From Columbus to Los Angeles, From, Tom packed all he could in his Honda Civic and booked it west.
The Poet, Percussionist, and Singer/Songwriter recently released his emotional single "Run Away" and is delving deeper into the stylings of Alternative-Pop.
After graduating from Berklee College of Music, From, Tom quickly proved himself as an artist to watch through his unique stylings that pay homage to his years of writing poetry. His artist name 'From, Tom' was inspired by his poetic works and letters, which he continues to practice today.
Through his recent single, "Run Away," From, Tom noted that his most recent works are a complete and utter reflection of his life experiences and who he is. We can hear the raw emotion and passion merely through From, Tom's voice as he exclaims his dreaded departure from a past relationship. Through brilliant Alternative-Pop sonics and production, we feel this single will see incredible success.
"Run Away" begins with a melodic synth arrangement and a delicately filtered mid-tempo drum beat. From, Tom begins vocalizing his many emotions after leaving someone behind, he places such thorough and profound lyricism that indeed pays tribute to his poetic side. From, Tom's vocals are incredibly gripping and broad, as he blasts through the hook with vast power while softening his tone through his verses.
While pushing through with this saddened and reflective undertone, the foreground sonics bring an excellent blend of electronic/organic through woozy electric guitar swings, a twittering piano, and the heavenly background synths. We can't help but feel that many listeners will easily relate to the introspection of this single, as From, Tom displays incredible emotion that pulls us in up close and personal.
With his passionate, poetic, and sweet-sounding single "Run Away" From, Tom demonstrates his unique abilities while easily allowing listeners to connect with his relatable and emotional lyricism.
Hello, From, Tom and welcome to BuzzMusic. What inspired you to create such an emotionally heavy single like "Run Away?"
“Run Away” isn’t just about one thing. It’s about trying to escape a reality that I wasn’t happy with. I had to learn a lot of things the hard way, and this song is a reflection on that inner struggle where you know something isn’t right or healthy for you but you’re not ready to accept the truth.
Seeing as you're also a poet, what was your songwriting process like for "Run Away?" Do you face any challenges when writing about such emotional topics?
I always write the music and lyrics separately. The music by itself can be so powerful on its own. I always make sure the vibe is right with the music first before I figure out the lyrics. I knew I wanted to write something dark for my second release though. I co-wrote this song with my good friends Kyle Kanzigg and Nick Samson (La Porè). They inspire me so much and it’s always fun working with your close friends. I love writing about emotional topics. The challenging part is being like, okay, it’s done, and we don’t need to tweak it anymore. I’m just trying to be as real and raw as possible. There was a time when I was really self-conscious about what other people thought of me. Putting these songs out has been really therapeutic too. It’s really freeing to let everyone know who you really are. I want people to connect with the good AND the bad.
Why did you create this spacious and ethereal sonic atmosphere for your single "Run Away?" How did you want the sonics to compliment your lyricism?
I wanted it to replicate the feeling of being really out of it inside of some weird dream. My friend and co-producer/co-writer Kyle Kanzigg knocked it out of the park. There were a lot of conversations and voice memos sent back and forth to get the song where it needed to be. Kyle is a creative genius and knew exactly what I wanted. I wanted the song to sound really dark and almost creepy and I think we achieved that.
How would you describe your sound and style to a new listener? Do you feel comfortable within a specific genre, or do you blur lines of particular sounds to create a more authentic feel?
I’d describe it as alternative pop. I have so many different influences and I think that comes through in my music. I don’t want to put myself in a box and say “I only write this style of music”. I’m going to write music that reflects how I feel. If it’s more pop-leaning, that’s cool, and if it’s more alternative/rock-leaning that’s cool too.
What has been keeping you inspired in 2020?
I listen to so much music every single day and that definitely keeps me inspired. One of my favorite bands, Architects, is dropping a new album in February and they’ve always been a source of inspiration. Also, it sounds cheesy but I’m a sucker for a good sunset. I take a lot of pictures on my phone of sunsets and of stuff I see out in nature. Getting outside and taking photos keeps me inspired as well. Whenever I can go on tour again I definitely want to buy a legit camera so I can document my travels and experiences.