On June 7, Georgian-born, Berlin-based singer-songwriter and producer TATIA will release her debut EP “We Were Heroes” on Listenrecords. TATIA presents her soulful indie / chamber pop sound here, which moves skillfully and organically between gentle, mystical-sounding folk passages and louder, powerful passages.

“Sad Song” kicks things off: rousing piano grooves, calm parts, strings that build up and a voice that seems like balm unfold a simultaneously calming and painful effect right from the start. TATIA sings about various aspects of being abandonned and processes her own painful experiences. As sad as this may sound, “Sad Song” is above all a pick-me-up for gloomy days.

The following “Two Days” captivates with apt lyrics that describe the initial phase of a romance in which everything - even time! - revolves around the other person: “Time circles in two cycles. Days when I see you and the days in between”. “Two Days” is an emotional juxtaposition of tension and uncertainty, joy and insecurity. The song thrives on quirky guitar patterns and TATIA's rhythmic and delicate vocals. There is also a violin solo that soars to the highest heights, making the end epic and powerful.

“The Streets You Walk” is a song that becomes more memorable with every listen, with simple but extremely effective instrumentation that creates a timeless, bittersweet mood:
A 70s folk-style looping groove and a light bass line form the foundation, while electric guitar parts and TATIA's nuanced vocals evoke a dreamlike soundscape. The lyrics paint a picture of a person leaving behind their lover, their hometown and their mother - and the pain and nostalgia that follows: “Here we are half dead half ready to take our separate journeys” begins the song, but it's clear that the door is not meant to close completely: The chorus reads “When I'm back I'll walk the streets you walk” - a hymn to the city and at the same time a promise to preserve the memory of past love.
The emotional conclusion and climax of the EP is probably TATIA's most personal track to date: “We Were Heroes” begins as a kind of ballad that slowly transforms and ends with an almost crazy drumming and an emotional outburst from TATIA. And there is a reason for this: in this cathartic work, TATIA reflects on her childhood, her father's addiction and her difficult relationship with him: “Saw him sitting on the couch, half out of his mind, with alcohol eyes”. “I was caught between anger and pity for a long time, so this was a good way to let it all out. The story is not only mine, but also my siblings' and it's definitely an anthem for and about us and in a way our closure,” says TATIA.
The song also has a political and socio-critical perspective. With the passage “though the neighbours would not ask about the shouting they heard through the walls”, TATIA emphasizes the passivity with which society confronts domestic violence by silencing victims and even blaming them themselves.
“We Were Heroes” is a celebration of victory over the abuser, a celebration of togetherness and survival: “It's a deep betrayal when the one who is supposed to take care of you is actually abusing you. The cry at the end could be the anger and frustration, but also the personal triumph and catharsis. Or maybe I'm the witch who curses all the abusers and oppressors in the world? At least that's what we joked about in the studio,” says TATIA.

TATIA has currently been touring Germany with Tiflis Transit. In June, she will be playing at the Tbilisi Open Air Festival together with acts such as Aurora and ARCHIVE. Songs from the EP will be played on radioeins, N-Joy, NDR Blue, Detektor FM and Campusradio Jena, among others, and featured in the Spotify Editorial Playlist EQUAL GSA.