Rising Music Star Ania Tarnowska ‘I Ya Toyah’ On The Five Things You Need To Shine In The Music Industry

An Interview With Ming Zhao

You don’t have to know everything perfectly in order to create something meaningful. When I first started my solo project, it meant taking many roles all at once. I’ve struggled with the concept of producing my own music, it was something I barely knew how to do.

As a part of our interview series with leaders, stars, and rising stars in the music industry, we had the distinct pleasure of interviewing I Ya Toyah.

I Ya Toyah is not a musical act, she’s a movement.

In just a few short years, this Chicago area phenom has released several critically acclaimed recordings, organized the creation of multiple award-winning music videos, and toured the United States multiple times.

I Ya Toyah effortlessly combines elements of industrial, pop, electro, darkwave, and alternative rock into a unique aural tapestry that acts as the perfect backdrop for her intensely personal lyrics; but it’s the power and versatility of her voice that has the music industry talking. Her potent vocal performances effectively deliver a message that is modern, relatable, and speaks to the paranoia of everyday reality.

When spoken out loud in her native Polish, the words “I Ya Toyah” translate to “It’s just me.” These simple, but powerful words act as an unwavering mission statement that guides every aspect of her career as a musician, singer, composer, producer, remix artist, and performer.

She recently announced the release of Ghosts, a brand new acoustic EP that is scheduled for release October 28. The EP will feature haunting acoustic renditions of three of her previously-released songs.

Learn more at IYaToyah.com

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit about your “origin story”. Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?

I grew up in Poland’s industrial city Łódź, in the poor working class neighborhood during the times of political transformation and cultural revolution. I was into music since I can remember, stealing my big sister’s guitar and learning the basic chords when I was 5, only so that I had an instrument to accompany my singing and songwriting. Soon I auditioned at a music institute and began my classical music education. My childhood was very different from all the other kids around. It was day school and then, the music school, and then homeworks, practice, and sleep. But all this drastically changed when I was 12. On my way back from the music institute the car I was in got in a severe accident. My guitar went to shreds, and I went into a long term coma. When I miraculously woke up, nothing was the same. It took me years to come back to who I was, who I am, and today I continue living my musical life — the dream, interrupted.

Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?

Before I became I Ya Toyah — the one woman army solo project, I was a part of several musical initiatives and bands. I was particularly drawn to the metal music scene and its aggressive sound as a perfect cornerstone for powerful, strong singing and dramatic songwriting, so during that time I fronted a very cool metal band while also maintaining side projects that included live musical theater, punk rock jazz band, and Polish rock band. All this, however, was coming and going. All these fluctuations were the result of multiple people’ schedules, levels of passions and commitment. As these projects — which I invested all my time, love and devotion in — were falling apart, someone has told me something that resonated: ‘It’s not easy to match your passion. Most of us do it to kill time, to hang out. You do it out of love. You do it for real’. That, right there, stayed with me, and led me to this idea that perhaps I should create a project that is independent from anyone else — my self expression driven solo act. With that thought came all the tech ideas, all the solutions and the vision that the best type of music for such endeavor would be the mix of electronic and organic. Darkwave, electric sound of my voice and the machines. An industrial driven force of what has always been my inspiration- an eclectic amalgam of rock, dark pop, alternative. A canvas for the songwriting that, carrying on the darker note, would always resolve in hope. Yes, I want to bring hope to this world- hope through music, and connection with my audience.

Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

Ever since I Ya Toyah came to life, my reality has become different. From performing amazing venues with artists I’ve loved all my life, to meeting beautiful people, this adventure has been really good for me. There are so many stories highlighted in my head, it would take me days to share. If I’m to refresh a one particular memory, it would be one from earlier this year. My crew and I were heading towards the East Coast during my Winter East Coast 2022 tour. It was mid February in the Midwest, and as we were driving the weather was great but then suddenly we hit the blinding blizzard zone. We were stuck on the highway for 6 hours, unable to move due to the amount of crashes right before us. When the traffic finally started to move, we were forced to exit and drive on the small, dark country roads with zero visibility. It was the first time I had a trailer and the car put together for the tour, so it was a new and scary endeavor even without bad weather conditions. Driving that thing was a task, even on a beautiful sunny day. As we were falling into oblivion, I remember thinking: ‘ this is it. Tonight we die’. We didn’t die, but we never made it to my first show in Ohio. We arrived around 3 am, exhausted. But we were alive.

