Photo: Chantelle Partyka
Pulling inspiration from her favourite aspects of 90s pop and the storytelling skills of legendary songwriters, ATLAAS melds the best of both worlds and woos listeners with her unforgettable moody synth-pop vibes.
Heather Thomas, the brains and pipes behind ATLAAS, spoke to us about growing up in a music-centric family, how theatre school revived her love for music and what she’s most excited about playing Harvest Sun.
What made you start making music?
I played music with my dad when I was really young. We would sing together as a family. We would sing songs that had harmonies and so that kind of trained my ear to hear different parts of music. My dad was a musician as well and had a small studio in our childhood home. I started recording stuff with him when I was 11 or 12 and taking singing lessons at the same time. That really got me started in music. Ever since I started that it was always the one thing that I felt I was really good at, and the one thing that got me excited about the world and life. I knew I had to do something with music to be really happy. Since I was quite young, I had dreams of being the next Britney, and that obviously wasn't my thing [laughs]. I kind of had a weird experience when I went to university for music. I didn't have the best time, and I ended up quitting after a couple of years and just not making music. It wasn't until I was probably 21 and my parents moved away. They were like 'if you wanted to go back to school and finish a degree we would help you.'
I was a little directionless then so they were like 'okay, here try this, ' so I went to theatre school. I took a couple of theatre classes, and I loved it. I kept doing theatre school, ended up doing an honours theatre degree. At the end of the process, I was like 'damn, all this did was make me more confident,' and I realized that I actually could achieve my dreams which are making music. After that, I was like 'this is what I want to do. Screw theatre! I'm not going to be an actor. I'm going back to music, back to my roots!' and that's when I started ATLAAS.
Does any of that theatrical stuff seep into your performances?
Well, I've always been really dramatic, like ever since I was little. I've always loved performances that were more performative. I've always been interested in performance art. I've always been interested in movement and the visual side of the performance of music. It was only increased by going to theatre school. Honestly, I think the most important thing that I got out of theatre school was self-confidence. Being in theatre school, I learned a lot about myself. I learned a lot about other people, how to read and listen to people. That was what made me more confident in my own thoughts and start really trusting my own self.
When you started ATLAAS, where did that sound come from?
I think at the very core, and the foundation of ATLAAS is solid pop vocals and emotional lyrics. There's music; there's sound around it, synths and stuff but I think the core would be good pop songs; an emotional thing rather than a really intellectual one, which I really appreciate. Whenever I write, there's more than just the top layer. I'm thinking of other things when I'm writing, so there are other layers to the song, so if you wanted to get into them you could delve deeper but at the surface, I hope, they're pretty relatable.
Heather Thomas, the brains and pipes behind ATLAAS, spoke to us about growing up in a music-centric family, how theatre school revived her love for music and what she’s most excited about playing Harvest Sun.
What made you start making music?
I played music with my dad when I was really young. We would sing together as a family. We would sing songs that had harmonies and so that kind of trained my ear to hear different parts of music. My dad was a musician as well and had a small studio in our childhood home. I started recording stuff with him when I was 11 or 12 and taking singing lessons at the same time. That really got me started in music. Ever since I started that it was always the one thing that I felt I was really good at, and the one thing that got me excited about the world and life. I knew I had to do something with music to be really happy. Since I was quite young, I had dreams of being the next Britney, and that obviously wasn't my thing [laughs]. I kind of had a weird experience when I went to university for music. I didn't have the best time, and I ended up quitting after a couple of years and just not making music. It wasn't until I was probably 21 and my parents moved away. They were like 'if you wanted to go back to school and finish a degree we would help you.'
I was a little directionless then so they were like 'okay, here try this, ' so I went to theatre school. I took a couple of theatre classes, and I loved it. I kept doing theatre school, ended up doing an honours theatre degree. At the end of the process, I was like 'damn, all this did was make me more confident,' and I realized that I actually could achieve my dreams which are making music. After that, I was like 'this is what I want to do. Screw theatre! I'm not going to be an actor. I'm going back to music, back to my roots!' and that's when I started ATLAAS.
Does any of that theatrical stuff seep into your performances?
Well, I've always been really dramatic, like ever since I was little. I've always loved performances that were more performative. I've always been interested in performance art. I've always been interested in movement and the visual side of the performance of music. It was only increased by going to theatre school. Honestly, I think the most important thing that I got out of theatre school was self-confidence. Being in theatre school, I learned a lot about myself. I learned a lot about other people, how to read and listen to people. That was what made me more confident in my own thoughts and start really trusting my own self.
When you started ATLAAS, where did that sound come from?
I think at the very core, and the foundation of ATLAAS is solid pop vocals and emotional lyrics. There's music; there's sound around it, synths and stuff but I think the core would be good pop songs; an emotional thing rather than a really intellectual one, which I really appreciate. Whenever I write, there's more than just the top layer. I'm thinking of other things when I'm writing, so there are other layers to the song, so if you wanted to get into them you could delve deeper but at the surface, I hope, they're pretty relatable.
