Interstellar Tay makes colour from grief in exquisite new folk single, 'Garden Song'

In times of restrictions and uncertainty, it’s refreshing to see a song bloom through the gloom. Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Interstellar Tay has brought out such a single in ‘Garden Song’.

‘Garden Song’ is a memorable, heartfelt track detailing the shock of grief, pulling influences from Paul Kelly, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, and First Aid Kit.

Comforting and sweet, acoustic guitars gently cushion the layers of vocal harmony and textural percussion. Garden Song has such a precious feel to it - and the story behind it is moving and sacred

Interstellar Tay explains the song is about the night her grandfather died.

“I’m not a particularly spiritual person, but we were very close. At 11pm that night I had a dream about somebody stomping on piano keys which woke me up. In the morning I called my grandmother and she told me that he had passed away at 11pm that night. I didn’t think too much of it at the time. However, after his funeral we were all having a chat about the night he died. Both my uncle and grandmother told us that they were also woken up at 11pm. So the song is about how jarring losing the connection of a loved one can be.”

But don’t be misled, this exquisite song is upbeat and authentic, a celebration of life and the connection the two shared, with the melancholy of loss intertwined within the joy.

On track to accompany the drop was a supremely fitting video for Garden Song that is reflective of the meaning behind the track, with Brazilian animator Patricki Lucas interpreting the story of grief through his artwork.

The clip is full of movement, life and spirit, as Tay describes the process, “Patricki’s storyboard idea was to have a mage and a student. The mage guides the student throughout the film clip. In the end the student is alone, but carries the mage’s teachings. A little more left of field than I was originally imagining! However, I feel that it captures the transfer of my grandfather’s love and knowledge to me, without the heaviness of clearly spelling the literal meaning of the song lyrics.”

However, an asthma sufferer, Patricki was awfully struck down by Covid19 last week and still remains in hospital in ICU, so there is an understandable delay on the delivery of the video.

A Conservatorium-trained bassist, Tay grew up in a musical household with several generations of her family working as professional musicians. This early influence shaped her work ethic and musical taste throughout the years, as she says, “For me, music was sort of more of a given rather than a choice. There have been a few occasions where I’ve walked away from music, but ultimately there are emotions and stories that I can only seem to voice through playing and writing.”

Set to release a new EP on September 1, Interstellar Tay is fast making a name for herself and winning over fans with her honest, biographical blues folk songs and the EP is no different, where audiences will easily be able to find themselves in her words.

‘Garden Song’ is out now on all streaming platforms.