Today, East London based artist Tills has dropped her new single ‘VIM’. Listen HERE
The audible click of a cassette tape and a beat reminiscent of late 90’s hip hop sets a nostalgic mood for the track. For Tills, ‘VIM’ represents the realisation and release of what has been bubbling inside her. Here, she spits with granular detail about her unbreakable character and talking your talk. The high energy production and bars unfold like an extended inner monologue as Tills takes a stand for who she is.
Speaking about ‘VIM’ Tills says: “Vim is an empowerment anthem, a self assured set of manifestations for anyone who believes in their power and is ready to step into it. I know I’m cold so make sure you mean it when you give me my flowers – say it with your chest, say it with VIM”
Tills draws influence from rap, R&B and icons of the noughties through to the 2010s such as Avelino, Lady Leshurr, Missy Elliot and Nelly Furtado. Recasting British rap nostalgia for a new generation, Tills bends her quick-wit bars and expressive vocals into fearsome new shapes, acknowledging all the nuance and pain on the long journey to personal truth.
Tills’ musical journey began in her childhood, influenced by her music-loving father. She describes herself as a blend of her parents’ strongest traits—her mother’s hustler mentality and her father’s dreamer spirit—which naturally went on to shape her artistic identity. Spending part of her childhood in Melbourne, she taught herself piano and guitar, busking outside supermarkets.
Returning to London, her passion for performing arts led her to pursue a BTEC during college, coinciding with a vital era in UK music, specifically, when Stormzy’s ‘Shut Up’ dominated the airwaves. Tills immersed herself in London’s creative scene joining hip-hop collective Common Roots which helped her gain the confidence to embark on a solo career. Now based in Newham, Tills’ talent is catching the attention of a far wider-reaching––including a co-sign from none other than Stormzy himself—a full-circle moment in her career which truly underscores her presence in this new generation of artists.
From performing with live bands to hosting a sound clash with an all-female rappers lineup, to filming a bone-chilling freestyle with Red Bull, Tills seamlessly transitions between stages, showcasing her versatility. Her soulful vocal modulations, internet-age references, and lyrics centring the female experience set her apart from her predecessors.
VIM is out now and is set to cement Tills’ reputation as one of the most exciting artists in the scene.