What’s your stage name and where are you from?
My stage name is TallBoyShort, and I’m from the UK.
What’s the story behind your stage name?
Friends of mine, Pebs and Andy H, gave me the name when I was DJing. The joke was, “he’s not Fatboy Slim but Tall Boy Short,” as I am very tall and slim.
Describe your musical journey in three sentences.
During lockdown, I started to mess around with a free DAW and put together a few music tracks. I got hooked on computer-made music, spent time learning music theory, and explored VSTs (Virtual Studio Technology) and DAW tools. My music combines Deep House, Synthwave, Electronic rock/pop, and Contemporary sounds influenced by the great synthesizer bands of the late ’70s and ’80s, the era I grew up in.
Share an interesting experience you had while creating your latest track.
My latest album is 80s Vibes, but before that, I decided to try some hip-hop/rap-style songs—this isn’t my usual listening area. It’s always good to step outside your comfort zone. I’m now working on new tracks to be released soon, as well as a remix ready for Christmas.
What message do you want to convey through your music?
Music is for everybody. It makes people happy, sad, and takes you on a journey. Everybody remembers certain times through certain songs.
Tell us about a challenge you faced during production and how you overcame it.
Learning music theory was hard, especially finding the right key, chords, and notes to keep everything in tune. My keyboard and pads helped since you can dial in the key you want, but it still requires practice. Making the final master sound great was also a pain—getting the right mix and feel takes a lot of trial and error. I now rely on some go-to plugins that help me achieve the sounds I’m looking for.
If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be and why?
I don’t have a specific answer because I’ve had no help with my productions; I’m entirely self-taught. However, I’d love for someone to send me ready-made vocals so I can arrange the music around them. That would be a great experience instead of buying pre-made vocals online.
Where do you see your music taking you in the next year?
Hopefully, I can get more listeners and build up a solid fan base. It costs a lot of money to advertise, and since I produce music at home, I can’t do stage or DJ sets, which makes it harder to get heard. I’ve also been working on a classical track for the last year, but it’s proving to be quite a challenge—I keep coming back to it.
What’s the next big step for you as an artist?
I’ll keep learning and making the music I like. It’s easy to make mainstream music that sounds the same, but I enjoy creating something unique. Still, mainstream tracks could get club plays and faster recognition.
Are there any other promotional opportunities you’re looking for to boost your visibility?
Yes, I’m always looking for ways to increase my fan base.
Where can we hear/watch your most recent work?
You can visit my website, www.tallboyshort.com, where I have links to Spotify, Apple Music, and more. I do all my own website hosting and album cover artwork too.
What is the best way to contact you if fans want to give feedback or if other artists/producers want to collaborate?
You can email me at music@tallboyshort.com, or use the contact link on my website.
