INTERVIEW: Tilian On Solo Album, New Band & Finding Creative Flow
Tilian sat down with us to share a candid look at his deeply personal upcoming solo album, reflecting on its four-year creation process, while also teasing his exciting new band project and diving into the creative flow that drives his music-making.
Strife Mag: Let’s start with the most important question: How are you doing?
Tilian: I’m good. I’ve been working a lot, focusing on my projects. I went through a darker period and didn’t release an album for a while, but now I’m in a better place, able to create and build a future for myself.
Strife Mag: That sounds intense, especially with your upcoming solo album and a new band. Are those the main focuses, or are there other projects, like collaborations, in the works?
Tilian: No collaborations right now. The solo album is coming out, but most of that work was done a year ago. My focus is entirely on the new band and project now. I’m proud of the album, but my mindset is geared toward the band.
Strife Mag: That’s exciting! Any timeline for the band announcement?
Tilian: It’s been in the works for a while, and I think it’ll be announced very soon.
Strife Mag: Great to hear. Let’s talk about the solo album. You mentioned on Instagram or X that it took four years to create. Can you walk us through when the idea started?
Tilian: This album has the most B-sides of anything I’ve done. After Factory Reset, I had a creative spurt, wrote a bunch of instrumentals, and recorded with Kris Crummett. Those songs got shelved as life and Dance Gavin Dance took over. Most didn’t make the final album. Later, I worked with Zach Jones and Josh Strock, crafting new songs from those ideas. It’s the longest I’ve ever taken to make an album, but I’m proud of it.
Strife Mag: The singles have been great, and the reception seems strong, right? They’re doing well on Spotify.
Tilian: Yeah, the reception has been great.
Strife Mag: With all those B-sides, like how Blink-182 writes 80 songs and picks 10, would you consider a deluxe edition to release more?
Tilian: Absolutely. One of my favorite songs didn’t get finished but is being repurposed for the new band. The main writer for the band took it and built from there.
Strife Mag: That’s cool! When did the new band project start?.related to Dance Gavin Dance or other projects?
Tilian: About nine months ago. It feels long because it’s been my focus recently, especially with the solo album, which was worked on over four years, coming out at the same time. Nine months isn’t long compared to some bands, like Tool taking a decade, but it feels significant when it’s your priority.
Strife Mag: I can imagine, especially with that intensity. You must be ready for it to be out in the world.
Tilian: Yeah, it’s awesome. I tried to focus on the solo album for this interview, but my mind’s so wrapped up in the new project, it’s hard not to talk about it.
Strife Mag: No pressure! Factory Reset was mostly just you, right?
Tilian: Yeah, I wrote and recorded everything myself for Factory Reset, the only album I’ve done like that. During COVID, I hit up Kris Crummett, but his wife had a health predisposition, so we did it remotely. He guided me, and it was rewarding to know I could make an album alone with his talent on the backend making it work.
Strife Mag: Why did you choose to collaborate more this time?
Tilian: It was about availability and the state of the world during COVID. That’s why Factory Reset was solo. This time, collaborating was natural.
Strife Mag: Time flies—it’s been five years since COVID started. You’ve shared on social media that this album is very personal. Was it hard to collaborate on something so personal compared to Factory Reset?
Tilian: No, it was easier. The lyricist I worked with was emotional, which made it smooth. Collaborating gave a driving force to the personal feelings, making it easier to express them in the studio.
Strife Mag: Does putting personal stuff into songs help you feel better, like a therapeutic process?
Tilian: Yeah, it’s therapeutic in terms of truth-telling. When you’re honest, you feel better. If you bury it, it festers.
Strife Mag: That makes sense. The artwork for this album and Factory Reset has distinct color palettes. When do you start thinking about the visual era?
Tilian: This time, it came later. I used the same artist as Factory Reset. We gave her the album name, Vertigo, but the first draft wasn’t right. She started over, and the second version was perfect. The song Vertigo captures the album’s vibe but isn’t a single—it’s the last track, revealing the album’s essence. The artwork reflects that.
Strife Mag: Nice, so it’s all tied together, hidden until the release. Are there more recorded tracks for a potential deluxe edition?
Tilian: Yeah, a couple are recorded and mixed but didn’t make the cut. If a deluxe edition is warranted, they could be included.
Strife Mag: Don’t hold those back! Is there a specific track, besides Vertigo, that feels particularly vulnerable or significant?
Tilian: Recover is the most vulnerable. It’s already out and tells the story honestly. Pieces Back Together is more optimistic but still truthful. Recover stands out for its vulnerability.
Strife Mag: Fun question to wrap up. We stole this from Diary of a CEO, where the guest suggests a question for the next interview. We spoke with Chadwick from Hundredth, and you mentioned loving their new singles. His question for you is: What’s the real reason you do what you do as a musician?
Tilian: Music made me feel the best and most excited about living when I was young. There’s nothing else I could do that would be satisfying. In high school, I wanted to create art that inspires, like music does for me—whether for daily tasks, exercise, or doing the right thing. I’m not a great artist overall; I can sing and want to make music that fuels people’s energy, one step at a time.
Strife Mag: That’s a great answer—thanks to Chadwick for the question. What question would you like us to ask the next guest? We don’t know who it is yet.
Tilian: What does it take for you to get into a purely creative state? Whether it’s a week, a day, or two hours, how do you position yourself in front of your instrument or mic to make beautiful art? I’ve been working on that a lot lately—finding what works, like walks, breathing techniques, or just forcing myself.
Strife Mag: That’s a great question. I’ll write it down for the next guest. One last personal question: In 2021, you turned me onto A Perfect Circle, and I’ve been hooked. What are you listening to these days?
Tilian: Besides Hundredth’s new singles, I’d say Wilco. They were huge for me in high school, like Radiohead or Coldplay from that era. They’ve made some of the coolest music ever. Also, I saw Queens of the Stone Age live at a festival recently—not even a headliner show—and it was the most vibrant experience. So, Wilco’s recordings and Queens of the Stone Age live.
