Musician Interview: Tiny Habits Change Issues Up A Bit for “Keepers”

By Robert Duguay

As it has for many years, Boston has produced various bands whose attain extends effectively past the town they name dwelling. Among these of latest classic is Tiny Habits, a folk-pop trio of vocalists and multi-instrumentalists, comprising Cinya Khan, Maya Rae, and Judah Mayowa.

Over the previous a number of years, the group has steadily constructed up appreciable well-liked momentum, which is clear on its sophomore full-length disc, Keepers, launched right this moment by way of Mom + Pop Music. The album pairs rhythmic, emphatic preparations with lyrics that dip into introspection, generally even drawing on existential uncertainty. Representative tracks embody the early singles: “Anything He Was,” “Right in Front of Me,” and “Belt Loop.”

I spoke with Khan, Rae, and Mayowa concerning the band’s beginnings, the artistic course of behind Keepers, and what they hope listeners will take from the document.

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The Arts Fuse: Before beginning Tiny Habits in 2022, you all met on the Berklee College of Music throughout the top of the COVID-19 pandemic within the spring of 2021. At the time you have been residing in the identical dorm and doing covers of assorted songs in one another’s rooms. Looking again, what was it wish to collaborate with one another when the skin world had changed into mess and also you have been remoted in a single constructing?

Cinya Khan: It was wild, but additionally very cosmic in a method because of us all being in the precise place on the proper time.

Maya Rae: It felt prefer it was kind of destiny that put us there; on the time, we may solely hang around with individuals in our personal dorm constructing. We all occurred to be in the identical constructing, which turned out to be kismet. We all may sing collectively and hang around collectively throughout that point. We have been actually simply buddies and all of us occurred to get pleasure from singing collectively as effectively, which was a plus.

Judah Mayowa: The world was a really completely different place again then too. We weren’t socializing with anybody so by the point we began hanging out with one another we have been all sort of scared as a result of we had not talked to individuals for a very long time. We didn’t know that it was going to result in us singing with our greatest buddies perpetually — and right here we’re.

AF: Do you’re feeling that the bonding at the moment served as catalyst for what you’re doing? That the isolation was as kind of a silver lining?

Rae: 100%, completely.

Mayowa: We’re nonetheless making music collectively and creating issues collectively. I don’t assume that’ll ever change.

Khan: It’s a continuing bonding, a perpetually bonding.

Mayowa: It’s eternal.

AF: When it involves creating issues collectively, you could have a brand new album popping out referred to as Keepers. In making it, did you do something in a different way than you probably did to your debut full-length, All For Something, which got here out in 2024?

Mayowa: It was very, very completely different from what we’ve performed previously. We labored with all of our greatest buddies on the planet, together with Maya’s cousin Benjamin Millman, who’s the very best producer ever. It was much more enjoyable than doing the sooner recording  — I really feel like there was much more vitality. We had by no means performed something this energetic, loud, and belty earlier than. There have been quite a lot of nights we have been actually drained after having screamed throughout the day and singing actually loud. We turned extra trustworthy with one another and we obtained a bit of extra snug with one another by way of contributing our concepts. It was only a entire lot of enjoyable.

Rae: This time round we had a greater concept of what we needed this undertaking to appear like. We didn’t have all the pieces discovered, however by way of the best way we have been approaching the making of this album, we knew we needed to be extra creatively concerned. Going in with that mindset made it extra gratifying for all of us. In the primary one we had solely an x quantity of songs written, and  together with that stress we have been coping with the time crunch to get it out. It felt like we had much less freedom to precise ourselves as we needed to. This time round, we needed to vary that up.

AF: Last 12 months, you three obtained to tour with James Taylor, who’s an absolute legend within the singer-songwriter world, whereas doing a bunch of reveals with him in Phoenix, San Diego, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Toronto, and different places. Taylor additionally jumped in in your set throughout the Newport Folk Festival final month. What was the expertise like connecting with him, occurring tour with him, and sharing the stage with him?

Mayowa: It was so superb. We’ve by no means been on a tour that was so luxurious earlier than, and that was superb. It made us considerably spoiled as a result of now all the pieces else isn’t as much as the usual. He is the kindest individual ever. He has a lot expertise beneath his belt, and he gave us so many smart phrases and classes all through the months we obtained to share with him. It was simply probably the most lovely expertise, everybody he works with is so form, and we obtained to see so many new locations that we had by no means been to earlier than. James paved the best way for people music, so opening up for him was an excellent expertise with a cherry on prime. He’s the cream of the crop, as they are saying, so it was very particular.

AF: When artists launch a document, they’re inevitably involved that it join with their fan base. What could be the best response to Keepers when it comes out?

Khan: I hope our followers have enjoyable. There’s quite a lot of alternatives to bop, there’s quite a lot of songs which can be very excessive vitality, which is basically new for us. I additionally hope they resonate with quite a lot of the themes on the album, as a result of now we have expanded our emotional territory. Our tasks earlier than have been actually targeted on heartbreak, love, and relationships, however we’ve kind of ventured out farther this time. There’s extra for individuals to chew into, I assume.

Rae: I hope individuals can really feel a bit of extra related to the music than they’ve been earlier than whereas feeling a bit of nearer to us. A number of our writing was beforehand a few particular theme, however I believe now we’ve expanded what we’ve been writing about so we’re letting the listeners a bit of extra into our private lives. I hope that they really feel that, in a way, we’re humanizing ourselves. We’re not simply individuals on the web, we’re additionally actual people with tough lives. I hope they will hear that.

Mayowa: I hope that the individuals who hear this album discover consolation in it, not simply in a comfy method, however in a enjoyable method. Whether they’re dancing, having individuals over or needing a bit of cry, or taking a bit of stroll, I hope that individuals will make use of this album of their on a regular basis lives. It can be to ours — as a result of I’m gonna take heed to this music when it’s out.

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Rob Duguay is an arts & leisure journalist based mostly in Providence who’s initially from Shelton, CT. Outside of The Arts Fuse, he has additionally written for DigBoston, Aquarian Weekly, Providence Journal, Newport Daily News, Worcester Magazine, New Noise Magazine, Manchester Ink Link, and quite a few different publications. While masking largely music, he has additionally written about movie, TV, comedy, theater, visible artwork, meals, drink, sports activities, and hashish.