It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Haha, one of my first shows ever performed live was a very big deal to me. I shared the stage with Mortiis who has been my inspiration since I can remember. It was a dream show at the dream venue and I was very focused on making sure I’m very prepared and my stage production is top quality. I remember adding a new set of powerful lights to my setup and programming them at nights prior to this event. I spent some serious time planning my wardrobe for this. I wanted it to be very special, so I mixed delicate lace and ruffles with heavy leather and spikes elements. Then, we arrive at the venue for the load in and soundcheck. Soon people started to fill the venue. I went to the green room to change. And then I discovered I forgot my … pants. My heart stopped, literally. There was no way for me to go back, the venue was too far from where I lived. No stores around that could carry anything of a sort. I ended up wearing my lace and leather and… sweatpants that I had on me for the load in. It ended up being a ‘very special’ outfit, just not what I envisioned! (laughing). I guess my lesson is, always triple check everything. And this taught me well. Today I’m sort of paranoid, especially when it comes to the spare materials that might be ended for the live production side of things. I triple check everything these days!

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

My current new project is Ghosts, a very first I Ya Toyah’s acoustic EP. I’ve been thinking about arranging something stripped down in sound for a while. This EP is a very transparent, delicate and vulnerable release, as there is no hiding behind the massive sounds of synths and drums sequences. It’s just the raw vocals and piano. Pure emotion that I’ve always wanted to share with my fans. Now it’s here. It’s a very significant moment in my career and a big personal achievement as it was a risky move, and I did it anyway. My audience followed me on this journey, and I’ve been getting massive compliments for creating Ghosts. It means everything because throughout the timeline of my musical path countless music industry professionals have tried to put boundaries on me and the music THEY think I should be making. Many have even advised against releasing something as musically different as Ghosts. But I have more than one color, and more than one dimension. And for me, being able to express the entire array of human emotions is one of the most satisfying parts of making music.

We are very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in music, film, and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?

Humans are diverse creatures. We cannot exist in the locked ecosystem and expect growth of our potential. I remember vividly when the very first time I came to the USA, it was the multicultural landscape that made me fall in love with Chicago. The access to different influences, right there, in one city. The beautiful fusion of inspirations. But, to stay on track of answering your question,

1. Creation of new genres, trends and directions. Without different influences constantly infusing each other, we can never expect for something new to be created. We’d be stuck on the same old things.
2. There is endless wisdom coming from the experiences we encounter. The broader the reach, the greater the picture. Art doesn’t do well in the narrow minded environment. Diversity is that one element that brings the constant flow of fresh vision.
3. That feeling of safety in familiar settings, it might be comfortable but it’s a false impression because it leads us nowhere. The real comfort lies in letting go of what we cling onto so tight, and instead opening ourselves to new perspectives. Only then a miracle can happen, and don’t we all want that?

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each.

1. You don’t have to know everything perfectly in order to create something meaningful. When I first started my solo project, it meant taking many roles all at once. I’ve struggled with the concept of producing my own music, it was something I barely knew how to do. My first record, Code Blue, was a learning curve, from the ground up. I’d acquire production skills as I’d go, and this record is not perfect by no means. It’s raw in every aspect, and looking back I’m almost embarrassed because there are so many things I’ve learned since then that would make me change things, approach them differently. At the same time though, I’m still to this day receiving messages from my fans who tell me that this record changed their life. So, don’t hold back, don’t be afraid, just do it because it’s ‘not doing it’ that is the enemy of progress and achievement.
2. Gatekeeping is not an obstacle. It’s an opportunity. Gatekeeping is something that exists in every corner of this world. It’s a phenomenon that I think I understand, but at the same time I have a very hard time truly getting its long term purpose . As for many other artists who start on their own, from zero up, It’s been extremely hard to break through the wall and get good exposure for I Ya Toyah in the beginning. I figured, Idl listen to my peers’ advice and keep pounding on that wall. But I didn’t. Instead, I took a route around, the road less traveled and I found that the closed wall doesn’t reach everywhere. I was able to create my own industry relationships, and momentum. Today I don’t look back and I’m so happy I was able to discover that I can do things I aspire for, regardless of those issues. I’ll continue doing the same thing, because life is too short to sit around and wait for someone to open the door for you.
3. The accent is not a bad thing. It’s a bonus. For the longest time I thought that being different from anyone else is an obstacle. My Polish accent was making me feel inadequate. Little I knew it was and is one of my strongest sides. I get a lot of compliments about the way I pronounce and word things. I guess no speech therapist for me, haha.
4. Say yes a lot, but don’t be afraid to say no due to the FOMO. Things happen when you say ‘yes’, opportunities arise when you do so — this is what I was told by one of my music business professors. I agree, except there are times when you have to say ‘no’, simply in the act of self love. I caught myself grabbing too many ‘opportunities’ all at once because of saying ‘yes’ to all of them, thinking that I can’t miss out on this collaboration, that collaboration, this networking event, that studio internship… Today it is very different. I put myself first, and I only say ‘yes’ if I know it won’t cause me pressure and I will actually enjoy it, and be able to fulfill the obligation. I haven’t experienced FOMO. I have peace and balance and that is what I need in order to create music.
5. Mental health comes first. It ties with my previous point, and is probably the most important one of all 5. I am very involved in the suicide prevention and mental health causes, and it’s due to my Mom’s sudden suicide, which heavily affected me and the way I see things. Mental distress is the greatest struggle not only for creativity, but also health. I guess I am able to see it now, because of this tragic situation that happened to my family. There is not a day that I don’t think about it. And, I practice that wisdom, starting with myself. I spent time looking inside, analyzing my feelings, trying to understand the deeper needs that hide underneath the facade of a smile. The truth is, very little can be done if we are unwell. But when we are all taken care of, we can move the mountains. This applies to everyone and anyone. Mental health is a priority, a start of a very important chain reaction — so we have strength to inspire others to take care of their own and those around them.

