Tiara Thomas is a R&B singer/songwriter that you should keep your eyes and ears on. We were first introduced to Thomas on rapper Wale’s hit single “Bad” which went platinum 3 times over—and rightfully so. Thomas is an artist and she’s sensitive about her [email protected] to quote the great Erykah Badu, so while we await for Thomas’ debut album she’s writing major hits for other industry friends and entertainers. She won a Grammy for Song of the Year for co-writing “ I Can’t Breathe.” In addition, she snagged a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Song for “Fight for You,” which she co-wrote for the film Judas and the Black Messiah.
Below, Thomas tells us how she got into the biz and her process for writing songs for herself as well as others.
EBONY: How did you get into singing/songwriting?
Tiara Thomas: I’ve been singing since I was really little, but I started playing guitar when I was 12. I was writing my own songs by freshman year of high school, and I just kept practicing until I got my first placement with a song called “The Cloud,” in which I sang and played guitar for my first recording. It was released on Wale’s More About Nothing mixtape.
Does your writing process differ when writing for yourself and others? If so, how?
It’s definitely different. I like to write about whatever the artist wants to sing about that day. So I sit in the studio and get to know them for a while and ask them about any keywords that are on their mind, and I kind of write based on that. When I’m in the studio writing for myself, I’m just focused on myself.
Having already achieved a Grammy under your belt for your songwriting, what other categories would you love to win one in next?
My dream is to be nominated for best new artist, Although I’m not technically “new,” I have yet to release my debut album, so maybe I’d still qualify as a new artist.