I listened to a ton of Eva Cassidy, Eric Clapton, Kurt Elling, lots of blues music and lots of songwriters. Harry Nilsson is a huge influence. My parents listened to a lot of troubadours, so people that would tell stories. That always really got to me so any time I could make an emotional connection, that was my goal. When I started listening to my own music I was listening to N'Sync, 98 Degrees, the Backstreet Boys and the Spice Girls.
I think with those two [backgrounds] together, what I see is excellent song-writing like John Hiatt and then the pop emotion, feeling and the look and just making it my own. That's where I was coming from. I have a jazz background and a classical background, so I like to use that part of my voice. That was the idea behind ATLAAS: to do my own project that wasn't influenced by people around me telling me what I should be doing.
It’s your first year at Harvest Sun, so what's the part you're most excited about?
I'm most excited about hanging out with everyone else who's there. Those bands are some of my favorite Winnipeg artists. I have a lot of friends playing this festival this year and people that I want to be friends with. When I looked at the lineup, I was like 'dang, these people are great, and I am really stoked to see other bands play.’ That's the most exciting thing for me.
Why do you think Harvest Sun or festivals like that are important for Manitoba musicians or the scene in general?
I think it's really important because it's a good place to start when you're getting ready to tour. I think a lot of people would love to just do a world tour, like 'I'm big in Winnipeg, but I feel like I'd be really great in Europe,' so they go to Europe and do a tour there. That's fine. Lots of people do that, but why not build your local market. I think it's really nice to have those close festivals near your hometown so that you're not spending 10 hours in a van every weekend. Also, people in Manitoba feel a deeper affinity for you because you're a local and you're going to be building bonds with and introducing people who would never have heard this music.
Yeah, especially in rural Manitoba where they can't necessarily come to a show in Winnipeg.
Yeah for sure. It provides a bit of a community service, and it gives young musicians a chance to cut their teeth in places outside their hometown. I think it's good. The more you perform, the better you are as a band or as a performer. There's just so many good things! It's also soul cleansing. It's so nice to go to these little festivals and feel the community vibe and not feel like everything's about money, because sometimes that can feel a little stifling; and just to feel and be a part of nature. I think it's really valuable.
Catch ATLAAS at The Harvest Sun Music Festival in Kelwood, MB - August 17 - 19th.
Follow ATLAAS on Facebook, on Instagram and stream her new self-titled EP, on Bandcamp & Spotify.
Be sure to check out @harvestsunmusicfest on Instagram on June 27th, as ATLAAS takes over our account for the day!
I think with those two [backgrounds] together, what I see is excellent song-writing like John Hiatt and then the pop emotion, feeling and the look and just making it my own. That's where I was coming from. I have a jazz background and a classical background, so I like to use that part of my voice. That was the idea behind ATLAAS: to do my own project that wasn't influenced by people around me telling me what I should be doing.
It’s your first year at Harvest Sun, so what's the part you're most excited about?
I'm most excited about hanging out with everyone else who's there. Those bands are some of my favorite Winnipeg artists. I have a lot of friends playing this festival this year and people that I want to be friends with. When I looked at the lineup, I was like 'dang, these people are great, and I am really stoked to see other bands play.’ That's the most exciting thing for me.
Why do you think Harvest Sun or festivals like that are important for Manitoba musicians or the scene in general?
I think it's really important because it's a good place to start when you're getting ready to tour. I think a lot of people would love to just do a world tour, like 'I'm big in Winnipeg, but I feel like I'd be really great in Europe,' so they go to Europe and do a tour there. That's fine. Lots of people do that, but why not build your local market. I think it's really nice to have those close festivals near your hometown so that you're not spending 10 hours in a van every weekend. Also, people in Manitoba feel a deeper affinity for you because you're a local and you're going to be building bonds with and introducing people who would never have heard this music.
Yeah, especially in rural Manitoba where they can't necessarily come to a show in Winnipeg.
Yeah for sure. It provides a bit of a community service, and it gives young musicians a chance to cut their teeth in places outside their hometown. I think it's good. The more you perform, the better you are as a band or as a performer. There's just so many good things! It's also soul cleansing. It's so nice to go to these little festivals and feel the community vibe and not feel like everything's about money, because sometimes that can feel a little stifling; and just to feel and be a part of nature. I think it's really valuable.
Catch ATLAAS at The Harvest Sun Music Festival in Kelwood, MB - August 17 - 19th.
Follow ATLAAS on Facebook, on Instagram and stream her new self-titled EP, on Bandcamp & Spotify.
Be sure to check out @harvestsunmusicfest on Instagram on June 27th, as ATLAAS takes over our account for the day!
Interview by Janet Adamana
Janet Adamana is the Founder/Editor-In-Chief of Sound, Phrase & Fury Magazine - a Winnipeg-based digital publication dedicated to promoting independent artists and industry professionals from all over the world. More than just about inciting hype, she interviews/writes to capture an artists’ essence and their greatest passions to ignite meaningful connections between fans and really great bands.
Janet Adamana is the Founder/Editor-In-Chief of Sound, Phrase & Fury Magazine - a Winnipeg-based digital publication dedicated to promoting independent artists and industry professionals from all over the world. More than just about inciting hype, she interviews/writes to capture an artists’ essence and their greatest passions to ignite meaningful connections between fans and really great bands.
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