The Wonderful Beginnings of Thuryah
Thuryah is an up-and-coming artist who is about to release her debut EP, poetry i don’t write. Photo provided by Thuryah.
Thuryah is due to become a household name over the next couple of years with her well-thought-out vulnerability that will engage you into her music, her unlimited love for her ethnic background and how it plays into her creations, which is what we can all agree on, absolutely amazing. We are in need of a lot more diversity in the New Zealand music industry and Thuryah is here to prove that. The bubbly and kind-hearted Thuryah sat down and answered some questions for Welcome to the Gig about her unique EP that is soon to be released, how she drew on inspiration for her words and embarking on her journey in the industry.
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Hi Thuryah! Thank you so much for allowing me to interview you for Welcome to the Gig and congratulations on your first single, ‘bed’ which you released back in April. The song is sweetly melodic and heartfelt, which is a beautiful combination of things. What inspired you to bring ‘bed’ out as your debut single?
Thuryah: Thank you so much for having me! I had written songs before bed that I thought would be my start in music, but honestly that all changed once I wrote the first line. I recorded it on my laptop one day, completely forgot about it, and then a few weeks later, I went to start a completely different song when I saw a file called ‘bed’ on my laptop. That one line felt so different from anything I had ever written before, and once I continued to write it, I just knew it had to be my debut. It was definitely a gut feeling for me.
I’ve read that you started your progression of songwriting during the crazy times of 2020, which you took inspiration from diary entries and heartbreak. Has music always been something you were looking to pursue? If so, did you think the amount of vulnerability that you allowed to be heard would be as free flowing as it seems in bed?
Thuryah: Absolutely, ever since I was a kid, I knew I wanted to be a singer. My songwriting passion came a little later in life, but singing was what always made me the happiest. And because of that, I don't think there could have been anything that would have stopped me from releasing music one day. When I began songwriting, it was always just for me to listen to, so it allowed me to be vulnerable because I never thought anyone would hear it. Even though I had such a strong feeling that ‘bed’ would be my debut single, at that time, its only real purpose was for me to try to create something beautiful out of a really difficult situation for me. So, I accidentally fell into being a vulnerable lyricist, which I'm so grateful for.
You’ve got your debut EP, poetry i don’t write coming out on the 25th of October. What was the process of creating this EP like? What are listeners able to expect?
Thuryah: The process was a mixture of feelings. The entire EP was written while I was trying to heal, so actively writing was needed so I could process it all, but most of the time, it was really hard and draining. When you're trying to heal and move on from something in your life, the last thing you want to do is constantly dive back into it and try to remember and write down your deepest feelings about it. But that's how art works. You have to make those sacrifices, and if I didn't, this EP probably wouldn't exist. In the end, I am so proud of myself when I look at it all put together. I wrote each song in my bedroom by myself, and as someone who was always more passionate about singing than writing, I'm so proud of my work. Listeners can expect a big extension of the narrative from ‘bed’. You'll hear a deeper dive into the less romantic side of the story and a lot more self-awareness amidst it all.
Getting ready to give you all her musical goodness! Photo provided by Thuryah.
You’ve got a track titled The Nile on poetry i don’t write that you filmed the video back in Egypt and while the song is in English, you’ve got some lyrics in Arabic featured – first, that is incredibly special that you can pay homage to your culture and secondly, how important was it for you to bring that element to your EP?
Thuryah: Thank you so much. Growing up on the North Shore as an Iraqi girl, a lot of people had misperceptions about my culture and identity, so in return, unfortunately, a lot of my young years were spent not wanting to be part of my culture and refusing to identify myself with it at all. But as I got older, I learned to untangle this internalised racism and try my best to cherish my cultural and racial identity at every point in my life. I don't think my teenage self could have ever imagined I'd film a music video in an Arabic country or have Arabic lyrics so I’m just so proud that I could get to this point. I know this is something I'm going to be proud of for the rest of my life.
How do you feel that your music impacts others and what has the feedback been like since you released bed back in April?
Thuryah: Well, judging by all the sad girl playlists bed has been added to, I can imagine my music is something people resonate with when they're feeling heartbroken, reminiscent or just…sad. At first, I wasn't sure how to feel about that because releasing the song has been such a beautiful chapter for me. I forgot that I, too, was a sad girl when writing it. So, I understand, and I can only hope it's helping people validate how they feel in whatever they are going through. The feedback has felt magical. Sometimes, people compare the song to an artist I was listening to at the time, and I squeal inside. I always hoped it could be a song that would help someone, like my favourite songs helped me back then. So, I'm so grateful for such positive feedback.
How have you found your transition into the New Zealand music scene?
Thuryah: I think I’ve been transitioning well! With only one song out it’s hard to tell but I would love to be more in touch with other kiwi artists that’s for sure. Being a musician and pursuing musical dreams can feel very isolating at times so whenever I do find someone who’s on a similar path as me I get really excited. Hopefully when my EP comes out I’ll start to make more of those special connections.
The cover art for bed. Provided by Thuryah.
Besides music, what can you be found doing on your spare time?
Thuryah: Oh that’s a hard one, since the single has been out all I’ve been doing in my spare time is focusing on the EP! But in between my favourite thing to do is spend time with my loved ones. I often watch Disney movies with my family after work, have catch up dinners with my friends, or go see my boyfriend's basketball games. If It's not music stuff I try my best to stay present and not use any technology but spend my time with people I love and care about. Because otherwise all my time is honestly spent on my laptop planning my EP release so it’s important for me to be present in between and make those connections.
I hear you take a lot of inspiration from Lana Del Ray and Taylor Swift, both very prominent female musicians in the industry. What type of elements do you take from them and put into your own tracks?
Thuryah: I’m really obsessed with Lana’s melancholic yet epiphany-like melodies. I definitely took huge inspiration from her album NFR when writing the vocals for bed. The melodies in that album are forever inspiring to me. Taylor is obviously a master of story telling and her album folklore really inspired the opening track to the EP, intro. Although it doesn’t melodically sound very much like something she would put out, I think you can hear it in the lyrics how inspired I was by the ways she describes and values the small elements in a memory from what a person is wearing or how they moved when sitting next to you. It’s really amazing what they both can do.
What would your dream festival line-up look like?
Thuryah: Oooh, I mean Lana and Taylor have to be there but I would also love to see Madison beer, Arctic Monkeys and Sufjan Stevens! I’m an indie-pop girl for life.
What else is coming up in the world of Thuryah that we can expect?
Thuryah: I think people can expect me performing live a lot more after this EP is out. It’s always been something I’ve been very shy about but I think after this project is out I will be so excited to sing it live for everyone to see. But also I've been writing some new music that I’m so excited to share as well. I started writing this EP in 2020 so I’m definitely excited for a new era after the EP is out!
Thank you so much for taking the time to chat! I’m thoroughly looking forward to hearing your debut EP later this year! Would you like to add anything else to the interview?
Thuryah: Thank you so much for having me and for all the kind words! I really appreciate it!
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