Talking #tagyourfolks and Next Musical Steps with Isla Norman

The lovely Isla doing her thing! Credit to Isla’s music Facebook for this photo.

Super lovely, super talented and super thoughtful, Auckland based artist, Isla Norman AKA Isla, took some time out of her day to have a mini interview with Welcome to the Gig!

Isla’s yearly initiative, #tagyourfolks is about to kick off for the third year in a row and it is well worth checking out for an extraordinary couple of weeks of Kiwi music.

Read on below to find out more about Isla, #tagyourfolks and what she is up to next!

Hey Isla, thanks for taking the time to be interviewed for Welcome to the Gig! I’ve recently learned about #tagyourfolks which is an incredible initiative for NZ Music Month every day during the month of May. What is #tagyourfolks for the readers who haven’t heard of the project yet?

Isla: So I recently heard #tagyourfolks described as a "secret Santa for musicians", which made me smile. It's basically a chain of covers designed to uplift our local artists - it starts on the second of May with Mackensie Grace covering Colette Rivers, and then continues from there with Colette Rivers covering Steve Tofa. You can tune in every week day in May, and hear a Kiwi musician put their own spin on another local's track. 

How did the idea behind #tagyourfolks come about?

Isla: It started in March of 2020 during that time. You know, that specific period of time. We were feeling devastated for musicians whose gigs were getting cancelled left right and centre, and wanted to come up with a way to keep building a community safely. 

Correct me if I’m wrong, is this the third year of #tagyourfolks? Are the artists each year the same, or do they change up?

Isla: You're not wrong! This is the third year. We have a few that have been with us from the beginning (Odds & Ends, Hazza Making Noise, Echo Children, Shana Grace) and it's only grown each year. This year we have a few submissions from overseas "honorary kiwis" South for Winter and Good Habits. It's just a good time! 

How did you choose the artists to partake in #tagyourfolks?

Isla: It's open submission! Lots of them are friends I've made in this beautiful lil music scene of ours, but it's also been a joy to have people I've never met jump on board. It should just keep on growing each year we make it happen. 

One of the coolest initiatives to come out of the past two years! Each of these artists cover the next artist along for nearly three weeks during New Zealand Music Month! “If you take one of those old school internet chains, bin the tacky obligation and add a tupperware of talent, then you’ll get #tagyourfolks.” Excellent! Keep your eyes on the social media from the 2nd May to celebrate this wonderful project.

What hardships have you personally faced being a musician in the New Zealand music industry?

Isla: Oh MY has it been a tricky few years. I'm so so lucky to have a reliable day job, and my heart goes out to people whose incomes have been affected by these turbulent times. Personally I haven't played a live gig since last August, and I've had some of the biggest shows I've been asked to play cancelled. It's defeating, but there's still a lot of energy out there. 

On the flipside, what has been the highlight so far about being a musician in New Zealand?

Isla: It all comes back to the people, I reckon. I've been playing in a band with my best friends for years, and we just get so much joy out of prepping for our goofy little local gigs. I plant the seed of an idea, and they water it until it's full blown weeping willow. It's fun getting BK chook after a gig, too. 

Which New Zealanders do you look up to the most? (In or out of the industry).

Isla: I had the privilege of working for "To The Front" recently as a mentor for wahine and gender diverse youth. Honestly, I look up to the people trail blazing with these incredible programmes that I would have loved to have as a teenager. It never even occurred to me to start a band as a kid, because I didn't [see] myself reflected in others standing on stage. I won't mention any particular names because I'll absolutely miss someone, but check out To The Front - they're angels. 

Do you feel as though in the future you would like to collaborate with an international artist? Is there anyone that you’d love to work on a project with?

Isla: Wouldn't that be a dream! Do you know someone? Haha. I'm such a fan of Dodie and Orla Gartland. If I even just got to see them play live I think that'd keep me levitating for the rest of eternity. 

What’s next for you? Any other big projects/ideas upcoming?

Isla: Yes actually! I'm working on my second EP at the moment with Morgan Allen. It's a kind of wintery collection of songs, and a completely different soundscape to anything I've done before. I generally strive for positivity in my work, but it's been therapeutic to just embrace something darker for a bit. 

Thanks so much for your time, Isla! I am certainly looking forward to #tagyourfolks throughout May.

Isla: Thank YOU. We love everything that you're up to. 

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Make sure to check out the #tagyourfolks initiative at the links below and follow Isla on all of her social media platforms!

#tagyourfolks:

Instagram
Facebook
YouTube

Isla:

Spotify
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube