Young Tan is a Zimbabwean-British artist merging rap’s grit with genre-fluid melodies. Shaped by his Zimbabwean heritage and UK upbringing, his music is rooted in honesty, growth and emotional clarity.
Originally conceived as an EP, Evolve or Die, grew into Young Tan’s debut album, reflecting the scale of his artistic evolution. As he enters his next chapter, he embraces the idea of the modern Renaissance man: an artist unafraid to create, innovate and evolve across different mediums.
With “ART PIECE” out now, we took some time to hear from Young Tan. Read below to learn more about Young Tan, the story behind “ART PIECE,” and what’s to come.
Hi Young Tan! Let’s start with: how did you choose your stage name?
When I started making music, I was 16 — literally young. “Tan” is shortened from my full first name, Tanyaradzwa. Young Tan just felt natural at the time, and it stuck. I’ve been using the name ever since.
What city are you from, and where are you based now?
I was born and raised in Zimbabwe and moved to the United Kingdom when I was 16. I settled in Coventry, which is still where I’m based today.
At what point in your life did you decide to pursue a career in music? How did you get started?
Music started for me almost by accident. The day that I arrived in the UK, on 14 September 2011, my mum’s friend’s son and his friend came to meet me in Coventry. One of them, Harold — who is now one of my closest friends and whose wedding I’ll be best man at next year — had a home studio. He asked if I wanted to jump on a song. I was reluctant, but I did it, and from that day, music became part of my life. I made music on and off for years, but over the last 18–24 months I’ve approached it with a completely different level of intention. It’s become a way of life rather than simply something I do.
How has your upbringing played a role in shaping who you are and defining your sound?
It has played a huge role. A lot of my worldview, morals and personality can be traced back to the values my grandparents instilled in me and to growing up in Zimbabwe. Those experiences naturally come through in my writing. I reference who raised me, the environment I came from, migration and the way those experiences shaped how I see the world. Moving to the UK at 16 then gave me another cultural perspective, so my music is ultimately informed by both worlds.
How would you describe your sound?
I’d describe it as intentional, cinematic, energetic and reflective. I don’t want to be restricted by genre — some records are rap-driven, others lean into R&B, indie, pop or alternative sounds — but I always want the music to feel like it belongs to the same world.
Do you have any hobbies outside of music? What do you do to stay creative?
I spend a lot of time in the gym, and I love studying culture — both current and past — through documentaries, podcasts and long-form YouTube content. I’m also a huge Liverpool fan, so during the Premier League season I’m watching every game I can. I’m a big film fan too, particularly thrillers, war films and visually ambitious cinema. Film has become a major source of inspiration for my world-building and storytelling.
Who are some of your main musical influences?
My biggest influences include Tame Impala, Ye, Lil Wayne and Drake. In terms of mood and aesthetic, projects like Travis Scott’s Owl Pharaoh and Days Before Rodeo have also influenced me. More recently, I’ve been exploring a lot more pop, indie and alternative music, so artists like Beach House, Björk and Daft Punk have been in heavy rotation. I like taking inspiration from different worlds rather than staying inside one genre.
What would be your dream collaboration?
A dream collaboration would be Young Tan x Tame Impala x Ye. That combination would bring together psychedelic sound design, fearless production and rap in a way that could create something completely unpredictable.
What’s one of the proudest moments of your music career so far?
Independently releasing my debut album, Evolve or Die, is probably my proudest achievement so far. I’m particularly proud of the world-building I began around the project in 2025. I wanted the visual language of the album to embody a traveller archetype — movement, discovery and the idea that new environments force you to evolve. I travelled to Rome, Paris, Rio de Janeiro and Morocco, including the Sahara Desert, to create visuals around four of the album’s singles.
I funded the travel, production, mixing, mastering and visual costs through my day job. Being able to build something that ambitious independently, without compromising the vision or waiting for a label or investor to make it possible, means a lot to me. Seeing people now connect with the project makes that work feel worthwhile.
What would you say are the greatest lessons that you’ve learned so far?
This project strengthened my project-management, coordination and logistical skills enormously because there were so many moving parts to execute. But the biggest lesson has probably been to go after what you want. Time waits for nobody. You can’t sit around waiting for someone to save you or give you permission. You have to create your own opportunities, and I’ve learned that people often take you as seriously as you take yourself.
Now onto your release, “ART PIECE.” What inspired this song? What is “ART PIECE” about?
“ART PIECE” is symbolic because it closes Evolve or Die, but in some ways it also introduces the sound and energy of what comes next. I made it after most of the album was already complete, and by then I had developed a new level of confidence from everything I had created and accomplished during the process.
It’s a brash, chest-out record. Evolve or Die allowed me to develop my songwriting and explore softer, more reflective records, but I wanted one final track that returned to my core energy: high-energy, turned-up music designed to move a room, only now in a more evolved and polished form. I knew immediately that “ART PIECE” would work live, and it has become one of the standout records from the album when I perform it.
What was the inspiration behind the cover artwork for “ART PIECE?”
I came across a bold typeface while browsing for visual inspiration and immediately liked its character. I used that as the starting point for the artwork. I wanted the cover to be simple and direct — the words, “ART PIECE,” presented boldly, almost like making a statement that the song itself is the artwork.
What was the creative process like when making “ART PIECE?”
I found the beat on YouTube and flirted with the idea for about a week, but I only had four bars. One night around 11 p.m., a friend came over with loads of energy. I played him the beat and the little idea I had, and he immediately said, “Let’s go to the studio.” We went in around midnight and everything clicked. It was one of those sessions where the energy in the room does most of the work and you don’t have to overthink it.
How long did it take to complete “ART PIECE?”
The core of the song came together incredibly quickly — probably around an hour and a half to record the idea and get to a strong demo. I later changed about four bars, but almost everything you hear came from that original late-night session.
What is your favorite lyric in “ART PIECE” and why?
“Hang my bars and stems inside of the Louvre, ’cause that’s an art piece.”
That line embodies the confidence and energy that I was carrying when I made the record. I liked it so much that it influenced the visual world of the song — I eventually travelled to Paris and shot parts of the music video around the Louvre.
What do you hope fans take away from “ART PIECE” and your music in general?
People have joked that I should have called the song “Masterpiece” instead, which I love. With “ART PIECE” specifically, I want people to feel energised and confident. More broadly, I hope people get vulnerability, honesty and something uplifting from my music. Even when I’m writing about difficult experiences, I want there to be a sense of movement and evolution underneath it.
What’s next? Are you working on any upcoming projects, or do you have any upcoming shows that we should be on the lookout for?
I’ve already begun working on my sophomore album, The Renaissance, which I’m aiming to release in 2027. Right now, though, my main focus is performing and continuing to build the world around Evolve or Die through live shows, visuals and online content. The next major step that I’m working towards is my first headline show in my home city of Coventry before the end of the year. I want to keep developing the live experience and gradually take the project into more cities and new audiences.
Where can we follow you on social media?
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/youngtan__
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@youngtan__
Thank you for the great interview; wish you much continued success!
