Ethan Tang is a self-producing Vietnamese-American singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist in Oak Harbor. He is emerging with a sound that blurs the boundaries of indie music.
Seattle Refined: How long have you been writing/performing?
Tang: My earliest memories of making music were of me at 4 sitting just outside the kitchen threshold, banging out beats on pots and pans with chopsticks while my mum cooked dinner for the night. I’d sing along to whatever songs my parents had on, from opera to jazz to 80s music, never really understanding the words but always knowing in my heart the warmth that music brought to me. Coming out of the pandemic in 2021, I hit the ground running at 13 and have been performing ever since.
Tell us about the artistic process and the different stages that work into it.
I write with my heart on my sleeve, and each song to me is like a puzzle in quicksand; the more I try to dig for the pieces, the deeper they sink. My process always starts with an earworm; there’ll be something, an idea, a melody, a beat, or progression, tugging at my mind just waiting to be realized. It lives in my mind for a while, blossoming, sometimes even connecting with other previous ideas. That’s when I jot it into my voice memos, for reference in case I change something about it later on. A chorus could sit in my DAW for a few weeks before I make any more progress, but it’s during that time that I develop the relationship between the artist and the art, singing it until it becomes second nature. Playing the accompaniment on guitar or piano builds a mind-body connection that cements the song into something that comes naturally. It’s ever-changing, but for me, that’s the beauty of being a songwriter, capturing stray moments, whether it be lying awake staring at the ceiling, or noodling on my piano between homework and live shows.
Where does your inspiration come from? What artists have influenced you?
The artist who has inspired me the most, both musically and personally, is Rex Orange County. I’ve been the biggest fan of his ever since his first album Bcos U Will Never B Free back in 2015, and this past year for Spotify Wrapped, each spot on my top five albums list was exclusively Rex. Despite my admitted obsession with his music, there are plenty more things that influence my music. I grew up listening to and playing jazz music, classics like Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Nat King Cole, and instrumentalist pioneers like Chet Baker, Sonny Stitt, Charlie Parker, and Duke Ellington all play a part in the textured harmonic foundation my music is built upon. The intimate feel and flow of R&B is something I’ve grown into over the years, Steve Lacy, Leon Thomas, and Daniel Caesar being the most prominent benefactors. I was introduced to ska music when I started playing saxophone for an alt-rock band in 2022, which, alongside my jazz roots, translates into the horn lines and solos I include in most of my songs. Most recently, I’ve been down an extensive rabbit hole of barbershop music. Interesting chord inversions, vocal harmonies, and studying overtones are what pulled me into that niche and opened my eyes to how much is truly possible with just your voice.
What kind of genre is your music? What kinds of things do you write about?
I would describe my genre as indie-jazz, sonically adjacent to alt-R&B, bedroom pop, and of course, indie rock and jazz. Born from the overthinking during awkward silences and built with live takes recorded in my bedroom. Self-discovery, for better and for worse. This is a common theme across my discography, depicted through love (unrequited or otherwise) and heartbreak, the angst that comes with becoming an adult, and climbing the sometimes steep slope of your own mental health. My message to those who can relate to my music, first of all, I’m sorry, but more importantly, you should know that you’re not alone, and you can make something beautiful out of these uncertain feelings, just like I have.
Do you have one song that means more to you or is extremely special to you?
One song in particular off my first album, Everything And, marks a personal turning point in my journey, and will always hold a special place in my heart. The penultimate track, Green Fingers, scores my experience of the first crush I had after a major heartbreak. I wasn’t exactly feeling all sunshine and rainbows, but writing such an optimistic song, while seemingly out of character for me at that time, was what started to pull me out of that rut. It was a sort of an emotional “fake-it-’till-you-make-it” moment that ended up genuinely making me more present and gave me a sense of control over my outlook on life.
What experiences in your life have shaped your music?
The most recent life experience that has shaped my music was the story of how I came up with the name for my album, and also how I kind of didn’t. I was talking with some friends I run a local music festival with when one of them mentioned that their catchphrase was: “everythang and Ethan Tang.” What was otherwise a comedic passing comment made me realize the impact I have on other people, and that my name has been heard by people I may never know. From there, the title Everything And came to represent my introduction not only as an artist, but as a human like everyone else. A way for those who’ve heard my name to know who I am, to be vulnerable and show everything I have been through up until this point, and that there’s plenty more to come.
If we want to hear more of your work, where should we go to find it? What about upcoming shows?
I post primarily on Instagram; concert media, show dates, unreleased snippets, and other silly little videos to season your feed. I also have longer form videos on YouTube, covers, rehearsals, and the like. I’ve just got back onto TikTok as of the New Year’s, and you can find me under the same handle everywhere.
What is next for you? Anything you’re working on right now that you’re really excited about?
Another album is brewing, along with a reprise of a previously released song, both of which I am stoked to share, but can’t reveal too much more before the time is right.
Lastly, how do you take your coffee? We ask everyone!
I’m generally more of a tea drinker, but when I do get coffee, it’s with one sugar, one cream, and a bit of chocolate syrup to make a very cozy and rich mocha taste.
About ‘Artist of the Week’: This city is packed with artists we love to feature weekly on Seattle Refined! If you have a local artist in mind that you would like to see featured, let us know at hello@seattlerefined.com. And if you’re wondering just what constitutes art, that’s the beauty of it; it’s up to you! See all of our past Artists of the Week in our dedicated section.