Exclusive With Tiffany Tan: A Multi-Talented Music Composer

We have the privilege to interview Tiffany Tan and we are so excited to share his response to our exclusive interview questions with you all.

Who is Tiffany Tan? you may ask– Tiffany is a Los Angeles-based music composer known for her work in films, TV, and games. With a background in rock and folk music, she seamlessly blends elements from various genres, including classical influences, into her compositions.

As a multi-instrumentalist specializing in piano and guitar, Tiffany brings a unique perspective to the world of film scoring and music production.

In this exclusive interview, she shares insights into her musical journey, inspirations, and upcoming projects.

Where are you from?

I was born and raised in China, and came to Los Angeles, California in 2016. My musical background comes from rock and folk styles (I played in a rock band decades ago), but I later absorbed classical music and that has become my main voice.

How long have you been making music?

For decades. It could date back to when I was in school playing rock music, but professionally as a music composer especially for films and TVs, it’s been eight years.

How many songs/albums have you released to date?

I released three cover music albums mostly for rock and folk music over ten years ago, and three single songs this year.

Can you tell us about your latest release and the background/inspirations behind it?

The latest release was electronic music with a glitch-hop style. The inspiration behind it might be the Arcane animation show I watched last year featuring lots of glitch-hop music. Plus, the Detective Chinatown 2 television web series I worked on about one or two years ago also featured that sort of cyber-punk, electronic music. It was nice to take a break from the classical world which I’ve been immersed in for years.

How have/did you end up in the music industry?

I’ve been always immersed in music since childhood. I started learning piano when I was four, and played keyboard and guitar now and then while growing up. Although after college graduation I worked in other industries for a while, I still ended up in doing music. I think the passion led me here, just like other music fellows.

What do you think of the music industry in 2020 when the coronavirus pandemic hit?

The music industry definitely relied on remote work way more than ever before. Before the pandemic, musicians rarely recorded through Zoom. But after that, it became a new normal.

Who do you think is the most influential artist?

From time to time, genre to genre, the most influential artists are constantly changing. To me, the most influential artists in my different ages include the Beatles, Britney Spears, Avril Lavigne, Green Day, John Williams, Hans Zimmer, etc.

Who have you collaborated with so far in your career?

Grammy-winning composer and pianist Nathan Wang;
Orchestrator, big band arranger Milton Nelson;
Mixing Engineer Dennis Sands, Joel Iwataki;
Grammy-winning percussionist and drummer Michael Gordy;
Pipa and Guzheng artist Celia Liu;
and many more.

How do you think you differ from other artists?

My international background and my keen passion for a broad genre of music infuse diverse and refreshing elements into my compositions. From rock to classical music, from western to ethnic instruments, I create customized and refreshing sounds that bring unexpected joy.

Who will you love to have a collaboration with?

I love to collaborate with any music lovers from various backgrounds, in any ways that can lift us up and make us better.

What was the first album you bought as an artist?

The first album I bought was Avril Lavigne’s Let Go, and Under My Skin. The first album I bought as an artist was Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite.

What’s your favorite song at the moment?

Wildflower by Billie Eilish.

If you had to sell your music collection tomorrow, what album/track would you leave in your drawer?

Maybe some old album/tracks I collected years ago that had a better remastered version later on.

What is your favorite quote/saying?

“Life is tough sometimes, but so are you.”

What other hobbies or interests do you have?

Watching movies, playing badminton, hiking, and cooking.

Tell us more about your upcoming project or this new project?

I keep writing music and making orchestral arrangements for film projects. A movie I wrote orchestral music for called Swallowtail & Dragonfly will be released this year, along with its soundtrack album. Totally different from my last album, this OST one would feature orchestral music combined with lots of traditional Chinese instruments like Guzheng and Erhu. I hope it will bring a refreshing voice when it comes out.

What’s in the pipeline after this project?

I’ll keep writing music, but explore more various genres in order to broaden my musical voice. I’ll keep pushing boundaries and venture outside of my comfort zone, to see where my musical journey would lead me.

Thanks for reading.

Follow Tiffany Tan on Social Media:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/tyftiffany
Instagram: http://instagram.com/
Website: https://www.tanyufan.com/