Meet Tyauna Pla of Tea in Jonesboro

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tyauna Pla.

Tyauna, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Well, I go by the name Tea. I’ve been doing my music seriously for about three years now but I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember. Music has always been a part of my life and something now looking back that I was always sure I wanted to pursue but fear always kept me from taking myself seriously with it. I stayed in performing arts camps every summer, I tried basketball, playing the violin but music and singing have always been my constant. Writing for me has always been a passion of mine as well, I’ve always loved poetry and just how well words always just seemed to put everything into perspective for me. When I’m writing in any form, I feel so free and light, I feel the same when I’m singing or listening to beats, it’s all very therapeutic for me, I just feel like I’m at home. I’d definitely have to give credit to my first heartbreak for really propelling me into my purpose. Going through that pain gave me so many realizations and helped me understand that I can’t run from my gifts because I was given them for a reason. It helped me to go out of my comfort zone and not live my life afraid of the possibilities and just live in the now and take chances because I never want to look back on my life and feel like I didn’t fight for myself and my dreams. After that breakup, I was and still am more determined than ever to stay true to myself and to actively pursue my dreams. I’ve learned that the only thing that separates me and says someone who is known and established in this line of work is their consistency, their faith, and belief in themselves, and a fearless mentality. So now, I’m here, writing my own songs, spending all of my time in the studio, constantly working on my craft and just being so optimistic for the future. It was a period in my life when I believed my identity was attached to someone else because I couldn’t see my greatness, now I am so confident in myself and what I bring to the table because I now know who I am, an artist.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has definitely been a bumpy road for me and I understand that the bumps are just gonna keep getting bigger. One of the greatest obstacles I faced especially, in the beginning, was just doubt. Doubting that people would watch me or take the time to listen to me. I’ve always had this complex where I felt as if people never paid me any attention, not in a way that made me feel lonely but just in a way that made me feel like I wasn’t valuable, like what I had to say or how I felt was unimportant to others. That aided my fear of pursuing music the way my heart begged me to. I always downplayed myself while in the back of my mind it was always something screaming “GIRL YOU ARE TALENTED! DO IT! THIS IS WHAT YOU WERE MADE FOR!” Now, I definitely know who I am and if people don’t value me then they’re just not the ones for me. I’ve learned that the people who are meant to pay attention will and that’s all just apart of God’s Plan.

Please tell us about what you do.
I’m an artist, I sing, act, write and rap. I’d have to say my specialty is writing and singing because rap is something fresh for me. Acting and singing have both been at the forefront for as long as forever. I’m most proud of my single Cozy. Cozy was one of my first projects when I began this journey. I wrote it with no music and found the beat after. Don’t get me wrong I’m super proud of all of my songs and just the fact that I can say “my song” and actually give you a link to my voice being recorded on a track is so satisfying for me. My first time ever in a studio, I cried and ran out, now I have multiple songs and freestyles on my Instagram and that for me is such a great accomplishment. I’m also most proud of my raps. I was so insecure when I first decided I was gonna try to rap and I listen to some of my first rhymes from when I started and I’m shaking at my talent and in disbelief of how hard I used to downplay my abilities. I believe what sets me apart from others is just me, wanting to be me. I have no desire to change who I am and my morals for attention. I wanna stay real and raw and use my platform to help inspire others to know there is value in being true to yourself. There is importance in all of us and as long as we fight to always keep our authenticity, we’ll all succeed.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite memory from childhood would have to be back in the 2nd grade. I signed up to do the talent show because my best friend like forced me. He sang too and we would literally call each other just to sing with and to each other. So, he convinces me to do the talent show and I do it. I was terrified and each day I prepared and practiced for the show I became more and more nervous. Even though I was terrified, I just knew I couldn’t back down and every practice just made me so happy. I felt like I was doing what I was supposed to do. It felt so right. The night of the performance I was the second performer and when I tell you my heart probably dropped out and ran away and came back like 50 times while I waited for my turn. Still to this day that was the most nervous I’ve ever been but I still did it. That for me is my favorite memory because it helps me see that I can do anything, all you have to do is try. No matter how nervous I was, I still went out and gave a show and I think that said a lot about me. It says that fear could never hold me for long and here I am now fearless and so anxious for every level of this journey, I love thinking about that because I literally go back to that second-grade body and feel everything so vividly. Fear didn’t win that night, and that’s my favorite part.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://youtu.be/UuQz8dKdbpw
• Phone: 7703697081
• Email: Tyauna75@gmail.com
• Instagram: t.zhane
• Twitter: _enahz

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