As Long As I'm Yours

Tali Kaiyha R.

• Artist Statement

  In a world that constantly bombards us with the desire for more—more achievement, recognition, distractions—I wrote “As Long As I’m Yours” as a reminder that all we truly need is love. Genuine human connection, whether it be family, friends, or a significant other, is what grounds us and makes all the noise of the world fade away. At a time where many young people feel isolated, overwhelmed, or detached, I’ve felt in my own life that intimacy and presence is more important then ever. My accompanist and I tried to incorporate jazz-inflected chords to reflect the emotional arc of the song: warm I–IV movements for a sense of safety, and tension-filled iiø–V7b9 and fully altered V progressions to express the depth at the center of the story. I hope that people take away from this song the importance of connection in a world that all too often forgets.

• Creative Statement

  Creativity, to me, is curiosity. It’s the instinct to ask why and what if, and to let questions spark bigger ideas. In songwriting, curiosity drives me to take a single thought, feeling, or sound and follow it to melodies, lyrics, and harmonies that portray what I have to say.

• Collaborator

  Marshall L.