British singer-songwriter TaniA Kyllikki has captured hearts worldwide. Since the pandemic, she has emerged as one of the most powerful female artists in indie music. Her massive, old-school, strong vocal range that spans across five octaves, as well as her distinct raw organic storytelling approach, have led to comparisons to legends in the music industry. Together with her husband and musical collaborator, Rynellton, they have become a strong power couple.
TaniA Kyllikki is an artist and a person who can be described in a variety of ways. She is a survivor of abuse and was born with life-long health conditions. In her songs, she expresses emotion and empathy with maturity and depth.
Making No.3 on Amazon Top Hot 100 Pop Albums UK and then remaining between No.25 and No.27 on the charts for over a month with TaniA Kyllikki’s debut self-written album, Why Chapter One, this was a big achievement for TaniA Kyllikki as an independent singer-songwriter.
Since then, hundreds of magazines and newspapers, both online and in print, have featured TaniA Kyllikki, including front cover features. Showing TaniA Kyllikki support, 3x GRAMMY Award-winner Ne-Yo presented her popular single, “Remind Me.”
With “I Promise I’ll Wait For You” out now, we took some time to hear from TaniA Kyllikki. Read below to learn more about TaniA Kyllikki, the story behind “I Promise I’ll Wait For You,” and what’s to come.
Hi TaniA Kyllikki! Let’s start with how did you get your artist name?
It’s just my middle names. My full name is far too much of a mouthful to remember for people, haha.
What city are you from, and where are you based now?
I live just on the outskirts of London, in the more rural part of Berkshire county.
At what point in your life did you decide to pursue a career in music? How did you get started?
I was just one of those individuals who knew from a very young age that music is what I was born to do. And, I haven’t looked back.
How would you describe your sound to readers who may not be familiar with you?
People have said that my sound is one of a kind, strong, and emotional. I aim to constantly write songs with lyrics that have strong, relatable meanings that touch all parts of life in some way or another. I’m also a singer-songwriter who can do many other things. I mix many different styles of music together, such as soul, R&B, and pop. My music often has elements of house, dance, hip-hop, and classical music. My songs are emotionally real and convey stories that inspire. I write about things like resilience, self-acceptance, love, and getting through tough times. I am an artist who consistently seeks to establish a connection with others and make them feel acknowledged and understood, as if I am offering them a comforting embrace through my music. Overall, my music blends various sounds and styles to uplift people’s spirits and evoke genuine emotions.
Do you have any hobbies outside of music? What do you do to stay creative?
I enjoy baking and preparing large meals for the people I care about. I have been horseback riding since childhood, and I really love it. Being around horses is both calming and incredibly beautiful. I love being in rural places and on the beach; I like taking lengthy walks to take in the scenery, wildlife, etc. I enjoy drawing too. I also like to use my creativity when applying makeup and hairstyles. I like to watch films because I’m a major movie buff. I also enjoy shopping! What woman doesn’t, though? HAHA. In regard to staying creative, I’m always motivated to make music because I’m very passionate and observant of my surroundings. I take in everything. I consistently find inspiration to create songs that explore a diverse array of topics for people to relate to.
Who are some of your main musical influences?
I’d have to say a combination of Barbara Tucker, Etta James, DeBarge, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Céline Dion, Toni Braxton, Amy Winehouse, Prince, Janet Jackson and Michael Jackson, TLC, Charlotte Church, Giovanna Bersola, Salt N Pepper, Mary J. Blige – just to name some. But, there have been so many to be honest.
If you could go back in time to any era of music, what era would you go to?
I’ve always said jokingly that I should have been born at a different time, so I could break out in an era that fits my quirkiness as an artist, HAHA.
So, with that being said, I’d have to say the ’80s for its more versatile sound that allowed artists to express their true individual creativity. Every artist had their own unique sound back then and didn’t copycat each other as much, not like most do now. Authenticity was celebrated more back then.
What’s one of the proudest moments of your music career so far?
There have been many proud moments that I’ve been fortunate enough to have, and I’m grateful for all of them. I have gained global recognition, received hundreds of positive reactions from publications about my music, and charted as an independent artist in both streaming stores and radio charts. Having one of my music videos, “I struck gold with you,” gain 2.1 million views was an incredible feeling. As a whole, just the continuous love that I’ve received as an independent singer-songwriter has been amazing. Being fully independent is hard, but it is rewarding to have the freedom to do what I want. And, this is only the beginning of my journey.
