Melodies flow through her intricate thoughts, sweeping lulls of high and low notes into tune. Her fingers flick the rigid strings of an acoustic guitar. As harmonies pour from her lips, lyrics glide into verses, filling pages with raw emotion. She pours her heart and soul into her musical creations, publishing them for the world to experience on Spotify. Her name is Talia Heart, or as Niles West knows her, junior Talia Spector.
Spector released her first extended play (EP), Arthur, on Jan. 24, with the songs “Arthur” and “Step Back.” She is an avid member of Resolve, West’s award-winning a cappella group, and an experienced guitar player.
“Arthur was the first real song I had ever written…At the time I wrote the song, I was struggling to find mutuality in my relationships. My best friend had a different best friend, and I always felt like the feelings I felt towards someone were never reciprocated. The lyrics of Arthur come from this feeling of insecurity I had and how I could do so much for someone else just to get nothing in return. I found that writing this song really helped me put my feelings into words,” Spector said.
Spector began strumming the tune for “Arthur” in a guitar lesson and crafted lyrics when she arrived home that day. She decided to continue writing songs due to the positive feedback she received from friends and peers at West.
“She has two songs on her EP, “Arthur,” and “Step Back,” and they both showcase her talent as a guitarist and vocalist wonderfully. Both songs are so amazing, and knowing how much work and dedication she has put into her EP, it makes me so incredibly proud of her,” senior and member of Resolve Christel Moscardon said.
Close friend of Spector, artist and junior Ally Nguyen, produced the artwork used as the EP cover.
“It’s been really great to see Talia grow into the musician she is now. She’s always been passionate about music, and seeing her grow into her own style and her own voice makes me feel like I’m watching a superstar,” Nguyen said.
As a returning member of Resolve, Spector has attended singing competitions at national levels. Her peers commended Resolve’s impact on her singing growth.
“Talia has definitely grown as a singer, and it’s been so amazing to watch her development. We perform a variety of music in both choir and a cappella, and she’s been able to apply the skills we learn every day to ensure that her sound matches each song,” Moscardon said.
Member of Resolve, junior Sarah Van Hees, praised Spector’s musical journey to releasing music.
“Her music release was such a cool thing to see someone our age accomplish something so impressive! I’ve been singing with Talia since last year in a cappella, and her musicianship has grown so much since she joined [during] her sophomore year,” Van Hees said.
Spector shared her connection with replacing “Spector” with “Heart” in her artist name.
“My mom’s favorite shape has always been a heart, which is why she decided it would be my middle name. That’s where Talia Heart comes from,” Spector said.
After high school, Spector planned to continue singing on the side but keeping her focus on getting a college degree.
“It is my dream to become an artist and to be able to go on tours, but I know that it is an extremely unrealistic goal. For this reason, I plan to get a business degree so that I can work for a business that is related to the arts while having it not ruin the hobby aspect of it,” Spector said.
