by pankhuri bhutani
photo courtesy of tayler buono
Hailing from Orlando, Tayler Buono is one of the most successful up and coming artists in the industry. She just released her latest track “Screen” along with a phenomenal music video. Due to the global pandemic that we are facing currently, Tayler decided to shoot the video all by herself on her iPhone.
The track, which is inspired by the heinous effect of social media towards our mental health, possesses some really catchy lyrics and addicting beats. Besides her own music, Tayler has been showcasing her immense talents by uploading many covers of other successful artists which have been further gaining a lot of popularity. She currently has garnered around 13 Million views on her YouTube channel and around 65,000 monthly listeners on her Spotify Channel.
To talk about her music journey, Tayler was kind enough to take out some of her time for a really fun interview with Unclear!
Hi Tayler! Thank you for joining us on Unclear. For the people who have yet to be introduced to your music, kindly tell us something about yourself!
Tayler: “Hello! Thanks for having me! I’m Tayler Buono. I’m an artist and songwriter from Orlando, FL, based out of Los Angeles, CA.”
Was there anything you planned out to do before setting out in the music industry?
T: “I used to want to be an actress, vet, or a therapist before I fell in love with writing music. After I wrote my first song when I was 14 years old, I became obsessed and knew that it was what I wanted to do.”
You just released your new track “Screen.” Congratulations on that! What was the inspiration behind it?
T: “Thank you!! I wrote ‘Screen’ about the way social media can affect our mental health. Social media can either connect us or isolate us. I was inspired to write it after laying in bed for hours one day scrolling on Instagram feeling really insecure and lonely. I felt ashamed that I felt that way and didn’t want to talk about it, but then I realized that so many other people probably feel the same way and I should write a song about it.”
What was the creative process like and did you face any challenges during the making of the song?
T: “I brought the idea into a couple sessions before and some people turned it down and thought it would be weird to write about social media. Then I was in a session with Olivia Waithe and Louis Schoorl and they were completely down and excited to write it with me! I had just gone through a breakup and confessed to them that I had a finsta (fake insta) that I would use to check up on my ex sometimes… Of course, we put that in the first line of the song. It was a really fun song to write and it happened really natural and fast!”
You filmed the music video for the track completely by yourself with your iPhone. How was the experience filming it?
T: “I pulled many all-nighters shooting the video for ‘Screen.’ It was a lot of trial and error trying to figure out what would work. I ordered a tripod on Amazon that I put my phone on and would shoot all night. I shot in my bedroom, in my living room, and on a green screen that I also ordered online. I had so much fun making this video!”
If you could choose one word to describe your music, what would it be?
T: “Honest.”
Who do you look up to in terms of music?
T: “Coldplay, Kasey Musgraves, Rihanna, Post Malone, LANY, Adele… to name a few.”
What can the fans expect from your upcoming projects?
T: “If you’re going through a breakup then I will have the song for you… or 12 songs for you. :) My music tells a story of healing. It’s honest. Writing these songs was how I healed after a four year relationship ended. My hope is that it will help other people too… help heal, grieve, fully feel, and learn to love themselves.”
Is there any message that you would like to convey to your fans?
T: “Vulnerability. Hope. Boldness. Empowerment. Authenticity. Healing. Self-Love.”