Podcast Summary: Tiny Habits Perform Live

Podcast: All Of It (WNYC)
Air Date: June 27, 2024
Host: Koosha Navadar
Guests: Tiny Habits (Cinya Khan, Maya Rae, Judah Mayowa)
Theme: Exploring the personal and musical dynamics of Tiny Habits, a rising acoustic folk trio, through live performances and an intimate conversation about friendship, creativity, and navigating the current music landscape.

Episode Overview

This episode features the up-and-coming acoustic folk trio Tiny Habits, who have garnered significant attention for their soulful harmonies and heartfelt songwriting. Host Koosha Navadar welcomes the group into Studio 5 for live performances and a candid discussion about their origin, creative process, and the emotional foundation of their music and friendship. The episode provides an engaging look at the group’s debut album All for Something and explores how their collaborative spirit shapes both their sound and their approach to the challenges of the modern music industry.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Introduction to Tiny Habits and Their Journey

• Origin: The group met at college (Berklee College of Music) and began by posting cover songs on TikTok from their dorm stairwell, quickly gaining a following and praise from artists like Elton John.
• Breakout Moments: Their viral harmonies led to features on NPR’s Tiny Desk and collaborations with artists like Lizzy McAlpine and Kacey Musgraves.
  (01:16–02:46)

2. Performance: “Mudroom”

• Song & Symbolism: "Mudroom" uses the metaphor of a domestic transitional space to express the hesitation and hope of entering a new relationship after past hurt.
  (02:46–06:21) Performance
• Songwriting Process:
  • Cinya Khan: Explains the personal significance of the mudroom as a metaphor for emotional liminality.

    “I sort of, like, felt like there was a tie to the experience of entering a new relationship after maybe a bad one... and the hesitance that comes with entering something new. And so that's the space you're in right before you enter is the mudroom.” (06:49)

  • Judah Mayowa: Reflects on how the group supports the songwriter.

    “It feels like we’re... holding her hand and her experience with this song.” (08:08)

  • Maya Rae: Adds that their close friendship enriches the creative process, making collaborative arrangement special and authentic.

    “We’re all such feelers, and we’re all so sensitive...we always arrange our harmonies together, and that always feels really special.” (08:46–09:25)

3. Creative Group Dynamics

• Harmony Decisions:
  • Group describes their collaborative approach, choosing who solos based on what feels right for the song—no egos, just serving the music (“Pretty organically... we prioritize what is, like, just best for the song overall.” – Judah, 09:34).
• Lyrical Alignment:
  • Sometimes lyrical meaning matches the personality or experience of the singer, making solo choices more intuitive (“Our personalities sort of match up with the lyrics, and it’s like, this makes sense for you to sing.” – Cinya, 09:52).

4. Performance: “I Don’t Have The Heart”

(10:59–14:17) Performance

• Songwriting Origin:
  • Maya Rae: Shares that the chorus emerged from Cinya’s voice memo recorded while in the shower, highlighting the spontaneous, organic nature of their writing.

    “Cinya actually got the chorus idea when she was in the shower, which is like a super funny story.” (14:28)

  • Cinya Khan: “You can, like, hear the shower in the background.” (14:36)
• Musical Evolution:
  • This song marks a stylistic shift for Tiny Habits, being more upbeat and pop-leaning than their usual gentle, acoustic material – broadening their comfort zone as artists.

    “The produced track is, like, super upbeat and, like, more of a pop thing than we’re used to doing, but I think that was a really cool thing for us.” – Maya (15:17)

5. Live Performance & Audience Connection

• Onstage Fun: The band notes that performing upbeat numbers live brings a new dimension to their shows, allowing them and their audience to unwind and celebrate together.

  “To just party with people, like, that's so much fun.” – Cinya (16:29)
  “We have a good time.” – Maya (16:49)

• Instrumentation Choices:
  • Growing venues and evolving music call for expanded instrumentation beyond acoustic guitar and voices for fuller, richer soundscapes in live shows (17:05–17:28).

