Five lovely minutes with… tilly tjala thomas

What kind of music do you make? I make electronic, indie, alternative, folk and pop. Do you remember the first song you wrote? It was called “The Best Thing”. I wrote it when I was 12 and probably listening to a lot of Taylor Swift. The chorus went: “You say that I can’t really sing, well baby that’s in your dreams,” so I guess it was about believing in yourself and not letting people lower your self-esteem. What inspires your songs? It can be random. The topics I write about include politics, my travels (especially to Spain), and my thoughts on society. I’ve recently started writing songs in Nukunu (the language of the Southern Flinders Ranges) to encourage people to learn Indigenous languages. What’s one thing people would be surprised to learn about you? I can shoot a three-pointer over my head with my eyes closed and back turned. Favourite thing about life in Adelaide? Living across from the beach. Whenever I’ve had a long, stressful day I know I can just float in the ocean and relax. What’s your dream gig? Opening for Tame Impala. I’d love to collaborate with Kevin Parker, too. Any words of wisdom for fellow young musicians? Always have hope and never let fear stop you from doing the things you love. You never know who’s listening to your music. Where do you see yourself in five years? Hopefully making it near the top in the Triple J Hottest 100, producing music for other musicians and selling out live gigs. What would your last meal be? It would have to be lasagne. I can never get enough of it.