Whitney Tai, a native New Yorker, has been in the world of music since her first live performance (which was with her father) at just seven years old. She continued to foster her love of music through side performances while she attended the New York School of Interior Design to study Architectural Design, and is currently chasing her passion in Los Angeles.
Tai has collected various honors for her musical skills, namely being named one of the best live bands in LA by Music Connection Magazine in 2018 and being named Best Vocalist at the InterContinental Music Awards in 2021. Since the beginning of her musical career, Tai has also released two albums – Apogee and Metamorphosis.
Both of these albums showcase Tai’s distinctive musical style and highlight her ability to transcend across genres. While catchy, her songs are also inquisitive and provocative; making these albums not just a combination of songs, but a full musical experience. The albums are enjoyable because they harness multitudes of musical styles, allowing people interested in all genres to find something they love. The well-structured backtracks flow into Tai’s powerful voice and allow the listener to encompass all aspects of the songs.
While many songs in this day and age are made simply to collect media attention, Tai’s work focuses on the meaning of it all. Her songs are more poetic than most, connecting with the listeners and letting them know that we all have our struggles. Through her collaboration with producer Tommy Hatz, she has broadcasted a message of acknowledging the dark side of society and overcoming pain.
Her newest single, “Rhea”, is just a glimpse of her album American Wasteland, which drops today. This song is very melancholy and reflective, almost haunting, and inspires listeners to look deeper into the unhealed part of themselves. Combining multiple genres such as country, folk, pop, and rock, Tai achieves a sound unlike any other. Written during a very painful time in her life in which she experienced the loss of her father, Tai manages to take the pain and transform it into something beautiful. The message in “Rhea” can apply to all of us and so can the rest of American Wasteland; be sure to check it out.
