Over the past decade, Tawiah has self-released two EP’s; In Jodi’s Bedroom (2007) and Recreate (2017) which she toured with Moses Sumney. In 2019 she released her debut album Starts Again, touring with Michael Kiwanuka. Tawiah has worked in collaboration with artists including: Dev Hynes, Kindness, Mark Ronson, Cinematic Orchestra and Kano. She is also a TV and film composer, most recently composing a score for an ITV drama due for release later this year.
Artist and composer Tawiah is set to release her second album Ertha in collaboration with artist Al Moore later this year with a series of site specific installations and live performances.
The new work Ertha is a concept album, created collaboratively through a process of storytelling and musical interpretation.
Through a series of original writings and poems Al tells a story of the human journey as one of ‘getting lost in order to be found’, suggesting that despite unavoidable suffering there is great hope in this; it is by navigating darkness that we find light. Tawiah composed music in response to these writings.
The album depicts Ertha’s life from birth to death; her journey represents that of the individual and the collective, we also hear from the ever present, objective universe. The pair describe the process as akin to working with a script as an actor and director, and the outcome as a cohesive musical story as opposed to simply tracks on an album. Ertha was written and recorded at their home during the Covid19 lockdown, co-produced by Jodi Milliner (Kano, Sam Smith) and mixed by Blue May (Kano, Joy Crookes). It was agreed that the raw unpolished nature of the home recordings was part of Ertha’s story and charm and the record is set for release later this year.
“The process of collaborating with Al within the limitations of my home studio has been liberating, it forced me to work in new ways and to push myself musically, my creativity feels limitless and unbounded. I see now that, like Ertha, getting lost is what gives us the strength of character we need to find, and be, who we really are. I am grateful for this journey.” – Tawiah