Tariq Al-Sabir played Destroyer Show no. 2 at Roberta’s in NYC with Low.bo and Deem Spencer in June 2024. The Baltimore-born composer and producer had just put out his debut EP Unlike Yesterday Today I’m Ready after years of playing in Dev Hynes’ project Blood Orange. You can hear him on Blood Orange’s new single, “The Field,” alongside Caroline Polachek, Daniel Caesar, and The Durutti Column. Isaac Weiss-Meyer talked to him in June 2024.
Tariq Al-Sabir performing at Destroyer Show no. 2, June 2024 (photo by Aaron Berry Davis)
What did you have for breakfast?
Today I had beef bacon, scrambled eggs, half of a bagel, avocado, and heirloom tomato.
Wow, that sounds delicious.
Yeah, I’m big on breakfast. I love breakfast.
As a Baltimore native, what’s your take on Old Bay? Underrated? Overrated?
Old Bay seasoning is supreme. It’s an incredible seasoning. It works well on anything fried. And it’s a must on seafood. Not raw stuff, but anything cooked. It’s Old Bay. I’m all about it. I have a bunch in my kitchen here in Harlem. It should be a staple everywhere. It should be like Heinz ketchup.
What’s it been like for you here in New York? Have you noticed any differences?
There’s a real difference between how things move here compared to back home. I’ve been getting used to some of those normal formalities. You really have to find your own little pocket here. I’ve been in so many pockets and groups that I’ve called family and called home here. I kind of rotate amongst those groups. They’re diverse in age, which is refreshing. That’s one thing I do love. You can find your pocket, but you can also move between pockets.
What does that look like with collaborators?
I’m around people I love to learn from. Some of my favorite artists who’ve worked on some of my favorite songs are also friends. That creates a beautiful synergy of consistent creation and collaboration that I love. I’ve always been this collaborating person as an artist. The thing I put out recently [Unlike Yesterday Today I’m Ready] is the only thing I’ve put out solo. A lot of my artistic energy has been focused towards working with others. So, New York has helped me blossom a lot as a collaborator. I like being a chameleon sometimes and getting into the situation and figuring out how to fit and make something really nice happen.
Do you have an example of a collaboration recently where you felt like you were a chameleon or working with parts of yourself that were new to you?
I’m working a lot with Dylan Tracy who’s a drummer in the band altopalo. We’ve been working together recently to dissect our music a bit. We’re seeing how we can enhance things and translate our sound to the live arena. That’s been really cool. I’m not used to putting my music in someone else’s hands or even opening it up to collaboration this early. It’s like a new level of trust I’m learning.
What does that look like in terms of sonic decisions? I’m also curious how you approach vocal harmonies. You’ve lead choirs before, do you prefer harmonizing with yourself or with others?
I didn’t start in a place where I had a large ensemble to work with or background singers or anything. I was in this super DIY spot. That’s part of the practice and how it came to be. Trying to get the demos out, I’m just singing all the stuff as I hear it and recording it like that. I kind of like the sound of myself with myself, not to sound self-indulgent.
He laughs.
I like that sound and I idolize a lot of artists that do that, Stevie being a big one. He has a lot of ensemble stuff, too, but he sings a lot with himself. I just love that idea of being someone who creates their whole world. It has to get to a point where I feel like there’s something I can’t do before I call someone else. Because otherwise I can just do this right here.
Do you ever hear other music, whether it’s just another artist or a friend, that makes you want to hit them up and bring them into your world?
A hundred percent, a hundred percent. A lot of people I’ve listened to, I’ve just been influenced by their energy. I don’t know if in fifty years you’ll be able to pinpoint that this was when I was in New York and you can tell because of how my music sounds, but the energy of the place is definitely bringing a certain kind of music out of me, a certain kind of focus. And it’s the same with a lot of the musicians I’m around. I don’t even know if he knows this, but there’s an artist named Jachary and his music has been really energizing as a songwriter and producer. Kamilah Gibson is another artist that I work with a lot and her music is also energy that inspires me. A lot of people who I’ve formed friendships with are also artist I look up to.
Who else have you been listening to recently?
I really do listen to everything, all the stuff that comes out. I always check out New Music Fridays.
Anything from the past couple Fridays that you’ve discovered?
I’m interested in anything that’s pushing the sonics of the genre that it’s in. There’s an artist named Yaeji that I like a lot. Everyone’s talking about mk.gee, and the music is incredible. It has a nostalgic, heart-wrenching sound. It’s cool to me that everyone’s talking about the music. Everyone’s reacting to his sonic realm. That’s cool no matter what you think about those specific reactions. Doechii, too.
(photo by Aaron Berry Davis)
Sometimes you’ll hear people say there’s no good new music coming out, which I personally disagree with, and it sounds like you do too. Any thoughts on that?
Yeah, I hear that from my students and I never know how to respond. Usually my answer is, “you should listen to more music!”
Right, you have a special perspective since you also teach music. What other stuff do you hear consistently from your students?
I’m not that far away from a lot my students in my career or my age. Many of them are artists themselves and have followings. It’s interesting to hear how they’re tackling making a living out of music, what that looks like or what it doesn’t look like anymore. When I was at that point I was more focused on the work, but they have to focus more on their network. You have to market yourself. There’s less desire for people to be discovered by a label. For them, there’s a lot more focus to just get to people. Which is cool. If a lot of people start moving like that, we can put the power back in the hands of the listeners.
Do you think TikTok and other platforms help with that?
Depends on the angle you come at that with. I’ve witnessed it being very helpful. As a person that uploads stuff so people can see it and share it, it’s totally helpful. Probably if I did it more I would connect even more. I think that’s pretty clear, honestly. For a lot of people, the consistency of those tools pays off. I’m big on technology. I’m about using the new tools to get the job done easier, as long as it’s not hurting people. There’s sometimes where those discovery tools actually counter the real opportunities, or the discovery tool doesn’t actually help you discover something new. There was a time when I was really discovering stuff I had never heard before. Now, the algorithm is giving me music that’s just like something that I’ve heard before. It’s not random enough. There used to be this website called stumbleupon, and you would just go on it and click a bunch of interests that you have and then there was a button you hit, and every time you hit the button it would take you to a random website. Most of the time, the result was really interesting. Music platforms used to be more like that.
I agree with you. The algorithm is hyper-tailored.
Yeah, it’s not random enough. They could randomize that thing a little bit more. Now, you also have music being organized into those playlists that has been made to be noticed by the algorithm. Some of that music is influenced by the algorithm before it even gets uploaded.
That goes back to what you were saying about your students, how the approach has changed.
You can’t blame them. You can’t blame anybody for wanting to make something that’s immediately going to get picked up by an algorithm. We might want to consider that being something people actually learn how to do in a classroom.
You graced us with an excellent performance at Destroyer 2. You were supposed to have a band, but it became a solo show at the last minute, which was incredible. In what ways was that show unique? How do you feel about the trajectory of your live music?
Thanks! My live music’s trajectory is in a huge place of transition right now. I know I mentioned Dylan, he’s also taken on the role of music director. That’s a big moment of trust because I do music direction for a lot of other people and now I’m entrusting my work to someone else. It wasn’t until we were locked down for the pandemic that I began to develop an idea for a solo set. I’ve always felt comfortable and efficient performing on stage with an ensemble. I’ve changed that ensemble a lot, I’ve done pieces with twelve pieces, including strings and woodwinds and horns, and I’ve done stuff with just guitar, drums, bass. I had a show right when things were opening back up at Little Island. I decided to do a piece that had a lot of sound design involved, it was just me singing over demo tracks. It felt really, really, good. It felt fun and free. I was doing a lot of stuff with bands, but that’s when I decided to also develop my solo set. When I did the Destroyer Show, at first I had a lot of players, but some issues came up and I looked at the venue and decided to just do a solo set. Before that, I did a band show and I was taking that show and truncating it into a solo set. That means playing a little more, maybe playing different songs and I might use more electronics and samples.
Do you have a preference between solo and ensemble, or is it just situational?
I’m a bit of a maximalist. If I can have an orchestra, a drummer, a bass player, two guitars, and eight background singers, even a choir if we can swing it, plus an AV team doing sound design and visuals for every concert, that’s what I prefer. I have a classical background. I was seriously pursuing opera for a long time. The grandiosity of opera is still a big component of my soul, rnb kind of work. When I’m doing my solo sets, it’s magnified. It’s like a snowglobe. Instead of trying to encase you in a larger way, I’m trying to put you in a snow globe with the solo show. It still has a grandiose nature to it, but it tends to be more meditative and have moments of profound improvisation, stuff like that.
