Salem Ilese Struggles to Forget Her "Tall Boi" in New Single
[UNPUBLISHED:] Hey Salem! How’re you doing?
[SALEM ILESE:] Hello! I’m doing great thanks, happy to be chatting with you. How about yourself?
[UNPUBLISHED:] You recently released your newest single “Tall Boi” - what was the inspiration behind the single?
[SALEM ILESE:] “Tall Boi” is the kind of concept that I hunt for as a songwriter — it mixes real life experience with a bit of word play. For me, the subtle humor is what makes the song interesting. In the chorus, I say, “nothing is harder to get over than a tall boi.” I mean this both figuratively and literally, as getting over a tall object is quite difficult. Anything that feels like a borderline dad joke is my kind of songwriting concept. The “real life” element is that I actually did date an alarming amount of people who were 6’4. I didn’t seek it out, but it was a very strange coincidence.
[UNPUBLISHED:] Can you tell us a little bit about the process of creating the new single?
[SALEM ILESE:] I was driving back to LA after visiting my family in SF when I thought of the concept for “Tall Boi.” I remember saying the chorus lyric out loud, and immediately feeling excited about it. I wrote the song with Bendik Møller a few months later, which at the time, must have been 2020. It flowed out, taking only one day to write in its entirety. I’ve been sitting on it for so long because I knew it was a special one, and couldn’t justify releasing it on any project other than my debut album, which I’m currently in the process of rolling out.
[UNPUBLISHED:] Your song focuses on the complex and relatable struggles of getting over someone who is your specific type, in your opinion, how do you get over a tall boy?
[SALEM ILESE:] You’ll need a ladder or some sort of stepping stool. I’d recommend stretching beforehand, and possibly wearing a helmet. Make sure to bend your knees on the landing.
[UNPUBLISHED:] Who are some artists that inspire your sound?
[SALEM ILESE:] I’ve been making an effort to let what I listen to recreationally bleed into the music I make more. Lately I’ve been listening to The 1975, 100 gecs, Caroline Polachek, Andy Shauf, and boygenius. I’ve been flirting with rock elements in the new album, which is less apparent on “Tall Boi,” but comes through especially on my song PainHub. Sonically, my releases have been pretty inconstant, which I like. I think the string through my music has always been my writing style.
[UNPUBLISHED:] You’re originally from the San Francisco area, how do you think growing up in that city has influenced your music?
[SALEM ILESE:] I feel like I’m almost too close to my music to answer that question accurately. I’ve been told by my supporters in Japan and Korea that my music sounds very Californian and “sunny,” which I appreciate. I would never come to that conclusion on my own, though. There is a lot of really cool music history in SF that I’m grateful to have grown up around. I had the good fortune of getting Bonnie Hayes as my first songwriting teacher at age 9, which shaped my writing style substantially, I’m sure. I also grew up around lots of breathtaking nature, which I feel like fueled a lot of my creativity, even if subconsciously.
[UNPUBLISHED:] Who are some artists you hope to collaborate with in the future?
[SALEM ILESE:] I would love to collaborate with 100 gecs. I think they’re so cool and would love to be a fly on that studio wall. In general, I really enjoy working with artists I sound nothing like. As a writer, it’s fun to wear many different hats, and be able to immerse myself in someone else’s creative world for a day. Some artists on my dream session list are YUNGBLUD, Willow, Dominic Fike, Charli XCX, and Hippo Campus, to name a few.
[UNPUBLISHED:] Can you tell us something about yourself that not many people know?
[SALEM ILESE:] I really enjoy boxing. I’m not very good, but it’s an effective way to channel my rage. People tend to be surprised that I have the capability to get angry, which I find amusing.
