I spent a fine Sunday afternoon chatting with the radiant local indie artist Tamara Hendin, and I am writing to shine a spotlight on her projects, her talent and the nuance she brings to the new local scene.
Tamara is an 18 year old singer-songwriter, who, has meandered the nooks and crannies young musicians often discover on their journeys in songwriting. As we spoke, she ruminated the bank of music she's developed over time; where she started, and where she's ended up. Tam talked the future and where she hopes to find herself in the years to come, stating that with the formulation of her new band (Daisy Pattinson, Rosa Strudwick, Jack Dean), "We’ve got some plans to record a possible EP. People are interested in working with me, with the band and we’ve been researching some studios so it’s definitely on the table.”
No doubt, there is a splendent future awaiting her as an emerging artist, unique songwriter and a gracious, articulate and enchanting human being.
It is widely discussed, amongst musicians, that in the current industry there are certain unwritten expectations that artists feel they need to meet; such as releasing a selection singles over a period of time to 'build traction', and social media upkeep being a huge factor for aspiring artists. Her debut single 'Superficial' was released in August 2024, and as noon struck, Tam and I discussed the unexpected turmoil that comes with the release of a song.
“Once you’ve put something out into the world", she said, "it feels like people are expectant of you. Your numbers go up massively and you’re all over social media, it gives you such a boost but it’s hard when you come off that and start to plateau, especially when you’ve created this finished product. Then going back to the drawing board and trying to write a new song is tough.”
After remarking her fondness of the Lotus biscuits she was gifted with her coffee, Tam explained her history in writing. The young writer has undertaken a journey with her lyricism that has matured alongside her, with her very first song being composed collaboratively with a friend at the age of 9, titled, innocently, "Why Do Trees Grow?".
She presented reflective and humble, whilst delighted and amused as she pondered her archive of songs and lyrics. "I'm thankfully past the 'writing bitchy songs' phase" she laughed. "I like it to be more about the human experience. I read a lot and, especially with fiction, it evokes these ideas of emotional perspectives that aren’t your own. That's something I find hard to grapple with", she went on; "My songs tend to feel written from my own perspective. I want to be able to write about the 8 billion other people on earth!”
Every writer has their preferred technique. Some work line by line, while others indite a favourable motif to run with. As we delved into how she begins to create and formulate music, Tam demonstrated the endless scrawls of lengthy pages rich with ideas for a song she's been working on. I was in delicate awe of her magnificent and messy scibbles, as word after word, phrase after phrase, danced before my eyes. I paused to glance out of the rickety sash window I sat in front of. "None of that made it into the song!" she smiled.
Tamara's writing appears to include a level of hunting and gathering sums of beautiful ideas, and then as a song is birthed, granting attention to every detail, with intricate changes until it streams towards its destination.
“For me my songs are never really finished products." She continued; "I’m very open to people giving me their creative opinions…but there are a few songs at least that I’m so proud of and I know I wouldn’t change - in my mind they’re done, and I think when other people hear them they think they’re done too…but these are songs I’ve re-written hundreds of times that, after an age, have finally reached the final thing. Sometimes I wish I could just create that first time, which could be what makes it hard to start creating in first place, you start expecting much more from yourself.”
Tamara is currently in the process of organising a fundraiser complete with live music and an excellent raffle, with the intentions of helping the local music scene; the artists and, particularly, it's venues.
Fund the Sound will take place on the 8th April 2025, hosted by the venue that the fundraising will be put towards helping; The Boileroom, Guildford.
I asked Tam how the idea for the event came about, and she replied;
“I said to my friend who works at the Boileroom on a whim, wouldn’t it be cool to host an event here. I also got interested in helping independent venues and did lots of research on MVT (Music Venue Trust). In 2023, 125 independent venues closed down, which is something like two a week, it’s crazy. Last year the numbers fell but it’s still pretty bad, and so I decided to do a fundraiser for the Boileroom as it’s a venue that means so much to me and local performers. It’s super important as community space too, as well as a live music venue…it’s where we all, as artists, start.”
See Tamara next at Boileroom, Guildford (GU1 4LS), 08/04/25
Link to tickets: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/boileroom/1583523?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAacdKfvt7gAkhWJc_dd6Y-STghO_CzyQQY7kOV7oadizz8nqVxbGMG64ghyT_A_aem_epAek6Ygm-tbyGQ7do8p0A
Contact: tamarahendinmusic@gmail.com
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