Meet Elton John's Protégé: Singer Tallia Storm
Photo courtesy of Alan Simpson Photography1/4What's it like opening for Elton John?
"I had a 25-minute set on June 11 and performed five songs in front of 18,000 people. I was so nervous beforehand, but once I got on stage, I was actually surprised that I didn't have any butterflies. I just went for it! Hearing my voice echo across the stadium was amazing. Since then, I've been trying to get my album finished. Elton tells me that there's no rush. After all, I'm only thirteen."
Photo courtesy of Nisbet Wylie2/4Can you tell us the story of how you got discovered by Elton John?
"My family went to Hawaii for Christmas, and the day before we left, my dad bumped into Elton John, his partner David Furnish, and his baby in the lift. We knew Elton was staying at the hotel, and I wanted to meet him. On the day we were leaving, David was sitting two tables away from us at breakfast, and I thought, this is it. I ran up to my room, got my demo, put it in an envelope, and ran back down. I gave him the envelope and said, 'Could you please pass this along to Sir Elton?'"
"I was at the airport going through security, and my phone rings. I hear, 'Hello, is this Tallia? This is Sir Elton.' He said, 'I've let my whole band listen your songs and I love them.' He started naming my songs and saying specifically what he liked! He compared me to Jill Scott, and asked me if I'd like to open for him in Scotland!"
Photo courtesy of Alan Simpson Photography3/4Do you write your own music?
""My dad, who's a jazz pianist, writes a number of songs, and I pick the ones that I like. I'm starting to put lyrics together because I'm a big fan of poetry and writing."
Which artists inspire you?
"R&B and soul is my thing. My musical influences are Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Jennifer Hudson, Stevie Wonder... but then of course, I still do like a bit of Drake and Rihanna. I love the song 'Thank You' by Estelle."
Photo courtesy of Victoria Stewart4/4You're not afraid to take fashion risks. How do you put together your outfits?
"All the credit for my fashion has to go to my sister Tessie, who styles me. We open a magazine, look at the designer clothing, and then go Topshop to find similar styles. We make mood boards of different pieces we like. I love young designers."
