I first reached out to Celeste Tauchar – the multi-talented singer-songwriter behind Talker – back in 2020 just prior to the pandemic. (I also interviewed her back in 2022.) Since then, I have followed her career closely across an eclectic mix of songs which showcase her brilliance for rocking out.
This year (in June) Taucher released her debut album I’m Telling You The Truth. It has been a long time coming, I believe almost six years now since she first launched her career with a little indie anthem called Collateral Damage. In 2022, she came close to releasing a full length album, but instead released an eight track EP entitled In Awe of Insignificance. Anyway her fans have been patience and we have finally been rewarded with one of the most honest and vibrant indie-pop-rock debut albums released in recent years. On the new album we get a glimpse at who Celeste Tauchar really is. She is outwardly no longer afraid to talk about her religion, upbringing, her bisexuality or complicated friendships. To say this is an album of self-discovery would be an understatement. As listeners we can empathise with every lyric sung. The need to share and connect with her audience is plain to see and quite frankly brilliant. Anyone who is into PJ Harvey, Julia Jacklin and Yeah, Yeah, Yeah will enjoy Tauchar’s energetic free spirit.
As Celeste Taucher’ artistic vision continues to evolve, I recently caught up with the rising star to talk about the making of I’m Telling You The Truth and what she feels her growing legion of fans might get out of her new collection of songs. Here is some of what we talked about.
Celeste, so much goes into making an album, especially a debut. You’ve been here before though with three great EPs. How does this project feel or stack up compared to your earlier work?
There were definitely a lot of things that felt really similar to my past releases, because I care (maybe too much) about everything I put out. Each of my past releases has really felt like a snapshot of a moment in time. This record, though, feels like the biggest leap for me. Artistically, musically, lyrically. I really took my time making it and choosing the songs, and pushed myself to say things on this record that I had maybe been afraid to talk about before. I feel like I’m the most honest version of myself I’ve ever been, and so the record feels that way too.
When did you know the collection of songs on I’m Telling You The Truth, maybe say after you had written the first three or four, would become the seeds of ‘an album’?
I think it was after writing “Easygoing”, which was actually one of the later songs. I guess I knew that the goal was an album before that, but I didn’t feel like I had really found *the* song until that time, which was like Fall of 2022. Once I wrote that song, I could see how everything formed around it and how the narrative of this album would take shape. It felt much more cohesive after that point.
Expectations can be tricky, especially when you have put so much of yourself into this album. Did that scare you or was it a revelation of sorts?
I’ve honestly learned to have no expectations. Not in a negative way – so many amazing, unexpected things have come from this record, and I let myself be surprised. I used to have more expectations, or put more pressure on myself to have some sort of commercial success. But it’s so out of our control as artists, all we can do is put out honest work that we’re proud of and hope it finds the right people, which this record seems to be doing.
What do you hope a listener will learn about you in sitting down with this album and listening to it from beginning to end?
I hope they feel seen, and like they can untangle themselves from shame, dishonesty, and caring about what people think. I hope people can find that within these songs.
When it comes to the title, what’s the significance behind calling the album I’m Telling You The Truth?
These songs are me at my most honest – and if anything, it’s a reminder to myself to continue that honesty. Lately, that has actually more so meant being honest with myself than anyone else.
There seems to be a subtle shift in your sound say compared to your EP Wax when I first interviewed you in 2020. Is that a fair observation? What are some of the influences driving your music today?
I hope so! I want to continue evolving and growing musically throughout my career, and even if there are similarities, I hope none of my records ever sound identical. Even though a lot of the songs are pop songs and I will always worship a good hook, I let myself get a little looser & got a bit more creative in the arrangements on this record. I tried to be as raw as possible, even if the production had moments of shininess.
There are actually some really cool sonic arrangements on the album. What’s your favourite noise on it?
Thank you! My favorite sound on the album is in the outro of “Wet”. My producer Daniel has this microphone that’s actually a headphone. I made a bunch of chirps and whale sounds and weird little screeches that we recorded into the headphone, which we ran through a tape machine, and then processed heavily. They play at random throughout the outro and I think it completely makes the song what it is. Those sounds make me feel like I’m floating and facing the sun, breathing fresh air – which is the main point of that whole section of the song.
What’s your favourite lyric from the album? Can you tell us something surprising about it?
I’m really proud of the lyrics on this record and it’s so hard to pick a favorite. It honestly changes. Right now, I think my favorite lyrics are in “Old Enough”. Writing about friendship can be really difficult for me, especially when you’re writing about someone you love but are having a hard time communicating with. I think the lyrics of this song demonstrate that codependency, especially the pre-chorus:
Where do you end and I begin?
A dotted line that’s paper thin
Watch you seeping right on in
Til I’m drowning in you
You have played some shows in recent months promoting the new album. Which song gets the best reaction? And which song do you love sharing live?
Yes! I’ve gotten to tour a lot this year for this record and it’s been really fun. I’ll be playing a lot more in early 2025 as well. I don’t always play “Wet”, but surprisingly, that song tends to have the biggest reaction when I do. I think the juxtaposition of the dead-quietness where you could hear a pin drop in the room, into the explosion of an outro, is cool for people to see live. Another one that I love and that seems to resonate is “Say My Name” – it goes a little harder live than in the recording so it’s cool being able to change it up a bit for the shows.
Finally Celeste, before I let you go, what are you going to remember most about bringing this album to life in say five or ten years time? It really does feel like a turning point in your musical journey thus far.
I appreciate that. I hope this album just continues to mark an important shift in myself, one that I continue to stay true to. I started speaking more about my religious upbringing, about being queer, about some of the more complicated dynamics of female friendships, and just allowed myself to share things that I hadn’t written about before. It opened up such a broad spectrum of possibility that is both overwhelming and exciting, and I’m eager to see where it continues to lead.
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