Leilani: What or who inspired you to be a musician?
Tasche: My mom inspired me! When I was 3 years old my mom would put my sister and I together and we would sing songs and she taught us hymns. This was my real introduction to singing. At the age of 12 I started to go to Walter Hawkins church “Love Center”. Being exposed to great music and church and he’s a celebrity, I was like oh yeah, I can do this for a living! I went on my first tour at the age of 15 with Edwin Hawkins. He had a seminar choir and we did a show in Utah. We took a tour bus there I got to travel with the choir and we had so much fun and this experience made a huge impact in my life. I knew then that this was what I wanted to do with my life. I knew I would be involved in music for the rest of my life. So because of my mom introducing me to singing and music and going to church with Walter and Edwin Hawkins my destiny was inevitable.
Leilani: What do you think of the music industry as a whole?
Tasche: There are a lot of positive aspects to the music industry. The negative part I would have to say is, I think the industry can play up production or the show business more than the actual talent of the individual. This has always existed but now independent artist are being able to do what they want and not be so restricted to certain markets of genre. I think it’s great! If one would sign with a major label you would get to hang with the label and then groomed into the artist they want you to be. Now these labels are looking for more polished acts with followings and an assurance that if they sign you money will be made. The industry has grown so much making things more accessible for independent artist! It’s not all bad or all good. If you’re an independent artist and you really want to make a living at this there’s a lot of avenues to make it happen!
Leilani: As an indie artist what’s been the hardest part about the music industry?
Tasche: For me right now it’s really been getting promotions, really spreading the word and letting people know you’re out there. I’ve been very fortunate that most people who hear my music really like it. It’s cross-cultural, age and gender friendly. As an independent artist the hardest thing for me is to get it out there to enough people to really get the following I’m going for.
Leilani: What have been your musical influences?
Tasche: I’m an independent artist and I work for myself booking my own shows and handling the business side of me being an artist. I really made my living as a sideman. I played for many artist(s) such as: Tony, Toni, Tone, Alexander Oneal, Howard Hewitt and jazz artist such as the Braxton Brothers. So coming from such a wide background I made my living from playing different styles of music and working with different artist. I’ve played jazz, rock, blues and so many other styles of music. So as you play different styles it becomes a part of you. Now, I’m definitely more of an artist side than a craftsman. It’s more about what I am trying to say.
Leilani: If you could work with anyone in the industry past or present, who would it be?
Tasche: If he were still alive it would be Donnie Hathaway! He seems like a cat then when he sang a song there was nothing left. These days artist hide behind their runs, tricks and riffs. In his music I never heard that. You can tell that he was super soulful and a phenomenal musician; it wasn’t about tricks it was about what he was singing from his soul, a true testament about him as a human being. If Donnie Hathaway were still alive it would be him.
