In Conversation With #127 - Tim Chadwick
Talented Irish artist Tim Chadwick has just released his EP ‘Timothy’ - which is five honest tracks that explore the themes of loneliness, self reflection and re-gaining confidence. Tim took a moment to talk to us about the EP in more depth.
Hey Tim, how are you? So your EP is out now - how does it feel to have it out there in the world?
It feels very cathartic. I lived with a lot of these emotions for over a year and as much as I have been doing a lot of work on myself, it'll be nice to be free of them and move forward. I'm excited for the world to hear what the last year of my life sounds like.
It is titled ‘Timothy’ - does that mean it’s about you?
Correct. I wrote it for me as a sort of reconnection and reintroduction for myself. I wanted to take a trip back to 11 year old Timothy because felt like the last time I was carefree and fully present. I think as I got older I lost parts of myself and I desperately wanted to restore them. As much as it is selfishly about me, I'd hope that people can find something in it for them. I went through a rollercoaster of self love and self acceptance through writing this and came out the other side so I would like for listeners to have that same experience throughout.
Where was the EP recorded? Any behind the scenes stories from creating it?
The EP was recorded in my good friend/producer, Seán Behan's, home. We locked ourselves away for the guts of a month recording this. It was so rewarding making something with a true friend and with someone who sees you and care about what your message is. I actually created studio vlog/lyric videos as I documented the entire experience which you can find them on my Youtube channel. In terms of behind the scenes stuff, there is an easter egg within 'In Another Life' where I hide an old Vine reference in the second verse. Sneaky sneaky.
A lot of this EP was written during lockdown - do you feel that setting changed the way you write music?
Definitely. All of life's distractions were taken away from me during lockdown, so I really had to sit and relearn myself all over again after a breakup. There was no way to avoid myself so therefore the EP became deeply personal and almost conversational. I had to learn how to speak kinder to myself, like in Only Me, and I also had to flag the bad habits I have developed as an adult, like in Search Party. There's a lot of conversations about accountability within the lyrics of the EP.
What are the key themes and influences on the EP?
I would say, self-love, self-discovery, heartbreak and healing. My life over the last year really influenced the making of the EP. I was listening to a lot of Hayley William's 2020 album, Petals for Armour. It really helped me process a lot of the foreign feelings I had been experiencing. It also helped me learn to thrive in my own skin and independence. I also had Maggie Rogers, Haim, MUNA, Caroline Polachek, Troye Sivan, Christine and The Queens on repeat. The list goes on.
Do you have a favourite lyric on the EP? If so, which one and why?
This is a hard question as I have never been prouder of lyrics, than I am on this EP. It changes a lot, but at the moment I'd have to say it's a line from the second verse of 'Only Me':
"I'm gonna spend my nights,
Talking up myself in the mirror, and
Ripping up holes in all of my jeans.
Making something new from all this worn out denim".
It reminds me how it is possible to turn something seemingly torn and tattered into something new and beautiful.
I'm also proud of the imagery in 'In Another Life':
"You're classic like the fable,
Must have fell from heaven's cradle.
I'm jealous of the sky."
All I see is a body slowly falling through the clouds down to earth and how envious you are that the sky gets to spend more time with them than you.
Now the EP is out there, what next for you?
After last year, I'm really trying to not wish for too much. I just hope that the EP helps listeners get a stronger understanding of me, but also of themselves. I hope that it falls into the hands of the right people. I'm LIVING for the day that we can play shows again safely. I miss screaming down the microphone! But I don't want this EPs first outing to be one of limited connection as it would be totally contradictory to the message behind it. So I'll have to keep patient and reschedule shows for when it feel right. I'm already working on the next project, I couldn't stop writing once the flood gates opened. It's all still a bit blurry in my mind as to what it is but once I get into the studio I'm sure it will fall into place.