Today we’d like to introduce you to Tamika J.
Tamika, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
Oh wow, the first image that crosses my mind is me in my closet singing and just letting all kinds of notes out, and to my surprise, it sounded great. I knew at that moment that I fell in love with music and singing. Fast forward to when MTV, VH1, and BET were notorious for playing music videos instead of reality shows. As a kid, I would sit down in front of the TV listening to Brandy, Mary J Blige, Toni Braxton, Sade (and so many other artists) I would get lost on the music. I also knew at that moment I wanted to be an icon and that I wanted to be an artist as well. I would lock myself in the room and write a song about EVERYTHING I even wrote a song about Target hahaha! I wrote about my childhood experiences and my wishes… EVERYTHING! Songwriting helped me to find my voice, my confidence, and my sound. Fast forward to graduating from college, I immersed myself in the studio, went to local talent shows, auditions. I’ve been going hard since 2009, and I’m still on the journey. I have released two projects Entitled “Acoustically Speaking Vol. 1 and 2”, I also have released singles, and my latest single Same Man and P.S.A are doing so so well. The journey continues so stay on board.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do? Why? And what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I create music. I create sound, I create a moment, I create conversation through my vocals. The message is transparency because at the end of the day we all have a story, and I am telling my story through music. Healing and joy takes place when an artist uses their art to tell their story. The inspiration is life because without my life experiences so many songs won’t be shared and written. I create through life lessons, and I allow my pen and my creativity to be free.
Artists face many challenges, but what do you feel is the most pressing among them?
Wow, that’s a loaded question because there is so much to say about this. I literally don’t know where to start lol, but I know the lack of money is something a lot of indie artists such as myself struggle with. I have so many great ideas, but the lack of money is always an issue. Another issue is what sells vs. what’s authentic… many artists face the struggle with finding a quick radio hit than putting out music that truly defines their sound. Some other issues are, comparing yourself to artists on social media, finding the right producer that understands your sound, marketing, being a woman especially a black woman in the industry, venues, and promoters not respecting your artistry. The list can go on and on, but one thing I stay true to is MY artistry I don’t allow anyone to define it for me… Tamika J defines who she is and if you rock with it ..let’s continue this ride and if you don’t then get off the boat and find someone you rock with because I’m still here… I ain’t going nowhere Lol!
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
You can find my music everywhere actually 🙂 I am on ALL music outlets such as Tidal, Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music, SoundCloud EVERYWHERE also you can find me on my website at www.tamikajmusic.com
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tamikajmusic.com
- Email: tamikajmusic@gmail.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/tamikajmusic
- Facebook: Fb.com/tamikajmusic
Image Credit:
@kenirish
Getting in touch: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
