Singer songwriter Tatum Tides is beautiful in every way. Picture Supplied
Gobsmacked and awe. Those are the first emotions that run through your entire body when hearing Tatum Tide’s voice for the first time, the second, the third, and forever. It’s soothing, haunting, sensual, and authentic, all mashed into a vocal delivery with storytelling lyrics that’s beyond exceptional. When she’s on stage, it’s magical, when meeting her, your heart skips a beat.
“Music has been my absolute passion and a part of my foundation since childhood,” Tides shared. Her style is a vibrant mix of covers and original songs, each infused with a unique and uplifting feel, which is how she prefers her arrangements. “My original songs have been written with guitar and ukulele throughout the past couple of years, and each has its special and inspiring feel,” she said. The occasional addition of harmonica in her sets adds a soulful layer to her performances. Her vocals along with guitar and happy-go-lucky ukulele tunes complete the picture.
Tides performed in Gauteng for the first time recently when the promoter of the Gin and Rum Festival invited her. “I believe that music is healing, and if I can at least share my music and reach a few souls along the way and along my musical journey, that would be the greatest honour,” she said.
And the event and festival circuit is where she wants to make her mark, first. “The dream is to share my original songs and perform at all of South Africa’s biggest music festivals and overseas,” she shared, and notes influences like Aurora and local South African musicians.
She aims to create music that resonates with people on a deeper level. “We are all African. It doesn’t matter what colour we are; it doesn’t matter what language we speak. We are all from the same roots. To bring that to my music and connect people back to nature and each other is significant to me,” Tides said. “I tend to smile a little more than usual, and I just adore connecting with people!” she said.
Tides’ upbringing was filled with musical influence. Her father, a jazz musician, and her mother, who filled their home with music on Sundays, provided an environment where melodies and harmonies were as common as conversations. “Whether it was our chilled Sunday’s gardening and swimming all day long with my mum’s radio playing in the background or enjoying my father as a full-time musician, music has always been around me,” she said.
Despite her musical background and the inevitability of her journey, it was not a slam dunk. “In high school, I tried a talent show, and I failed miserably,” she said. “I took my tooth out with the microphone, chipping it during my performance. It was terrible. It was the worst experience. I thought, okay, I’m never doing that ever again,” she smiled. However, her travels in Europe reignited her passion for music. “I was running out of money, bought a ukulele, and learnt how to play it. I started busking, and it just kind of grew from there,” she said.
Her time busking on the cobbled streets of Modena in Italy and other European cities allowed her to develop her craft. Returning home, she pursued her dream of performing live, and played at festivals like Splashy Fen and the Ballito Pro surfing competition, opened for well-known South African artists such as Matthew Mole, Jeremy Loops, MiCasa, and GoodLuck.
With Tides’ wealth of talent, though, it won’t be long before she headlines the bill.
Tatum Tides is not just a musician; she is a storyteller, a healer, and a connector. Sitting across a table from her conversation feels like an exploration of a maze, a chinwag that you never want to end, because there is so much to discover.
Her song writing process is organic and intuitive. “Sometimes it comes with the tune first or just the words,” she shared. “Sometimes it comes in the middle of the night. It’s weird. It just kind of happens. Likewise, it’s like the songs are in the air, and then they decide to come into my head and work through me,” she explained. Her songs are often inspired by nature and her experiences growing up by the ocean. “It’s just so special to me,” she said.
Beyond music, Tides is a Montessori teacher by day, running a small school in Durban’s North Coast. “The kids are so cute. It’s nice to kind of give back into that sort of thing, to see kids becoming so creative. It’s wonderful,” she said. Tides also loves tea, surfing, and experiencing different cultures, and she brings her passion collective into her music and performances. “I love love love curry and samoosas- they’re life!” she said.
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