Talking To Tulliah
Photo Credit Simon Eeles
Melbourne songwriter Tulliah has shared her latest single ’Look Away’, her first new music released since the 2021 EP ‘Fre$h Hugs’. ‘Look Away’ marks the artist’s return for a “bold and spell-binding new era”. We got the opportunity to fire some questions at Tulliah, where we discussed the new single, her creative process and how being a finialist in triple j’s Unearthed High changed her life.
For those that haven’t heard your music before, where do you place yourself in the genre spectrum?
somewhere on the spectrum
I find this question hard because the very initial stages of my songs are very folky and stripped back to the song's simplest form, just myself on a guitar. It’s very focused on the lyrics and story telling. However the final product definitely leans more towards a contemporary sound. Because of this I’ll say it's in between Contemporary and Alternative Folk music.
You have just released your single ‘Look Away’, tell us about your new song. Was there a specific moment or experience that inspired you to write the track?
‘Look Away’ was written about the fear of vulnerability. I wrote it when I was 19 so I was still building a lot of confidence within myself. The meaning still hasn’t changed for me over the years, but I have grown and am no longer scared of letting someone get close to me. Now it’s just a reminder of how I used to feel towards love, which is nice to look back on.
“I have just announced a show which is at Abbotsford Convent on the 5th December to celebrate.”
How did you celebrate the launch?
I have just announced a show which is at Abbotsford Convent on the 5th December to celebrate. There will be sparkling wine for guests on arrival, so I'll definitely be celebrating with one also. The show will be recorded live directly onto tape so anyone at the show can purchase a cassette tape of the performance to take home. I am also very excited and happy to have Milly Strange performing a stripped back solo set. It’s going to be a special night.
What did the creative process look like? Did the lyrics or music come first?
The music comes first, then I would write lyrics over the chords. I would bring my ideas to Dean Tuza (Producer), and if we felt the idea had some kind of feeling/spark, we would develop it further. Dean and I would go back and forth on ideas until it felt right. It was a super collaborative process and centred around patience/care.
“Hearing the 11 players play perfectly in sync was so beautiful. ”
Do you have a favourite part of the song or a section that makes you smile when you hear it?
Everytime I hear the pizzicato strings in the first verse, it brings me back to the day we recorded the live strings. It was one of the best days of my life! Hearing the 11 players play perfectly in sync was so beautiful. It sounded exactly like the sample. That part always makes me smile.
‘Look Away’ has delivered with an accompanying video, who came up with the concept for the video? Were there any memorable or stand out moments during the making of it?
The video was a collaboration with Charlie Hillhouse. He helped expand my initial ideas and create something beautiful with it. I really love what he did. I had a vision of flowers slowly dying shot as a timelapse. It was a symbolism of pushing away love/love fading. I love the imagery of it. It's like they are closing back in on themselves instead of letting the love in. I also wanted my face to be more of a silhouette (rather than seeing my full face front on) so that it felt like I wasn’t letting the audience see all of me, which plays on the title ‘Look Away’.
Will ‘Look Away’ feature on a forthcoming body of work?
Yes, to be announced….. :))
“I entered triple J Unearthed High and was lucky to become a finalist.”
How did you get your start in music?
My first time working in the music industry was in 2019 when I entered triple J Unearthed High and was lucky to become a finalist. This was my first exposure into the music industry world! Before that I was writing songs and singing at venues around my local area.
In 2019 you were a finalist in the coveted triple j unearthed competition, how did the recognition by such a high-profile platform change your carers trajectory?
Unearthed High changed the trajectory of my career completely. It made the music industry feel achievable and gave me confidence in my music and songwriting. It opened many doors and created a pathway to my next body of work with Dean Tuza. I was so young and still discovering myself as an artist so to find a producer who nurtured my artistry and let me be in control of the final outcome, set the tone for how I will make art for the rest of my life. I want to be proud of everything I release into the world.. Without Unearthed High, I wouldn’t have been led down this path in the first place.
“I would advise being a part of the Unearthed Community by listening to other artists through Triple J Unearthed, go to their gigs and create your own community!”
What advice do you have for musicians thinking of entering?
Go for it - no harm in entering!! I would advise being a part of the Unearthed Community by listening to other artists through Triple J Unearthed, go to their gigs and create your own community!
Do you play a part in the production side of your music? Is it a process you enjoy, or do you find it stressful?
Throughout the recording of ‘Look Away’ and the forthcoming body of work, I slept/lived in the studio. At night time I would record and comp my vocals so that they were ready in the morning for Dean to continue working on production. I physically don’t press many buttons when it comes to the actual production. However, the majority of the ‘production’ work was Dean and I sitting for hours on our guitars or on midi keyboards writing each instrument's part and building out the songs. Once we were happy with the song, we sent some tracks to David Kahne to add his touch, as well as other incredible musicians who would play our parts/build on what was there. It was very fun to be able to dress it up in different ways and figure out where the song fits. We would always watch an episode of Grand Designs on our lunch breaks :)
Photo credit Levil Wishart
Who do you credit as your musical influences?
I was pulling inspiration from so many songs, genres and artists for this body of work. I don’t necessarily sound like my influences but I notice each of my influences are not confined to one genre, which is what I admire most. Artists like Cat Power, Angel Olsen, PJ Harvey.
“An alternate path would definitely centre around creativity. I would love to run a beautiful old theatre or make sound tracks for movies.”
If you weren’t a musician what else would you be doing now?
An alternate path would definitely centre around creativity. I would love to run a beautiful old theatre or make sound tracks for movies. I can still do that on this path too haha. When I was younger I always said I wanted to work with orangutans. Maybe I could do that too. The world is your oyster right!?
Who in your crew or team deserves a shout out but never gets one? And what is it they do that keeps your world turning?
Obviously Dean Tuza. And Rob John - he transcribed, arranged strings across 3 tracks and organised the live string recording. I had a big dream to get live strings across each track and he made everything so easy. He really believed in my songs and got so excited about what I was trying to achieve. I didn’t know anything about the orchestral world so I can’t thank him enough for nurturing the music and making my vision come true. My friends, family, and partner have also always been my biggest supporters. I am very grateful.
“My ultimate dream is to play at the Royal Albert Hall in London. ”
Where would you like to see Tulliah in a year's time and five years down the road? What do you hope that you as an artist have achieved?
In one year's time I want to have played at least 50 shows, have a regional theatre tour booked and play two festivals.
In 5 years time I would love to be travelling overseas and playing theatres across the world. My ultimate dream is to play at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Growing up I would watch the DVD of Adele’s Live Concert at Royal Albert Hall on repeat. My Nana let me borrow it :)
Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions for Music Kingdom Australia
Thank you so much Michelle. I really loved your questions and appreciate you taking the time to send them across!!
Interview by Michelle Symes
November 2025
