We were lucky to catch up with Trisha Tamblyn recently and have shared our conversation below.

Trisha, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I’ve always loved the arts, and felt drawn to a life involving them in one way or another. Music had always been the closest to my heart, but it wasn’t until I was 16 that I finally saw my future.

One of my high school friends was a die-hard Paramore fan, so naturally I got him tickets to see them for his birthday. I had listened to their stuff before and liked them, so I figured it would be a good time. Little did I know that everything would change for me at that show!

From the moment Hayley Williams came onstage, I was enamored. The way she commanded the stage; delivering both powerful vocals and insane presence, I started crying it was so amazing! I knew right then that I was watching my ideal life. I know that no matter what, I needed to do that – command a stage and have the time of my life – for as long as I could.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’ve been writing songs for as long as I can remember, but I didn’t seriously get into composition or production until college. I grew up in a small mountain town in northern Wyoming, where country music is king. I had a deep love for jazz, and that developed into a love for pop punk & rock, which has brought me to where I am today! I studied Music Business & Entrepreneurship at Lindenwood University, where I also met my music-making-partner-in-crime, John Walth.

Somebody once called me an Emo Jazz Witch in passing, and it stuck! That’s who I am, in a nutshell. I just released my debut album “Elixir” which is the culmination of the past few years’ experiences. It has elements of jazz snuck in between the pop/punk/rock songs, fulfilling the namesake of Emo Jazz Witch. John and I worked tirelessly on this album, and I couldn’t have done it without him. Lots of heartache and growth made this album my proudest accomplishment, and I’m so excited to be able to share these stories with you all!

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

When I was 14, I was diagnosed with Type II Chiari Malformation. I had a pretty severe case, so I went into surgery just a few weeks after diagnosis. Chiari Malformation is essentially a malformation of the skull or spinal cord that causes the brain to descend into the spinal canal, blocking or interrupting the flow of spinal fluid.

In the weeks following my surgery, I wasn’t allowed to laugh, cough, sneeze, jump, yell, sing, or cry, as it would cause too much pressure in my head. Because I had such a severe case, the surgery wasn’t guaranteed to fix my problem or alleviate my symptoms, and it became very clear that a life in the arts may not be possible.

I decided to fight against it, and put in the work to live the healthiest life I could to help keep my symptoms at bay. I wanted to prove that people like me, who also suffer from Chiari, can do it all. It’s incredibly difficult and painful, but we can do it.

I still have symptoms of Chiari, and often times singing is so painful that I can’t stand while performing. But I know that my life is meant to be one led by music, and I won’t give that up.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I had probably the most rewarding moment of my creative career just a few weeks ago, actually! I teach private lessons in addition to running my own musical career, and many of my students ask about my endeavors. I think it’s important that they see that I’m doing the thing, so they can continue to push themselves as well.

A few weeks ago, I came into the music school where I work and I heard something familiar. I stopped in my tracks as I realized it was one of my songs, “Secret Agent”, being played by one of our student bands! And one of my vocal students was singing it!

The most rewarding part of being an artist is having your stories resonate with someone else. So many of these songs came from moments of intense pain in my life, and I wanted to take those lessons and turn them into something I could see as beautiful. The fact that somebody else can see that, and feel something from it, is beyond words. And to hear my own student singing my song? I burst into tears!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://trishatamblyn.bandzoogle.com/home
• Instagram: @trisha.tam
• Facebook: Trisha Tamblyn
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCGjBSuINZvOJgSAxsVH0mxg?si=cDGsc5Sc1iG9dpaM
• Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/3Efqe4pTHuWngjiCP6hl5Z?si=UJA5AteXRs-yR6z92zeNvw

  Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/elixir/1763401723

Image Credits

Brooke Alexandra Photography, Taylour Moenster Photography