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?

Take rejuvenating breaks, but don’t give up, and don’t fear that you will be forgotten.

Stay true to yourself and your goals — it’s the backbone of any long term success — at least in my dictionary.

Listen to your heart, don’t filter through- its rhythm has all the answers. Ignore the noise around you, because it’s your life you’re living.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

It would have to be a Movement for Hope. I truly believe that if we lack hope, we lose a clear insight on how things are, and what can be done- what WE can do to keep going, and live the best life, while having a good impact on others. I’m not talking about the false sense of hope, rather it’s that encouragement to see things in all the angles- not only the negative ones. There is always an angle that has that positive potential, but often it is hard to see. My movement would help find it. It’s in the small things: nature, smile, cup of tea, and act of kindness. It’s inside of us, it’s there already.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

It has to be Brad Pack, my professor from the time when I was in school working to earn a Music Business Degree. He was my audio professor, teaching the music production principles. I graduated school in September 2016 with Valedictorian credits, but I felt very insecure about the technical aspects of my knowledge. I felt like there was so much to know, so much more to understand, it was a paralyzing thought. Then, my band broke up in 2017 and I decided, in the half lucid moment, that I will become a solo, self produced act. I really liked that thought, it allowed me to move on from the heartbreak of my band breaking up but then came reality. How to do this, where to start? I reached out to Brad, and told him my situation, asking for guidance, some kind of advice. He then said- and I’ll never forget this- you got this! It’s a great vision and you got this! He then offered his help, so when I started to make songs I had a pair of his very skilled ears to bounce the projects off. He encouraged me in ways I can never fully explain with words. He told me that he was shocked how good the songs I sent him were, which motivated me to keep working on more. He then mixed and mastered them, and there was the Code Blue album- my debut record, self written, self produced, just like I wanted. I am beyond grateful that Brad was there. I don’t know if I could move past my own insecurities if not his cheering and helping hand. I’m not sure what I Ya Toyah would be, and if it would be at all.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, shift your energy to what you can create.”

This quote is my life. The first memory of applying it to reality would be the time when I was only 5 years old, and I didn’t have the toys my peers had because my parents couldn’t afford them at that time. I didn’t cry or dwell over it, I grabbed the vegetables from the home produce box and carved faces on potato, carrot and celery. Here were my new toys! They were amazing. This approach has helped me in life tremendously. Even the I Ya Toyah project exists as a result of it: I couldn’t decide for the musicians around me to level up their passion and commitment, so I went ahead and created a solo project. Like a motto, it’s with me everywhere I go.

Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)

I’d love to meet David Lynch. Having coffee and conversation with him would be my dream come true. I am a huge fan of everything he has ever done artistically, and I’m deeply influenced by his visual creations and musical choices for their soundtracks. It would be a very elevating experience, to be able to talk with him and connect in person.

How can our readers follow you online?

My website, I Ya Toyah DOT com ( https://www.iyatoyah.com ) is the place where all the links to all the platforms and social media I’m on can be found, as well as my music, videos, photos, tour dates, merch and more. It’s also a place where you can subscribe to I Ya Toyah Cult, which is my monthly newsletter and giveaway of merch.

I’m also on bandcamp:

https://iyatoyah.bandcamp.com/,

On Spotify :

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5pig0rzYT7aqLkAryQjF45.

Thank you for visiting, subscribing, and all the support! As an independent artist, I cannot tell you how much I value each and single one of my fans on these platforms. It’s very powerful!

This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!

Thank you so much for having me. Best of luck and much love!