Meet Tay Cromwell

We recently connected with Tay Cromwell and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Tay , thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.

The best way for me to overcome imposter syndrome was to remind myself that I’m not the only person who feels threatened by their insecurities. It’s an ongoing effort, really, but it’s necessary. I think that imposter syndrome gets to us, and we immediately think of other people as these “heavenly beings” who are so much better, more confident, and more prepared than we are. Once you understand that even the people you admire most have their darkest, most insecure moments, you try to be easier on yourself.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

My love for performing started when a friend in middle school took me to my first acting class. Years later, I discovered musical theatre, which led me to singing, and eventually, I fell in love with writing.

Writing is one of the most exciting parts of creating music for me. I can’t even imagine not being involved in the songwriting process. Ever since I was young, I would listen to music and think, ”Wow, how does this writer know exactly how I feel?” Being able to create that same connection with people through my own lyrics is why I do this.

Most of the time, I’m a one-person crew. I shoot my own visuals, write my songs, create my marketing strategies, and direct and edit my videos. But this isn’t just a no-budget alternative—I genuinely love being involved in every aspect of my work. I want everything I create to feel like ME!

On the other hand, being by myself a lot makes me only want the greatest people around. And I truly believe that I would be nowhere near where I am now if I didn’t have Fausto Duantos by my side. He is an incredible producer and drummer who quickly became a great friend. He also introduced me to his friend, Rayssa Tiger, who now plays guitar and bass on my records. The three of us work tirelessly to create pop music that we’re proud of.

And now, after all our hard work, my new EP Selfish—a six-song project—comes to life and it is out on February 14, 2025.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Persistence, resilience, and authenticity are the three most powerful qualities you can have as an artist and as a professional, in my opinion. I wish I had known this earlier when I was struggling to figure out who I was.

If you think you’re not there yet or that you aren’t naturally talented like someone you know, keep persisting and keep working on your craft every day. Persistence beats talent, and effortlessness is a myth.

Stay resilient. Things will inevitably go wrong at some point—sometimes, all the time. The best thing you can do is protect your peace and ground yourself so you can navigate through all the stress. How you deal with unpredictability makes a difference for you and others.

Often, the things you think are weird about yourself are what make you you. Don’t try to hide your uniqueness or fit into a societal mold. Authenticity draws people to you and makes you stand out beautifully—especially once you’re out of high school.

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?

My sisters will forever be my partners in crime—for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, in happiness and in the anxiety caused by feeling like I’m not good enough.

Jokes aside, my sisters Tayna and Talita are the most supportive people I know. When you’re an artist at the beginning of your career, the world has a very clear picture of what it thinks would be much better for you than being an artist. Inevitably, this leads to a lot of self-doubt, and when you’re doubting yourself, it’s really hard to self-generate the motivation to keep going.

They would say, “You might not believe in yourself now, but we know you, and we know you want this. We believe in you, and you have to keep going.”

The gratitude I feel for having people who would do anything to help me keep going is immeasurable. They aren’t afraid to find a way to reach me through the huge cloud of my darkest feelings whenever it appears.

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Image Credits

B&W and purple close-ups by Alle Peixoto

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