ARTICLE: TIA WARD - Jaspers Jottings
The first time I met Tia Ward was while taking Entrepreneurship ii with Dave Carter. Tia teamed up with a highschool friend of mine to release her new single and music video ‘Paint Dry’. The production and consistency across all of her work was second to none in that class and I knew from then, I wanted to be in her books. Her release seemed to electrify everyone with its bright colors and undeniably infectious hook “I’d rather spend my time sitting here watching paint dry” (it doesn’t even rhyme yet I find it so effective that I’ll write it down for you without the music). Tia was one of the stand out students in that class, rightfully so, as her release was a great success, producing thousands of streams and drumming up quite the word around campus.
Tia always knew what she was meant to do with her life. Boasting a triple threat, she started singing and dancing at a young age. Although she oozes talent, Tia is refreshingly mindful of the opportunities she has been given to get where she is. She admits, “With the support from my immediate whānau, I have been very lucky to have the opportunity to pursue my dreams to the fullest. My parents mean the absolute world to me. My mum comes to every single studio session I have, and my dad is my biggest fan and biggest critic, but I love him for that.”
Living in Te-whanganui-a-tara, Tia has been able to build up a wider network and start turning her hard work and opportunities into results. She has formed a live band which is gearing up for shows and has been back in the studio to follow up her successful breakout single with an EP.
Tias onstage persona is a bright, youthful and bubbly girl in a bucket hat, belting sassy lyrics over what I can only describe as ‘Revival Pop’. While she has a special place in her heart for Reggae, her new EP will branch into Punk, Synth Pop, R&B and Disco. To me, the definition of pop is really just the best of all music combined. Tia puts a tangible nostalgic feel to each individual track, branching out sonically while nodding heavily to the artists that inspired us when we were kids. This blissful, melancholy yet provocative persona is a stark difference to the Tia Ward I know in life. She is an assertive woman in every room she enters, strolling in wearing power suits and dominant nude colors. It’s clear that Tia takes herself very seriously and she dresses to remind us of that. She’s found that she had to create these personalities to generate a distinct difference. Working in a man's world, “I’m constantly unsure of people's intentions and watch my back like crazy… I wear power suits to assert my dominance in this [male lead] industry.”
It’s unfortunate that Tia needs to calibrate her appearance to be taken seriously, but I can understand why and I’m also not surprised. Personality judgments are too often made on first impressions or aesthetics. I love her onstage persona and the music she makes but shallow people are bound to never look deeply at it and will cast her off for the youthfulness she portrays. Tia says that it also helps her to separate her life. “I get quite overwhelmed if I’m constantly thinking about music… so it’s a good way to organize my life, like wearing a different thinking hat from primary school.”
Tia’s big goal for the future is to be signed by a major label and tour the world as a household name. I love her blue sky thinking but she is definitely on the right track and seems to know how to ‘play the game’ so to speak. In the meantime, she is successfully reaching out to the young Wahine around Wellington who relate to her story. Tia’s next big release is a single in June called ‘Underwraps’, which will be our first taste of her anticipated debut EP. She has used her time and resources at Massey wisely to develop a strong platform and network for her upcoming career as a Pop Star. The next year will be full of shows and releases which I am personally extremely excited to be a part of, playing Bass Guitar. Tia’s attitude to learning is humble yet energetic and is absolutely the correct mindset to take her far in this business. Passion is one thing, but Tia’s personality, commitment, and undeniable talent is what will solidify her as an up and coming artist to watch and support for the next five years.
Written By Jasper West