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Photo by Dan Medhurst

TSHA, HoneyLuv, and Ellie Maxwell all on one track? Say less. The result is “I Need U,” an instantly addictive house anthem that feels tailor-made for summer nights, crowded dance floors, and drives with the windows down. TSHA’s first release of the year pulses with vitality, flirtation, and that irreplaceable rush of losing yourself in the music.

TSHA is the definition of a modern multi-hyphenate: DJ, songwriter, singer, producer, label head, and event curator. Through her creative platform and community hub, Jackfruit, she’s built a space rooted in connection, creativity, and artist development. Centered around a no-phones policy that encourages people to be fully present, Jackfruit has become a home for timeless sounds and emerging artists alike.

“Jackfruit was something I started actually pre-COVID as a party,” TSHA explains. “My main thing was it had to be no phones… to create a community and environment where people feel that old soul of dance music… so that they’re free to dance and be how they want to be, connect with each other more.”

That same philosophy extends to the label side of Jackfruit, where TSHA is passionate about creating opportunities for rising talent. “The label is also to help develop artists because I really like helping other artists have opportunities that maybe they haven’t come across before,” she says. “It’s nice to be able to do that for people.”

With a new signing to Warner, mysterious new sounds emerging from Ibiza, and a packed touring schedule ahead, we caught up with TSHA to talk about the next chapter and where she’s finding herself creatively these days.

OnesToWatch: I would love to just start with getting to know you as an artist and a person. What does a day in your life look like?

TSHA: In my day, I'm pretty chilled to be honest. I spend time in the studio, writing, I walk my dog, time with my partner, and eating good food. That's kind of my dream day. And I live in Ibiza, so, you know, walks on the beach or the cliffs, which is beautiful. And yeah, just enjoy the weather. I'm not like a big partier anymore. I mean sometimes, but not that often haha. 

It sounds like you kind of keep your studio life and your public life, like shows and whatnot, separate a little bit?

Yeah, I guess so. We were just talking about that. I've not been sharing as much in-studio stuff online, but we were talking about doing more of that actually. It is kind of separate to be honest, because for years I wrote music that I didn't really play in my sets. I used to just DJ other music, but I never used to DJ my own songs. So this is interesting with this project because a lot of the songs fit in my set. It's been nice to test them over a period of time and making changes based on people's reactions, you know? Which I've never had before. 

That's beautiful, yeah, that changes the process for sure. I saw that you've been performing “I Need U,” how does it feel live? Where does it land inside a set? 

TSHA: It’s sick. Do you know what? People love it. It's really been exciting playing that tune. It was great working with Honey on it as well because she's a good friend of mine so it's been great, like working with her on it. Yeah, people were loving it, which is nice. It's nice to like play something out that’s not out, and then see people's reactions and be messaging, like what's this, can't find this song. I'm like, it's mine, it's not out yet! I love it. 

How did this song come to life? What was the process of writing it and creating it

So this is something I was working on first for a while and then I was thinking, it'd be cool to have someone else hop on this that could add to it and that I love. And then she came to mind. I'm like, oh, do you want a collab on this? I think you could do something cool with it! And she was like, oh, I love it. And then we kind of went - actuallym it was weird - we kind of went back and forth on WhatsApp. She was making changes and I was making changes and like, it kind of sort of went like that. 

What's the heart of the song? Is there a backstory to it? 

Not, really. I'll be honest with you - not really. It's just a fun summer song, to be honest. Like, the singer is really great. Ellie's got an amazing voice. She's written on a couple of other things I've got that are coming out. And she's, I think, one to watch in terms of like songwriters. So I'm excited to work with her - I've worked with a few people that have come through early - like Clementine Douglas - who's now on everyone's songs and I feel like she's going to be one of those people that's going to end up like that. 

Yeah, great. Really cool. So Ellie wrote on this song too? 

Yeah, she wrote the hook. I had that top line on a different beat, and then I wrote something new, and then I sent it to Honey with the top line, and then she added her spice on it. Then it was just pulled together. 

How do you want people to feel when they listen to it? 

Just fun, you know. Like, it's just a fun tune. You're singing about being up with somebody. It’s just a fun, sexy song. 

Cute! Okay, so you just signed with Warner…congratulations! 

Yes, with Major at Warner. It's a great work with the team. Everyone's really lovely. Everyone's super on it. So yeah, I'm very, very happy. 

I know you mentioned you have a project coming out. What feels different about this next chapter with the signing?

Well, there's 2 things. There's different resources because I was working with independent labels before. So it's like a new experience with that. But also, I think in this era, I've kind of leaned a little bit more into the dance floor, whereas normally I only really focused on the listener. I'm mixing a little bit of both now. So it is a little bit of a new era. And everything's sort of quite themed around Ibiza because I've been playing a lot there for years, so it's kind of coming from the sounds I'm hearing in Ibiza.

I wanted to ask you about that too. Like, you've always had this kind of club base, with different textures woven in your different chapters. Is there a sound that you're obsessed with right now? 

There is a sound I’m obsessed with but I'm not gonna say. This chapter I was obsessed with clubs and different sounds I'm hearing in Ibiza, but there's another sound - something else I'm working on - that is new. But I don't want to say. 

Wait, haha that's even better. So TBA…

Yeah, TBA. I've already started another project, but it's just like…I'm focusing on this one. 

Okay, it's like a mystery sound. Great. Can we talk about jackfruit? 

Yeah, of course, yeah.  

Is there a space that you were trying to fill when you created it?

Jackfruit was something I started actually pre-COVID as a party. Back in 2019, I wanted to throw something that was a bit broader, and I wanted to make sure it was a phones-free sort of space. Because after playing in Ibiza for so long and playing big clubs and shows, you just kind of get sick of seeing phones. My main thing was it had to be no phones. I also wanted to bring back some of the old school flavors; so with the record label, everything is new sounding, but still has to have like some of the old soul or flavors of original house music. That's kind of the aim of it: to create a community and environment where people feel that old soul of dance music as well as having no phones so that they're free to dance and be how they want to be, connect with each other more. So that's kind of the main overall. 

The label is also to help develop arts because I really like giving helping other artists have opportunities that maybe they haven't come across before. Because I always used to get sent demos that I played out that did really well in livestreams and things that weren't signed. And it was nice when I see them get credit for their song, but at the same time, I'm like, no one's put this song out. So it's nice to be able to do that for people, you know?

Yeah, love that! Is there someone that you would kind of name as your OnesToWatch from Jackfruit?

I mean, they all are, to be honest. They've got great things going for them. They are Ky William, BETH, Emma B, and Daisybelle!  

Listen to "I Need U" below: