In conversation with Tabi Harlowe

Words by Kate South

Here at Starfreak, we love independent talent. When we came across Tabi Harlowe, an up-and-coming New York City based indie rock artist, we couldn’t help but fall in love. Harlowe has a background as a musical theatre performer and is already making waves with her debut single ‘Erosion’. An acoustic version of the track featured on NPR: Tiny Desk, evoking an alt-rock, Stevie Nicks inspired vibe. Starfreak Mag was lucky enough to catch up with Tabi Harlowe about her career change from Broadway actor to rock artist, and her profound love of the colour blue. 

‘Erosion’ has been out for almost a month now. What has life been like in the wake of your latest single?

Well, my alarm still goes off for my survival job every morning (and sometimes I am awake as early as 4:30 am), so not too much has changed. But in all seriousness, it’s been really rewarding to watch Erosion slowly find its audience. As an independent artist, you don’t usually get overnight moments; you get little milestones that add up over time. Seeing people connect with the song all over the world has been surreal, and it’s made all the work behind the scenes feel worth it.

What was the inspiration behind the track lyrically and musically?

Erosion came from a season of burnout and a lot of questioning where my life was actually headed. Navigating uncertainty is never easy, but it’s something every one of us experiences, even when our minds convince us we’re completely alone in it. We never are.

I wanted to capture what it feels like to become disconnected from yourself and start questioning the version of your life you spent so long working toward. Musically, I leaned into atmospheric guitars, layered vocals, and a building intensity because I wanted the production to feel like the emotional weight of those thoughts. It’s a song about unravelling, but also about recognising that sometimes things have to erode before you can rebuild them into something that’s more honest.

Which artists have inspired your sound? Are there any genres that you’d like to experiment with?

My music taste is honestly all over the place, but ever since I was a kid, I’ve always gravitated toward alternative rock, indie pop, and folk. Artists like Fleetwood Mac, Coldplay, AURORA, Florence + The Machine, Sam Fender, The Cranberries, Tracy Chapman, and Maggie Rogers have all had a huge influence on me. I’ve always been drawn to ambient guitars, layered vocals, and lyrics that make you feel like you’ve stepped into another world for a few minutes.

As for experimenting with other genres, absolutely. There are so many artists I’d love to collaborate with one day, and I don’t think my voice belongs in just one box. Alternative indie rock is probably the lane people will know me for long term, but I’m excited to explore wherever the right song takes me.

When I was checking out your Insta, I noticed you were followed by none other than musical theatre legend Andrew Lloyd Webber! What’s the story there?

From 2021 to 2023, I had the incredible honour of playing Grizabella on the national Broadway tour of Cats. I became the sixth Black woman to portray the role full-time in the show’s 45-year history, which is something I carry with a lot of pride. As Grizabella, I performed “Memory”—one of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s most iconic songs—around 512 times over the course of the tour. During that time, I also became the first musical theatre guest to perform on The Jennifer Hudson Show, which was another unforgettable milestone.

What motivated you to take a step back from musical theatre and pursue a career as a solo artist?

I grew up in a really musically gifted family, and musical theatre was where I had my sights set for years. After COVID, a national Broadway tour, and some unexpected health issues, I found myself slowing down and reevaluating what I wanted creatively. During that time, I started putting more energy into the music I’d always been writing on the side, and what was meant to be a temporary break from theatre turned into an indefinite one. Looking back, it was the best decision I could’ve made.

You have a whole instagram highlight dedicated to the colour blue. Why do you feel such an affinity for this colour?

Oh, this question made me smile. Blue has always been my favourite colour—specifically that deep Yves Klein blue. I’ve been lucky enough to see a lot of his work in person, but my favourite is Blue Monochrome at the Museum of Modern Art. I go back to visit it whenever I can because just sitting with that painting does something to my soul that I can’t really explain. I love seeing my own reflection in the blue through the plexiglass. It feels strangely grounding.

I’ve also always loved that blue is a colour we naturally use to talk about emotion. We describe moods, memories, music, even entire seasons of life as “blue.” As someone who’s always felt things very deeply, I’ve always connected with that. One of Yves Klein’s quotes is, “Blue has no dimensions, it is beyond dimensions,” and that line resonated with me so much that I even have “beyond dimensions” tattooed on my right arm. At this point, blue isn’t just my favourite colour, it’s become a part of how I see the world.

How long have you lived in New York City, and what do you love most about the big apple?

I’ve lived in New York City for seven years now. The first time I visited was when I was 16 on a high school choir trip, and I remember thinking, “I’m going to live here one day.” Somehow, that ended up coming true.

What I love most about the city is how endlessly walkable it is. Some of my favourite days are spent wandering for hours with a good playlist in my headphones, maladaptive daydreaming my way through different neighbourhoods. Even though New York can feel surprisingly lonely sometimes, it’s also one of the most inspiring places I’ve ever been. I’m constantly discovering new cafés, museums, parks, and people. The city never stops surprising me, and I think that’s why so many artists find it impossible to imagine living anywhere else.

I am loving the visuals for your single so far. What is the inspiration behind your visual world, and is a music video on the cards?

Thank you so much! Huge shout-out to my marketing manager, Elin from BELLAS IN TUNE, and my photographer, Jordan Zdon. We were so in sync creatively throughout this release. I always make a mood board once I understand the emotional world of a song, and when we finally shared ours for Erosion, it turned out we’d both been pulling from almost the exact same visual language.

I’ve never been interested in creating visuals just because they look pretty. I want every image to evoke the same feeling the song does. For Erosion, that meant rich blues, reds, greens, etc., reflections, familiar spaces that suddenly felt unfamiliar, and the tension of sitting alone with your own thoughts. I wanted the visuals to feel the same way the song feels to me: beautiful, a little disorienting, and deeply Introspective.

The coolest part is that every photo was shot in the apartment I was living in at the time. Jordan and I had an absolute blast experimenting with light, colour, and different corners of the space, and somehow it all turned out even better than we’d imagined. I seriously can’t wait to work with her again.

As for a music video, nothing’s in the works just yet, but it’s absolutely something I’d love to do in the future. I’m a very visual person, and I’d rather wait until I have the budget to create something that truly does the song justice.

Here at Starfreak, we cannot wait to see what you get up to next. Can fans expect more music soon?

YESSSSSSSS the tabiverse is expanding, and you all can definitely expect more for me very soon. I may or may not have already started teasing what’s to follow Erosion on TikTok recently. ✨

Final Question…are you a Star, or a Freak?

Definitely both. The star gets me on stage, while the freak keeps my work authentic. I’ve always believed the best artists are the ones who embrace the parts of themselves that don’t quite fit neatly into a box. That’s usually where the good stuff lives. Honestly, I think that’s true for everyone, not just artists. If someone says they don’t have a little freak in them… they’re probably lying to themselves

Tabi Harlowe’s debut single, ‘Erosion’, is available to stream now everywhere.

Photo by Jordan Zdon