By Kate Oczypok By Kate Oczypok | November 26, 2019 |
From formerly fronting punk outfit TAT to touring with Joan Jett and more, Tatiana DeMaria has firmly cemented herself as a buzzy, not-to-be-missed talent on the music scene. Last year, we chatted with DeMaria about making music as a solo artist, her memories of Warped Tour and more.
Tatiana DeMaria
Congrats on branching out as a solo artist. What has life been like on your own?
TATIANA DEMARIA: Thanks! It’s very much the same as with a band, to be honest. I’m still writing all the music and doing a lot of production, so the main difference for me is in the sound and the songs I’m making. The band on stage is still a three-piece setup, so adjusting the sound to fit the new music is its own process. Our TAT fans have been so supportive and have been coming out to the solo shows, too, and jumping on board. Overall, I’m feeling grateful and super excited to drop more tunes soon.
What was the most inspiring part about touring with artists like Joan Jett and The Offspring?
TD: It was so early on in my career [touring with] The Offspring that the sheer size of the venue took most of my attention off the bat. I was around 17, it was my twelfth-ever show and we played to 18,000 at Bercy Arena in France, where I had grown up but wasn’t living at the time. I remember watching Atom play drums and loving how steady he was and how hard he hit. The Offspring were tight as all hell and on-point musically. It was great to watch. They were very graceful and kind as people, which was also great to absorb.
Joan Jett is lovely, and her label and team were very supportive. [When] I was 18 [I] had been called a little Joan Jett by a close friend...Joan and her band are tight as well, with a brilliant consistency to their shows, much like the Offspring, which is something that will always pique my interest. She has awesome bandmates and it was just a great experience meeting Joan and her crew on Warped and watching her play daily.
What was performing at Warped Tour like? What's some of the feedback you received?
TD: I’ve performed several times and each one has had its highlights. Overall, the sense of camaraderie between bands and crew alike is what I take from it in the long run. Lifelong friends, fans—it’s truly a beautiful and unique experience every time.
Feedback-wise, the fans at Warped have always blown me away: [Being] in the heat, getting out to see their favorite bands and all-day giving every ounce of energy they had to us and going bonkers with us. Most of them have stayed with me and are just diehard music fans in general, which I love. I’ve been lucky enough to receive some good deals, playing with and making friends with bands I grew up listening to, like NOFX, Bad Religion, Pennywise, Bouncing Souls, and then getting to tour together.
I remember Fat Mike [of NOFX] walking up to my bass player, who had one of our shirts on, and said "TAT! I f***ing love that band." As a big NOFX fan growing up, that hit me. NOFX have been incredibly supportive and kind over the years and I love those guys. [Warped Tour founder] Kevin Lyman has also been relentlessly supportive and I owe a lot to that man. From putting me on Warped Tour and championing my band and my solo project, it’s more feedback [than] one can ask for, so again, I’m very grateful.
What can we expect from your debut album? What's the vibe of the songs?
TD: An evolution sonically. I think the songs do the best job of describing where I’m going, so I’ll let them be a surprise and hope you dig what you hear.
Where would you like your music career to be in the next few years?
TD: Still here on planet Earth, but hopefully covering more of the planet.
Photography by: Courtesy of Tatiana DeMaria