What would you say are the greatest lessons that you’ve learned so far?
I’ve learnt to pace myself and be patient.
The music industry is a fast-moving lane. For many artists, it can set expectations for them to jump on the latest trend. But, that’s not who I am. I’m okay being the oddball! Haha.
My journey, my authenticity, is mine alone. The only one I’m in competition with is myself. I’ll never stay complacent either. I will always stay humble, allowing myself to continue to improve my skills and grow. And I do that on my terms and within my timeframe.
As an independent artist with the freedom to go at my own pace, I’ve told myself it’s okay to press pause on a project and take the extra time needed to get it right. Quality is always better than quantity. I want each single/EP/LP that I put out to have a chance to shine.
In my view, if what you’ve released is good and authentic music, people will appreciate it. People will wait for it and be jamming to your songs for generations to come. That’s the impact that you want to bring to the table.
Now onto your release, “I Promise I’ll Wait For You.” What inspired this song? What is “I Promise I’ll Wait For You” about?
It’s all about a long-distance love. My husband and I both prayed to find our soulmate before God even brought us into each other’s lives. That’s how deep our connection is. It’s about a beautiful friendship that has resulted in marriage, but is still long distance. It’s also about having a spiritual connection, a strong faith, and trusting in God to hold us up in our trials. We know that ultimately love always wins, and no distance or the trials we face apart will prevent us from being together.
How did the collaboration with Rynellton come about?
We are a team both in marriage and as music business partners. We have been collaborating musically since 2018 on my music.
What was the creative process like when making “I Promise I’ll Wait For You?”
I originally wrote my song after my husband left to go back to the states after one of his return visits. I wanted him to know how much I love and appreciate him, and I’ll be waiting for as long as it takes for us to finally be together because he is worth the wait. I shared my vocal arrangement and lyrics with him, and he handled all the music production. We then filmed the music video together on his second visit this year, two days before my bladder surgery.
How long did it take to complete “I Promise I’ll Wait For You?”
We had some drawbacks unfortunately due to my health. It was originally meant to come out on our wedding anniversary on June 10th. But unfortunately life happens, and it got moved to October instead. I’m glad we could finally get it out. So yeah, it was some months.
What is your favorite lyric in “I Promise I’ll Wait For You” and why?
Part of the second verse:
“I prayed for you before I knew God would make my dreams come true, he blessed me when I met you, every day I fall more in love with you.”
Part of the chorus:
“I will wait for you until we have a home that is ours.”
My reason is because these are power statements that represent the meaning of why I wrote the song.
What message or messages do you hope fans take away from “I Promise I’ll Wait For You” and your music in general?
That true love is worth waiting for. When two people are perfectly matched, distance or hardship doesn’t matter. Just hold on to each other and your faith. As the saying goes, good things come to those who wait. Imagine how great it will be to wake up in each other’s arms without distance or hardship.
My music as a whole, I hope, will be able to be a positive influence on people’s lives. That can be enjoyed for many generations to come. My music is rooted in truth and honesty. It’s authentically me.
What’s next for you? Are you working on any upcoming projects, or do you have any upcoming shows that we should be on the lookout for?
My next single release is called “HUMAN.” I’ll be posting the official release date on my socials closer to the time.
Then, there will be more single releases leading up to the release of my second album, FREE-SPIRITED, which is coming out in 2026.
And, there are more exciting things happening, and I’m looking forward to them all. I’ll keep everyone posted on my social media accounts.
What can listeners expect from your upcoming second album, FREE-SPIRITED?
An awesome mixed bag of genre goodies!!
My FREE-SPIRITED album is a form of musical expression. It pushes genre boundaries from soulful ballads to vibrant, high-energy dance anthems. The album features a genre-blending sound that fuses pop, R&B, soul, house, and dance music with hints of old-school groove and world-music flavours. The overall sound is eclectic, versatile, and empowering, with heartfelt, story-driven lyrics. It’s me expressing myself and paying tribute to different music that helped inspire me as a singer-songwriter.
Where can we follow you on social media?
YouTube:
https://youtube.com/@taniakyllikkimusiz
Instagram:
https://instagram.com/taniakyllikki
Facebook:
https://facebook.com/taniakyllikki
X:
https://twitter.com/TaniA_Kyllikki
Official website:
Email Management:
Thank you for the great interview; wish you much continued success!
