Katy Tiz Talks “The Big Bang”, Second Chances And Her Debut LP: Idolator Q&A

Katy Tiz is one of the feel-good success stories of 2014. The blond bombshell generated significant buzz with catchy RedOne-produced club-banger “Red Cup” last year but, for whatever reason, it didn’t take off and she found herself without a label. Instead of packing her bags and heading back to England, the persistent diva stuck it out and eventually hooked up with production outfit Rock Mafia.

They encouraged her to cover their 2010 hit “The Big Bang” and the independent release immediately won support from Clear Channel. (She was chosen as one of their On The Verge artists). A ton of airplay followed and Katy was soon snapped up by Atlantic Records. The irresistible anthem recently debuted on the Billboard Hot 100, a video is on the way and an album is in the works. Talk about a happy ending.

I recently caught up with the down-to-earth singer at the Mondrian hotel in Los Angeles and she chatted happily about the label change, her breakthrough hit and looming debut LP, which will likely be preceded by an EP. Find out how the lovable Brit found her sound and bounced back, bigger and better than ever after the jump.

Why did you decide to cover “The Big Bang”?

Rock Mafia, who released it the first time, they are not really a band or the face of music, they are a writing/production group behind the scenes. They put it out organically and it did really well but it was never worked at radio, so they wanted somebody who suited it. Everything just worked out for me to sing it. It’s the first song I’ve ever taken that’s somebody else’s. I loved the song, it’s amazing and starting to blow up now.

How did you hook up with Rock Mafia?

I’ve always wanted to work with them and they are known for being really genuine and good people, which they are. A guy I know introduced me to them when I was released from my last label.

“The Big Bang” allows your voice to shine more than your older material…

Totally. It’s really weird for me to actually think of myself as a singer again because I think I did spend a lot of time trying to copy the music that I love instead of being original. This has really set me in a place where I’m comfortable and I’m not trying to live up to anyone else’s dreams, I’m just making my own.

Was the song released independently before you were signed to Atlantic?

Yeah. The song was selected for On The Verge with Clear Channel, which was incredible. They have always been such big supporters of mine and have taken me under their wing a lot. I have so much to thank them for. Because of On The Verge and the radio play and exposure we got, I signed to Atlantic three weeks ago.

Is it ironic that things finally blew up when you weren’t signed?

For me it’s really weird because, when I was released from Republic Records, I started to doubt myself, as you do. I never gave up, I never moved home but I had that moment of ‘wow, I wasn’t wanted’. Even though business is business and I still love all the guys over there, it’s just how it was.

It was amazing for me because I’ve always been an underdog in life, so this was a really awesome thing to happen to me because it allowed me to be the underdog again and I want to be relatable to people in every day life. It’s not always a fairytale, people just don’t wake up with their prince every day. This kind of demonstrates it from my point of view.

What happened with your last deal?

When I first signed to Republic I had no fan base, I had nothing. They took me very much from a baby and developed me and took it as far as they could. The songs that we put out were great. “Red Cup”, I personally absolutely loved. I loved working with RedOne and his team was amazing. It was a case of wrong place, wrong time.

They did so much for me within the industry and did expose me to everybody and I made some great relationships. This time around it’s like picking up where we left off. I’m really lucky I didn’t take any steps back.

So do you have a bunch of songs ready or are you just going to start from scratch?

I’ve got a body of work done but you can never say it’s finished until it’s in front of you on a CD. I’m very much about trying to better every single thing I do. We have a lot of work backdated and a lot of that explains me as an artist. So we’re not starting from scratch. It’s about adding to what I’ve already done.

Is “The Big Bang” reflective of Katy Tiz 2.0?

Yeah it’s definitely going to be more vocal and expressive. I’m kind of a raw person in general, you’ll know how I feel when you meet me — if I like you, if I don’t. So that’s going to be explained through my music too. Rock Mafia is executive producing the album, so that sound is going to carry all the way through. Working with them is really good because they are very much about bringing that part of me out. I had kind of lost my way a bit having had the troubles that we had last year, so they have really hammered it back to me that I’m an artist and a singer.

