Singer Tyde Levi on the Creative Journey Behind His Debut Album
From YouTube sensation to pop star in the making, 24-year-old Australian singer and songwriter Tyde Levi is gearing up for the release of his debut album this month.
Titled “A Thousand Ways to Say Nothing at All,” Levi said the album was born from the “rollercoaster of emotions” following a breakup and subsequent fling. The 8-song album was a way for Levi, who is the younger brother of “Rush” singer Troye Sivan, to navigate through the chaos and reflect on the love he’d lost and found along the way.
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“In my past [relationship], I don’t think I was being completely honest with myself and the people around me. I might have been saying one thing but thinking another,” Levi told Rivet. “Making this album was like being alone in my bedroom, allowing myself to express these thoughts and feelings, putting them on paper and into melody. It helped me gain clarity and be honest with myself, something I wasn’t doing with others.”
One challenge Levi faced during the creation of his album was finding a healthy balance between his past, present and future.
“Online, it feels like my personality doesn’t fully align with the music and artist I am today, especially after years on social media,” Levi said. “Currently, I’m grappling with [merging these aspects] into a more cohesive representation, sharing my authentic musical journey, album and current self. It [also doesn’t help] that sometimes people still perceive me through the lens of my old YouTube days, even though I’m a totally different person now. So, I’ve been trying to navigate that and bring everyone who still wants to see me and hear my music into this new world that I’ve found myself in.”
So far, Levi has shared details about two songs that will be featured on his upcoming album. The first track, titled “Open Up Your Mind,” delves into the theme of self-exploration, inspired by Levi’s personal journey of introspection. He revealed that the song was born from a deep dive into his own thoughts, eventually leading to feelings of being “sick and sad” about what he discovered.
The second track, “Lost You,” embodies a “dreamy, wave-crashing, road-tripping” vibe, serving as a heartfelt ode to bidding farewell to a past love. Levi describes it as “the happiest sad song,” capturing the mix of emotions associated with letting go.
“When I was going through the breakup, I was making decisions that weren’t so good for me, and the little voice inside of me knew things weren’t right,” Levi said. “That’s when I knew I had to start making smarter choices and try to actively be healthier mentally, and music was helping me achieve that. So, I just had to keep writing to give myself that freedom. Each track on the album represents [a different phase] during the breakup, so Im really happy with each song. I feel like I was able to get everything across that I wanted to say.”
Despite the challenges of delving into the aftermath of a breakup (and putting it into words, no less) Levi is excited for what lies ahead.
“There’s a bigger part of me that’s scared to [release my debut album]. For a while now, the songs have been finished. Obviously, we’re still tweaking it, but I’ve definitely arrived in the headspace of knowing it’s done and that I need to put it out,” Levi said. “I’m ready for people to understand this new person that I am. I don’t think that even from over year ago, when I started writing the album, I’m the same person. So hopefully people come into it with an open mind and enjoy it.”
