On a humid afternoon at the a songwriting retreat in late summer 2024, Jason English sat down with Tawnted, an independent artist whose year had been defined by profound physical and emotional transitions. Known for his viral track "Unwell" and his debut single "Start a War," Tawnted arrived in Philly just a month prior, seeking a "new life" after a series of setbacks that would have sidelined most creators.

2024 was a year of forced stillness for Tawnted. After badly breaking his leg in February, he spent five months bedridden and now navigates the world with a cane. This physical setback was compounded by a sudden romantic breakup following his second surgery. Despite the agony—"I can't even describe the pain"—he has leveraged these "not good feelings" into his songwriting, finding that "any strong emotion" serves as a catalyst for his best work.

Tawnted’s artistry is deeply informed by his past as a missionary for the Jehovah’s Witnesses, a lifestyle he left at age 20. He describes the experience of being a gay man in that environment as "not a do" and views his departure as a form of "shunning". He notes that many of his "angsty breakup songs" are actually about "breaking up with that [the religion] instead of an actual person".

Looking forward, Tawnted is channeling his frustration into a conceptual album inspired by the Seven Deadly Sins. He recently released "You're So Fake," a track representing Wrath, written about a public figure who treated him poorly. While his music often dwells in "dark places," Tawnted remains a resilient independent force, focused on his next goal: a headlining tour where he can finally share his story of survival in person.