What can you tell us about “The Big Bang” video?

We’re going to shoot the video next week and we’re just going through video treatments at the moment. I really want it to be something different and something that introduces me for the first time again because this is so important. It’s the first visual that everybody’s going to get and I want them to be able to understand straight away the kind of person I am and the look that we have.

Do you have high expectations for the track?

I honestly can’t believe how far it’s gone already. I’m very much a day-to-day person. I used to plan too far ahead and then I felt like I was disappointed in myself for not achieving the things I wanted to. This is the music industry. Ultimately the fans have control and people who buy the record have control over my destiny. So I’m very much, let me do as much to promote it as I can and, other than that, I’m just going to see how it goes.

Who else have you been working with apart from Rock Mafia?

My brothers (Red Triangle Productions) are going to be on the record and Atlantic has set up an amazing A&R program for me to do as soon as I come off a promotional tour. We’re going to set up a little camp and go in and lock ourselves away from the outside and just create some magic.

Will there be an EP first?

That’s in talks at the moment. There is 100% going to be an album. I think we might put out an EP before just to let people know who I am. When it comes to the album, I’m very much looking at it as a body of work. I want people to buy the album when it comes out. I used to buy albums when I was younger and I want to bring that back. I think it’s best to introduce people bit by bit and then that way they will be looking forward to the album.

How are you going to stand out in a market flooded with pop divas?

Every female artist that I love… all I’m going to do is look at them and just think — they do what they do, I do what I do. I’m very much about lyrics tapping into real every day stuff that happens to put into my songs. I want people to relate on a personal level and I want it to create memories.

I am who I am, I’m now comfortable with that. I spent a few years not being so comfortable with it. I want to have people look up to me for what I do musically but on a personal level, I’m just an every day person. I’m lucky to be in this position and I want everyone to know how much I appreciate everybody else.

Who are the artists that you look up to?

I absolutely love Katy Perry. The Katy Perry brand to me is an amazing one because I feel like she could be my best friend and that’s what I want to have with people that follow me. Pink is another amazing performer, she puts so much emotion into what she does. I love those two. I love Alicia Keys, she’s one of my absolute heartthrobs. I think I’d melt if I met her. They are the people I really look up to very much and I always will do.

Most people break at home and then try to crack America but you’ve done it in reverse…

I never do anything how it’s supposed to be done. I’ve always wanted to break America but I have to give the amount of time that is needed here. I wanted to move here. I wanted to see how everything is done. I wanted to almost study it and be aware of what really goes on in the territory that I want to break. I just wanted to be out here and commit to it properly, call this my home and then it will mean even more to me. This will be my third year here. My home will always be there, I’m very lucky to have the family I do but you only get one chance at this, so I want to be in it to win it.

Do people at home have any idea what you’ve already achieved?

What’s weird is that this time around my friends are realizing what’s going on. I don’t really tell anyone what I do because as an artist, if you have to tell people what you do, you’re not successful yet. I just don’t tell anyone. If people like me as a person then great. If they don’t, they don’t but I don’t want people to like me for what I might possibly become. So I don’t take it home or tell anybody.

Last week I got an email from a friend saying ‘I’m so proud of you’ and that means so much to me because we just talk about every day shit that goes on. If I’m successful everyone will find out about it. I just tell everyone I’m a dolphin trainer.

Do you have a second single lined up?

We do but I’m all about beating everything I do. I’m my biggest competition in life, so I’m going to try and top that. It’s on the upbeat side again… I can’t say. I really just wanna say it but I can’t.

One last question, have you chosen a name for your fans?

Well I think everyone should name themselves but if I had a choice, I would call them The Puppies because everybody loves puppies. They are the cutest things in the world and you can’t be unhappy when a puppy is around.

Are you excited for the second coming of Katy Tiz? Have your say in the comments below.

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