Following his third release as Tim Omaji, it would seem that the Australia performer has finally broken free of the Timomatic shackles and begun to define who he really is as an artist. I caught up with him to talk about the new single, working with some of the world’s best producers, and what we can expect from the new album next year.
Go To Work is certainly a departure from the other music you’ve released in the past year. I love it, it made me shake my ass almost instantly. What inspired you to change tack and head in the direction of a more commercial hip-hop sound?
For the first two tracks I came from a place where I was really just experimenting with my sound. It was the first time I had dropped my Timomatic moniker, and I mean shout out to the label I was given freedom to do whatever and experiment. So I embraced that period and we came out with songs on really different ends of the spectrum. And anyone who knows me knows how eclectic my taste in music is so if you give me a blank cheque I’m just gonna go nuts with it.
So we did it, and we put songs out there that we felt we loved. They didn’t necessarily connect as much with the old stuff, which was cool, so when this track came along and I heard it – it really just resonated with me. I’m all about music that can get people straight away. I think the connecting element in all of these new songs is that there’s a very strong hook in each one.
There’s a distinctly Jason Derulo flavour to this new single, is that intentional? Is that the legacy of having worked with Joe London?
Yeah 100%. Joe’s done a lot of work with Jason and so there was already that element there. And it’s a proven entity – people like that sound. And to me, I’m always pushing myself to try new things and this kind of the most urban / pop record I’ve ever worked on. Which is cool you know it’s a departure from the things I’ve previously worked on and I get to add a new layer to what I do.
You mentioned the album, so I’ll go there for a second. When are we looking to see that?
(Laughs) 2016 man.
So with that album – is it going to be like these last three releases, very eclectic, or is it going to be more focused on the sound that Go To Work has?
Good question. I think that as I evolve and as the sound evolves I’ll just be craving what I’m feeling at the time. It could be a little eclectic but I think that Go To Work has definitely inspired more of an urban feel to the music so there will definitely be slant towards that. The album’s gonna show a lot of soul, but there will be an even balance as well. I’d like to equate to like an Usher album or a Chris Brown album where you get the hot single that you can bump in the car, but you also get to hear their soul as well.
Given your work with Joe, M-Phazes and Pusha T – are you focusing on breaking into the US market?
Yeah I would not lie and say that’s not one of the things on my bucket list. I mean for me in my broad genre of urban/pop/r’n’b the US is the mecca for that. So yeah I definitely aspire to make an impact there but I also want to establish a presence globally.
You may have answered this a thousand times this year, but for those AU review readers who aren’t looped in, 2015 marked a move from Timomatic to Tim Omaji. Is this purely a marketing move or does it represent something a little deeper?
Oh yeah, whatever you see me put out or whatever I do – I can’t put something out unless I have put a certain amount of soul into it. And it took a while to make the decision to move away from Timomatic. I guess the change came from the fact that Timomatic really came from purely a dancing background. So as I’ve evolved more toward music, and looking forward you know five to ten years, I don’t just want to be known by my dancing name. I’d rather offer up something that has bit more soul to it. But in saying that though, I kind of use it as an aka now. Because Timomatic was the name I kind of blew up on you know. It’s not like one of those ‘don’t use the name Timomatic around him anymore’ type things, it’s just an evolution.
The music you’ve released over the past year certainly shows the many faces of Tim Omaji – is that something you’ve set out to do as you look to release the new album? Are you trying to shake off the Set It Off tag somewhat?
Yeah, good point (chuckles). You know what, it’s not necessarily like anything that sounds like my old stuff I can’t do. That’s not it at all. I think it’s really just not being pigeonholed. Pigeonholing myself and my creativity into the claws of one style. The majority of my singles as Timomatic were just straight dance pop kind of songs. But above everything man I crave connection so if I release a track and it doesn’t connect – I feel that, I take that to heart. So I keep finding things that I hope and know will connect with people. Because for me, at the end of the day, it’s all about that connection.
So what’s on the cards for you heading into 2016? After the album is done can we expect a tour?
That would be the plan man. Get the single ramped up, then get the album wrapped up and then get on the road. I think the best way I can really show my evolution as an artist is with the live show. For the most part when it’s my own show I’m using a band now. A drummer, a guitarist and a bass player. It’s just a really organic in your face kind of grunged up experience, you know what I mean? And I think that when people see that, it marries all the sounds together.
It’s funny you say that because I’ve noticed a lot of electronic artists recently doing their live sets with a proper live band. Ellie Goulding at the V Festival this year is one example. I think it’s really great that you can introduce the real instruments into the music as well.
100%. I think it’s all about bringing new life to whatever you do. And I think that for the most part if people are coming to a show and just getting what they’re hearing at home, there’s not as much value in that for me. I mean obviously the EDM world is huge but that’s not just the music, it’s the experience that comes with it, and all the substances that come with it as well… But yeah I live for that organic reinvention of the music and it hits people in a really in your face kind of way. I can be listening to a Jeremiah song next to an ACDC song. And I actually love marrying those worlds together because you make something new.
And good music is good music, no matter where it comes from.
100% man.
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Tim’s new single “Go To Work” is available on Spotify and iTunes now.
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