6. Navigating the Music Industry

• Support System:
  • Judah and Cinya reflect on the importance of mutual support within the trio amid the challenges of touring and creating in an increasingly competitive, digital music landscape.

    “I don’t think I could be able to do this without them. Touring, making music—all of that has been so easy having two people that are experiencing the exact same thing.” – Judah (17:46) “We are so vocal about our gratitude to each other. I think that’s what keeps us so close.” – Cinya (18:19)

• Handling Challenges:
  • The group emphasizes open communication and each person’s unique contributions as the foundation for weathering difficulties together.

    “We could not do this without one person...everyone’s essential that makes Tiny Habits what it is.” – Judah (18:44) “We’ve also...become, like, really good communicators with each other.” – Cinya (19:08)

7. Performance: “Tiny Things”

(19:53–22:21) Performance

• Song Theme: Cherishing everyday acts of love, the comfort and beauty found in domestic spaces, and valuing “all the loves in tiny things.”
• Memorable Moment: The group adds a subtle sound at the end (“doing dishes”), playfully underlining the song’s embrace of ordinary, joyful moments.

  "I love that little addition at the end of the song of doing dishes. It's a nice little pop right at the end." – Koosha (22:21)

8. Impact of Berklee College of Music

• Artistic Identity:
  • Judah discusses the challenge and importance of finding one’s individual artistic voice in a competitive environment, an experience both humbling and clarifying.

    “How to find individuality amongst so many talented people...I was able to kind of be like, okay, what does Judah have that is, like, good for Judah and, like, nobody else has, and still being able to be confident in that.” (22:46)

• Synergy as Tiny Habits:
  • Cinya reflects on how coming together as a band helped her understand her distinctiveness as an artist, with their collaborative harmony and blend defining the unique “Tiny Habits” sound.

    “Before Tiny Habits, I didn’t know what was different about me until I really met these two... we’ve created something so specifically Tiny Habits, which is, like, the crunch and, like, the blend of our voices.” (24:16)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Emotional Vulnerability:

  “It’s just nice to have a little part in, you know, our best friend’s experience with love...we tell each other everything, talk about everything. So, yeah, it’s kind of nice to translate that into music.”
  — Judah Mayowa (08:08)

• On Harmony and Friendship:

  “Our close friendship makes the creative process special. Because we’re such good friends, we feel it even more.”
  — Maya Rae (08:46)

• On Group Identity:

  “All of us have our own...everyone’s essential that we bring, that makes tiny habits what it is.”
  — Judah Mayowa (18:44)

• On Authenticity:

  “What does Judah have that...is good for Judah and, like, nobody else has?”
  — Judah Mayowa (22:46)

• On Band Synergy:

  “We’ve created something so specifically Tiny Habits, which is the crunch and, like, the blend of our voices.”
  — Cinya Khan (24:16)

• Memorable Endings:

  “I love that little addition at the end of the song of doing dishes. It’s a nice little pop right at the end.”
  — Koosha Navadar (22:21)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:16]–[02:46]: Introduction to Tiny Habits and their rise
• [02:46]–[06:21]: Live performance of “Mudroom”
• [06:21]–[10:59]: Deep dive into writing “Mudroom” and group creative dynamics
• [10:59]–[14:17]: Live performance of “I Don’t Have The Heart”
• [14:17]–[17:28]: Song origin stories, evolving sound, and live show experiences
• [17:28]–[19:46]: Navigating the industry, supporting each other, communication
• [19:53]–[22:21]: Live performance of “Tiny Things”
• [22:21]–[24:52]: Reflecting on Berklee’s impact, authenticity, and the unique Tiny Habits blend

Conclusion

This episode offers an intimate, joyful, and insightful portrait of Tiny Habits—a band defined by their close friendship, vulnerability, and harmony both literally and metaphorically. Their live performances interweave with thoughtful conversation, revealing how their experiences, personalities, and synergy fuel their art. Listeners come away with a sense of warmth and inspiration, understanding both the craft and heart behind Tiny Habits’ music.