TKTAY on Chicago Roots, College Life, and Staying True to Himself
TKTAY is carving out a space for himself through honest, unfiltered storytelling rooted in real-life experience. Blending introspection with everyday observations, his music reflects both personal growth and the reality of balancing ambition, identity, and routine. In this conversation, TKTAY opens up about life outside the studio, emotional processing, and staying grounded while building a career in music.
You’ve been building your name through very personal storytelling—what’s something about you outside of music that fans would be surprised to know?
Fans might be surprised to know that I love my solitude. I am a huge introvert. I love being inside and chilling, but I am not opposed to going out.
Growing up in Chicago clearly shaped your sound, but how has it shaped you as a person in ways that don’t show up in your lyrics?
That’s a great question. I try not to be impulsive, I try to think a lot of things through. In Chicago you can’t just do anything—you have to be smart and pay attention.
When you’re not in the studio, what does a normal day in your life look like right now?
I’m in college, so there’s a lot of going to class, being in a constant routine, and still trying to figure out how to have fun like playing video games and still making music. I try my best to be good at all those things. Sometimes it causes me to be really tired, but I hope it becomes worth it one day.
You’ve talked about turning real experiences into music—how do you personally process emotions when you’re not writing them into songs?
It might sound weird, but I talk to myself about a lot of situations in my life so I can figure out how I got to the current state that I am in. When I finish, I try to just move on because I know I probably did all that I can do to communicate, but everything can’t have a happy ending.
Who are the people or relationships in your life that keep you grounded while you’re chasing this music career?
My family and friends for sure, and funny enough my roommate who is one of my monthly listeners on Spotify. They listen to my music and they support me all the time.
What’s something you’ve had to learn about yourself since you started taking music seriously that you didn’t expect?
I would say how I let the entire process come naturally. I am trying not to force anything, but I am trying to push myself while dealing with my everyday life because I want music to be my everyday life.
When you think about where you’re headed, what kind of person do you want to be—not just as an artist, but as TKTAY?
I want to be known, but I also want to just be me. I always just want to be Tay. I like the life I live. I just want to live it better. I feel like if people just ask me they can really know me, but sometimes people don’t care. Still, I am going to be me.