Aly Tadros
Aly Tadros
Austin, TX
Folk / Singer/Songwriter / Soul
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I have no cable for a very good reason. Hulu.com, who sent you, and why are they trying to sabotage my career?!?
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Bio
Aly Tadros made her musical debut at the age of five with her riveting performance of ''Cardboard Fish 11'' in Laredo Little Theatre's production of 'The Little Mermaid''. She went on to pursue career in the arts via dance recitals, community theatre, and her parent's living room. Tadros received rave reviews from the San Antonio Current, The Laredo Morning Times, and her high school drama teacher.
After moving between Laredo, Istanbul, Cairo, New York City, and San Antonio, the 22-year-old settled down in Austin, Texas to (1) be a singer/songwriter, (2) wear cowboy boots on a daily basis, and (3) constantly refer to herself in the third person...
...and she has never been happier.
About
Interview with NU Magazine:If I have to narrow it down to one catalyst: I'd have to say it was two years ago,
Of all the places you lived before Austin, what was your favorite
music scene and why?
The first time I ever even fell into a music scene was when I moved to
Istanbul, Turkey as an exchange student. A few months into my stay I
started seeing a drummer in a Turkish rock band. It wasn't too long
before he started taking me to the many underground (literally) rock
bars littered across Istanbul. I found everything from Turkish rock,
to hip-hop, even reggae! Bands like Duman and Mor ve Otesi take a
fusion of traditional Turkish folk music and modern-day alternative
rock. There's this tight knit beatnik community of 20-30 somethings
that formed in recent years, I think in part as a backlash to the Euro
pop scene that dominates Istanbul - I'd never seen anything like it.
Turns out that the kids my host parents warned me about were the one I
identified with most!
What prompted you move to "The Live Music Capital"?
In the end I figured, why wait for cancer?
I read a piece online by Tucker Max about realizing your
dreams. Tucker wrote about a friend of his who had been diagnosed with
malignant cancer, and as a result made a lot of major life changes.
The article really made me sit down and think about all the things I
would do if I were diagnosed with a terminal illness. Reevaluating the
path I was one made me realize just how much I had been holding myself
back.
I was still doing my undergrad in New York at the time. I hadn't even
written my first song by that point, but all I could dream about was
leaving college to play my guitar somewhere on 6th Street.
musician, I've gotten to the point where I feel like my particular style of
What is your favorite thing about the Austin Music scene?
The camaraderie among so many of the musicians in this town. A lot of
people may say this business is nothing but a rat race, but I don't
buy it. Yes, there are people out just to get a buck, but those people
exist everywhere. In this town you're more likely to trip over people
who help for the sheer joy they get out of supporting good music.
Over the last few months I've met some of the most generous,
warm-hearted musicians that many would consider to be my "competition". For me,
there's this sort of "we're all in it together" sort of mentality.
I've been blessed with this amazing circle of musicians since moving
here, they're my family. For a line of work that can often be so
isolating, it's pretty wonderful to know you've got 9+ around more
than happy lend a helping hand.
How has your music evolved during the course of your career and why?
For one, I've become a much stronger guitarist over the last year.
Whereas before I used to consider myself a songwriter before a
guitar playing (namely fingerpicking) has become one of my major strengths. In the beginning I wasI've matured in large part because of all the gigging I've done; about 250 shows in the last year alone.
terribly insecure because my style never seem to fit in anywhere- now
I kind of revel in the fact that I'm a little off the wall. I thinkI take a lot more risks, and I'm having a lot more fun with it! I
I've also become much more comfortable playing with my vocal style.Douglas Jay Boyd, Robin Smith, Kalu James and Alyse Black to name a few.
think that's had a lot to do with the time spent around other
singer-songwriters that aren't afraid to flex their vocal muscle:I just recorded my debut album with producer Duane Lundy (Ben Sollee, vandaveer, These United States)
Where do you hope your music will lead you in the future?
and every day leading up to the CD Release feels like Christmas Eve! With my first album in tow,
I'm really excited about getting on the road and touring nationally as much as possible.Difranco covers. As a result, I never use a guitar pick, and I'm instantly drawn to off-kilter
In the grand scheme of things, I hope to use my music as an avenue to
explore other interests of mine. I studied Human Rights through
college and have done some NGO work through the years. A lot of the
work I've been doing in the last few months has been to advance my
career- but it's a career I hope to use as a platform to support
causes I'm passionate about.
What are your biggest musical influences?
I pretty much learned how to play the guitar learning early Ani
chord progressions. Her musicianship aside, Difranco's drive andcan remember: Morphine, Tom Waits, Ali Farka Toure, and Fiona Apple.
passion made a huge impact on me early on. I'm not sure I'd have the
same attitude I do about the music business if it weren't for her.
Other bands that have been on my "Repeat" playlist for as long as IDirty Gypsy Jazz
How would you describe your music?
What is your favorite way that someone else has described your music?
"A spoon full of honey with a shot of whiskey"
What inspires your lyrics?
Songwriting for me is pretty cathartic; if I come across a situation
that I'm far too embarrassed or self-conscious to bring up that's
usually a sign it needs to be let up. Seems to me it's all the things
no one says that I've been aching to talk about.
What has been your favorite experience since you started down this path?
It was after a gig at SXSW, not too long after I had moved to Austin.
Doug and I bumped into a few musicians on the corner of 6th & Congress
and decided to start an impromptu street jam. Mind you, this was at
like 2:30am. In a matter of minutes, the small circle grew into a
crowd of over forty people, all clapping, dancing, and singing along!
It must have been when a trumpet player emerged out of the crowd to
join in on Doug's rendition of "Ain't no Sunshine," that I new I was
in love.
You are still very young, do you think that your age has caused extra
challenges in your career?
It's funny, most people I meet have no idea how young I am- 95% of the
time I get deadpan stares when I admit I'm only 22.
If anything I consider it a huge advantage. I've always believed that
age is relative; experience and work ethic speak volumes. Thankfully,
there are a lot of people in this business that are of the same
mindset.
What artist that you have met do you admire the most and why?
Kina Grannis, one because she such a down to earth, caring gal, you
can't help but want to be her friend. She's seen a lot of success in
the last year, and she's just getting started. Her immense talent and
passion for music aside, she is so incredibly dedicated to her fans
and makes it a point to connect with every person she meets. it's not
easy doing all the footwork on your own, but she takes so much joy in
it. It's really inspiring.
What advice do you have for fellow musicians just getting started?
Figure out what it is that you really want - not what your mom, best
friend, or Aunt Kathy thinks you should want- what you want. Set goals
for yourself, and write them down. Want to play Austin City Limits?
Awesome. Get signed do your dream indie label? Even better. Regardless
of how ridiculous your dreams may seem to you now, write them down,
and then break them into small, manageable steps that lead in that
direction. Going to other artists for advice really comes in handy
here, so don't be afraid to ask for help- we've all been there.
Connect with as many other local music organizations and artists as
possible. Start going to other artists shows and say hello, cause
believe me, we appreciate it. More often than not, we'll probably come out to your show too. And tell our friends!
Is there anything else you would like for the readers to know about you?
There's an amazing organization here in town that I've been working with these last few months that
deserves some attention. It's called Care Communities; volunteers
serve to help individuals with AIDS & other terminal illnesses to do
the everyday tasks that become a challenge when your facing a serious
illness. You can volunteer as little as four hours a month, but get
involved and I promise you'll want to do more!
A portion of the proceeds from my CD Release Party (this August)
will be going to them as well. Check them out at:
http://www.thecarecommunties.
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