Equipped with a distinct voice combined with raw, honest storytelling, Thandi Phoenix continues to gain traction within the local and international music scenes.
With the likes of Jhene Aiko, Tinashe, Rudimental and Tinie Tempah having endorsed her talent, one can only wonder what she will do next as she prepares for her own headline tour as well as Yarrabah Music and Cultural Festival (FNQ) this June.
Thandi’s music flourishes effortlessly combining house with a hint of UK garage and drum & bass in one powerful, emphatically soulful blend.
Now the dancefloor soul queen has teamed up with UK powerhouse Sigma to drop the single ‘Say It’. The song highlights the power of vulnerability and the desire for someone to be completely honest and bold about their feelings towards you.
The track also showcases Thandi’s ability to glide effortlessly between electronic genres; her incredibly versatile vocals are the perfect marriage to the anthemic house production Sigma is known for.
Thandi's vocals soar above Sigma's pounding drums and pulsing low-end. “The vocals were mainly done here in Sydney, and then they worked on the production over there,” Thandi says. “We did a back and forth workspace in London, and then we combined online to get it where it is today.
"I absolutely loved London; it’s such a melting pot of people and cultures, such a bustling and rich nightlife, so much music, I felt really at home over there.”
With her recent and powerful triple j Like A Version cover of Portishead's ‘Glory Box’, the Sydney creative has now performed on the same stage as luminaries Childish Gambino, Arctic Monkeys and Billie Eilish.
“Yeah, that’s a trip; Like A Version was one of the goals I always wanted to hit. So when I got the call, I was over the moon.
"We had about two weeks [to prepare], and when there's such a high level of standard to live up to, having that opportunity, I just wanted to smash it.
“I knew Portishead was the [act] I wanted to [cover]. I was reluctant to do any others, and I was ecstatic it turned out the way it did.”
Thandi draws influence from a cocktail of artists past and present. “I think I’ve used many different genres to help shape my sound; funnily enough I did get into drum & bass because of Rudimental; it all just fell into place.
"I remember listening to the record ‘Home’ [Rudimental's debut album] and absolutely falling in love with it, and I’d never heard this stuff before.
"I was very much a D'Angelo and Lauryn Hill fan, and I loved my jazz, soul and R&B, and then later [I] started to hear the UK artists like Disclosure, Sigma and Rudimental.”
Thandi will also make her debut at Australia’s biggest music festival – Splendour – and she’s super excited. “I was so happy to find out [I was on the 2019 line-up]; it's obviously one of those benchmarks you want to hit, so I’m ecstatic to play it.”
She's also in rarified air, having managed to encounter Beyoncé in real life; well not exactly. “The first, big concert I went to was Destiny’s Child at the [Sydney] Entertainment Centre when I was about eight. I took my little autograph book, then all of a sudden a long, black stretch limo pulls up and then it was just chaos.
“Next thing I know, I’m at the front of the pack pressed against the limo with a swarm of squealing girls around me. My hand goes through the open window and [I] grab hold of the nearest thing I could. That being Beyoncé’s hair… her beautifully soft, foxy Cleopatra do. It was like touching a cloud.
"Then reality hit – she was probably trying to lift the window without breaking some weird, little girl's hand that was attached to her hair. What a little creep I was, but what a great school night. Let’s do it again.”
Thandi Phoenix plays Yarrabah Music & Cultural Festival (as part of Queensland Music Festival) at Jilara Oval (Yarrabah) 15 June. She also plays Splendour In The Grass (Byron Bay) 20 July.
Thandi Phoenix 2019 Headline Dates
Fri 7 Jun - Fat Controller (Adelaide)Fri 21 Jun - The Lansdowne (Sydney)
Sat 22 Jun - UC Refectory (Canberra)
Fri 28 Jun - The Workers Club (Melbourne)
Sat 29 Jun - The Milk Factory (Brisbane)