On “Autumnal Equinox” you have a great line: “The end of summer makes you wanna do things you’ve never done before.” Now that summer’s ending, do you feel that still resonates? Have you done anything you had never done before, or do you plan to?
That rings true for me every summer. There’s things I’m doing that I’ve never done before, but I can’t share them until they’re done. By the end of this summer, I’m trying to get a tortoise. I love tortoises. I’m big on the shelled homies. That line’s also a metaphor. Summer is your life. It’s about getting those things done before the summer runs out.
Where do you like to wander? Where are you wandering to next?
Wherever I can be quiet and things are new. Next, I’m wandering to an unknown, scary, and beautiful land. I have to make decisions about what I need. That’s a lot of pressure sometimes.
HOME
What did you have for breakfast?
Today I had beef bacon, scrambled eggs, half of a bagel, avocado, and heirloom tomato.
Wow, that sounds delicious.
Yeah, I’m big on breakfast. I love breakfast.
As a Baltimore native, what’s your take on Old Bay? Underrated? Overrated?
Old Bay seasoning is supreme. It’s an incredible seasoning. It works well on anything fried. And it’s a must on seafood. Not raw stuff, but anything cooked. It’s Old Bay. I’m all about it. I have a bunch in my kitchen here in Harlem. It should be a staple everywhere. It should be like Heinz ketchup.
What’s it been like for you here in New York? Have you noticed any differences?
There’s a real difference between how things move here compared to back home. I’ve been getting used to some of those normal formalities. You really have to find your own little pocket here. I’ve been in so many pockets and groups that I’ve called family and called home here. I kind of rotate amongst those groups. They’re diverse in age, which is refreshing. That’s one thing I do love. You can find your pocket, but you can also move between pockets.
What does that look like with collaborators?
I’m around people I love to learn from. Some of my favorite artists who’ve worked on some of my favorite songs are also friends. That creates a beautiful synergy of consistent creation and collaboration that I love. I’ve always been this collaborating person as an artist. The thing I put out recently [Unlike Yesterday Today I’m Ready] is the only thing I’ve put out solo. A lot of my artistic energy has been focused towards working with others. So, New York has helped me blossom a lot as a collaborator. I like being a chameleon sometimes and getting into the situation and figuring out how to fit and make something really nice happen.
Do you have an example of a collaboration recently where you felt like you were a chameleon or working with parts of yourself that were new to you?
I’m working a lot with Dylan Tracy who’s a drummer in the band altopalo. We’ve been working together recently to dissect our music a bit. We’re seeing how we can enhance things and translate our sound to the live arena. That’s been really cool. I’m not used to putting my music in someone else’s hands or even opening it up to collaboration this early. It’s like a new level of trust I’m learning.
What does that look like in terms of sonic decisions? I’m also curious how you approach vocal harmonies. You’ve lead choirs before, do you prefer harmonizing with yourself or with others?
I didn’t start in a place where I had a large ensemble to work with or background singers or anything. I was in this super DIY spot. That’s part of the practice and how it came to be. Trying to get the demos out, I’m just singing all the stuff as I hear it and recording it like that. I kind of like the sound of myself with myself, not to sound self-indulgent.
He laughs.
I like that sound and I idolize a lot of artists that do that, Stevie being a big one. He has a lot of ensemble stuff, too, but he sings a lot with himself. I just love that idea of being someone who creates their whole world. It has to get to a point where I feel like there’s something I can’t do before I call someone else. Because otherwise I can just do this right here.
Do you ever hear other music, whether it’s just another artist or a friend, that makes you want to hit them up and bring them into your world?
A hundred percent, a hundred percent. A lot of people I’ve listened to, I’ve just been influenced by their energy. I don’t know if in fifty years you’ll be able to pinpoint that this was when I was in New York and you can tell because of how my music sounds, but the energy of the place is definitely bringing a certain kind of music out of me, a certain kind of focus. And it’s the same with a lot of the musicians I’m around. I don’t even know if he knows this, but there’s an artist named Jachary and his music has been really energizing as a songwriter and producer. Kamilah Gibson is another artist that I work with a lot and her music is also energy that inspires me. A lot of people who I’ve formed friendships with are also artist I look up to.
