Formula Indie Sessions – Interview with Tilsen
Tilsen is a Toronto-based singer-songwriter creating emotionally honest pop music about relationships, self-discovery, and the moments that change the direction of our lives. Her latest release, “Train to Vienna,” tells the story of leaving a relationship that no longer felt right, even when walking away meant breaking her own heart. With intimate storytelling and cinematic pop production, the song is ultimately about trusting yourself enough to choose a different future.
WHAT IS YOUR EARLIEST MEMORY CONNECTED TO MUSIC?
One of my earliest memories connected to music is singing with my family from a very young age, I was singing before I was talking and my parents sang to me all the time. We sang questions to each other and communicated like that instead of taking when I was a baby.
Music felt magical and natural to me from an early age. I loved how a song could create an entire emotional world in only a few minutes, and I think I was drawn to that feeling before I was old enough to understand it.
HOW DID YOUR PASSION FOR CREATING MUSIC BEGIN?
I’ve always been someone who processes life through creativity. When I started writing songs, it gave me a place to put feelings that were difficult to explain in ordinary conversation. It became a way of understanding myself and turning something painful, confusing, or beautiful into something meaningful. Once I experienced that, I knew songwriting would always be part of my life.
WHAT’S THE STORY BEHIND YOUR CURRENT MUSIC PROJECT?
My current project centers around “Train to Vienna,” a song inspired by a breakup that happened while I was travelling. The relationship had reached a point where staying was asking me to abandon too much of myself. Leaving was painful because I still cared deeply about that person, but I knew it was the right decision.
The song captures the moment when you stop asking whether a situation is bad enough to leave and start asking whether it is good enough to stay. It’s about trusting yourself, choosing your own life, and realizing that you can break your own heart while still making the right decision.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND TO SOMEONE WHO HAS NEVER HEARD YOUR MUSIC BEFORE?
I would describe my sound as emotional, atmospheric pop built around honest storytelling. It combines intimate lyrics with melodies and production that feel cinematic and expansive. I want the songs to feel vulnerable and personal, but still big enough for listeners to step inside them and find their own stories.
WHAT IS ONE THING YOU’VE LEARNED THAT COMPLETELY CHANGED THE WAY YOU MAKE MUSIC?
I’ve learned that the most specific and personal details are often the most universal. I used to think I needed to make my writing broad enough for everyone to understand, but the more honest I became, the more people connected with it. Now I try to follow the emotional truth of a song instead of worrying about making it perfectly polished or universally relatable.
WHAT TOOLS, INSTRUMENTS, OR SOFTWARE ARE ESSENTIAL IN YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS?
My voice is always my starting point, along with guitar when I’m developing melodies and chords. My phone’s voice-memo app is also essential because inspiration rarely waits until you are sitting in a studio! From there, recording and production software allow me and the people I work with to build the world around the song.
WHICH INDIE ARTIST OR SONG ARE YOU LOVING RIGHT NOW?
Right now, I’m really loving BRDGS. I’m always drawn to artists who have a distinct emotional world and aren’t afraid to be specific, vulnerable, or a little unconventional in their writing.
HOW HAVE YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES INFLUENCED YOUR MUSIC AND ARTISTIC VISION?
My personal experiences are at the centre of almost everything I create. Relationships, heartbreak, insecurity, travel, growth, and the process of learning to trust myself have all shaped my music. I’m especially interested in the complicated moments where two things can be true at once: you can love someone and still need to leave, you can be afraid and still move forward, and you can grieve an old life while being excited about the person you are becoming.
WHAT EMOTIONS OR MESSAGES DO YOU HOPE LISTENERS TAKE FROM YOUR WORK?
I hope listeners feel understood and a little less alone. I want my music to remind people that their instincts matter and that they are allowed to change their minds, outgrow situations, and choose a life that feels more honest. Sometimes the right decision is still painful, and I hope my songs can offer companionship in those moments.
WHAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON MUSIC HAS TAUGHT YOU SO FAR?
Music has taught me that vulnerability creates connection. The experiences we are most afraid to share are often the ones that make another person feel seen. It has also taught me that art does not have to erase pain to make something beautiful from it.
WHAT IS A DREAM VENUE OR FESTIVAL YOU WOULD LOVE TO PERFORM AT?
Performing at Massey Hall would be incredibly meaningful to me. It is such an iconic Toronto venue with so much history, and playing my music there for a full room would feel like a beautiful full-circle moment.
IF YOU COULD COLLABORATE WITH ANY ARTIST, PAST OR PRESENT, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY?
I would love to collaborate with Taylor Swift. Her ability to transform deeply personal experiences into vivid, universal stories has had such an enormous influence on modern songwriting. I would be fascinated to see how she approaches a song from its first lyrical idea and how we might combine our perspectives to tell a story together.
WHERE CAN OUR LISTENERS FOLLOW AND SUPPORT YOUR MUSIC?
You can find my music on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and all major streaming platforms by searching for Tilsen. You can also follow me on Instagram and TikTok to hear new music, learn the stories behind the songs, and follow everything I’m creating.
Instagram: @itstilsen
TikTok: @itstilsen
YouTube:
https://youtube.com/@tilsen5497?si=YW20m74cHvmMZ6u1
LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE, WHAT’S YOUR DREAM FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER OF YOUR MUSICAL JOURNEY?
My dream is to keep building a body of work that feels unmistakably like me and to reach more listeners through both recordings and live performances. I would love to create a project that brings these songs and stories together, continue developing as a musician and performer, and eventually tour the music. More than anything, I want to build a sustainable life in music where I can keep evolving creatively and connecting with people.
WHAT DO YOU HOPE LISTENERS WILL DISCOVER ABOUT YOU ALONG THE WAY?
I hope listeners discover that I’m willing to tell the truth, including the complicated and imperfect parts. I want them to feel like we are growing alongside one another. My music is not about having every answer; it is about becoming brave enough to ask yourself what you really want and trust what you hear.
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