A Quick Chat with Tina Says
If Chronos had a colour palette, what would it look like?
Red, blue, green. Like a sunset rave where the sky can’t decide what colour to be.
What part of your process feels most chaotic, and what part feels most precise?
The initial creation is pure chaos, it’s like throwing paint at a wall and hoping it turns into art. The precise part kicks in when I’m figuring out the arrangement and making sure everything actually makes sense. Well… if I get to that point, some ideas are so bad they never leave the bedroom studio. Trust me, the world is better for it.
Was there a moment while making this track where you surprised yourself?
Definitely! The bass groove is way more held back than my usual ideas, the sampling is wild, but somehow it all clicked into this fresh vibe. And when Shewita sent back the vocals, it was so different from what I usually gravitate toward, but I absolutely fell in love with it.
SYNERGY sounds like a big word. Is there a non-music moment in your life lately that made you feel that same energy?
It took me ages to name the EP. It’s got this whole push-pull energy, light vs dark, highs vs lows. And honestly, life is kind of like that too: a cocktail of wins and “what the heck” moments, all working together. It’s never black and white.
You’ve gone from underground parties to full national tours. Do you still DJ like no one’s watching, or has that shifted?
Oh, I definitely DJ like everyone’s watching now and I love it. Years of experience + a little personal growth = full confidence mode. But inside, there’s still that inner raver dancing like no one’s watching.
What’s one sonic rule or “genre expectation” you broke while making this track?
Honestly, there were no rules. I didn’t want to imitate anyone or follow a formula. I was just vibing with cultural sounds and seeing where they took me. It was like a sonic road trip, no map, just vibes.
If you could freeze one moment from a recent live set and bottle it forever, what would it be?
Easy - at my recent release party, when the crowd started singing along to the track even though they’d never heard it before. It was pure magic - like the crowd had known the song their whole life.
Do you build tracks with the club in mind first, or is the emotional tone what leads?
A bit of both! I always want my sets to feel like a journey, no one wants to hear the same groove for an hour straight. So I like to weave through different vibes, whether it’s the groove of the bassline, a strong melody, vocals, or an emotional twist. Gotta keep ‘em on their toes!
Has making lighter music shifted anything else in your life? Or was it the other way around?
Definitely the other way around - I was in a great space when I wrote the EP. The sun was shining, my goals were lining up, and life just felt good. So naturally, that energy made its way into the music.
What would Chronos sound like if it were made in a completely different city?
Hmm… good question. Maybe more melancholic if I’d written it in a rainy city, or more underground and gritty if I was vibing in a darker scene. Or maybe it would’ve just been Chronos — exactly how it was written now.