Who else have you been listening to recently?
I really do listen to everything, all the stuff that comes out. I always check out New Music Fridays.
Anything from the past couple Fridays that you’ve discovered?
I’m interested in anything that’s pushing the sonics of the genre that it’s in. There’s an artist named Yaeji that I like a lot. Everyone’s talking about mk.gee, and the music is incredible. It has a nostalgic, heart-wrenching sound. It’s cool to me that everyone’s talking about the music. Everyone’s reacting to his sonic realm. That’s cool no matter what you think about those specific reactions. Doechii, too.
Sometimes you’ll hear people say there’s no good new music coming out, which I personally disagree with, and it sounds like you do too. Any thoughts on that?
Yeah, I hear that from my students and I never know how to respond. Usually my answer is, “you should listen to more music!”
Right, you have a special perspective since you also teach music. What other stuff do you hear consistently from your students?
I’m not that far away from a lot my students in my career or my age. Many of them are artists themselves and have followings. It’s interesting to hear how they’re tackling making a living out of music, what that looks like or what it doesn’t look like anymore. When I was at that point I was more focused on the work, but they have to focus more on their network. You have to market yourself. There’s less desire for people to be discovered by a label. For them, there’s a lot more focus to just get to people. Which is cool. If a lot of people start moving like that, we can put the power back in the hands of the listeners.
Do you think TikTok and other platforms help with that?
Depends on the angle you come at that with. I’ve witnessed it being very helpful. As a person that uploads stuff so people can see it and share it, it’s totally helpful. Probably if I did it more I would connect even more. I think that’s pretty clear, honestly. For a lot of people, the consistency of those tools pays off. I’m big on technology. I’m about using the new tools to get the job done easier, as long as it’s not hurting people. There’s sometimes where those discovery tools actually counter the real opportunities, or the discovery tool doesn’t actually help you discover something new. There was a time when I was really discovering stuff I had never heard before. Now, the algorithm is giving me music that’s just like something that I’ve heard before. It’s not random enough. There used to be this website called stumbleupon, and you would just go on it and click a bunch of interests that you have and then there was a button you hit, and every time you hit the button it would take you to a random website. Most of the time, the result was really interesting. Music platforms used to be more like that.
I agree with you. The algorithm is hyper-tailored.
Yeah, it’s not random enough. They could randomize that thing a little bit more. Now, you also have music being organized into those playlists that has been made to be noticed by the algorithm. Some of that music is influenced by the algorithm before it even gets uploaded.
That goes back to what you were saying about your students, how the approach has changed.
You can’t blame them. You can’t blame anybody for wanting to make something that’s immediately going to get picked up by an algorithm. We might want to consider that being something people actually learn how to do in a classroom.
You graced us with an excellent performance at Destroyer 2. You were supposed to have a band, but it became a solo show at the last minute, which was incredible. In what ways was that show unique? How do you feel about the trajectory of your live music?
Thanks! My live music’s trajectory is in a huge place of transition right now. I know I mentioned Dylan, he’s also taken on the role of music director. That’s a big moment of trust because I do music direction for a lot of other people and now I’m entrusting my work to someone else. It wasn’t until we were locked down for the pandemic that I began to develop an idea for a solo set. I’ve always felt comfortable and efficient performing on stage with an ensemble. I’ve changed that ensemble a lot, I’ve done pieces with twelve pieces, including strings and woodwinds and horns, and I’ve done stuff with just guitar, drums, bass. I had a show right when things were opening back up at Little Island. I decided to do a piece that had a lot of sound design involved, it was just me singing over demo tracks. It felt really, really, good. It felt fun and free. I was doing a lot of stuff with bands, but that’s when I decided to also develop my solo set. When I did the Destroyer Show, at first I had a lot of players, but some issues came up and I looked at the venue and decided to just do a solo set. Before that, I did a band show and I was taking that show and truncating it into a solo set. That means playing a little more, maybe playing different songs and I might use more electronics and samples.
Do you have a preference between solo and ensemble, or is it just situational?
I’m a bit of a maximalist. If I can have an orchestra, a drummer, a bass player, two guitars, and eight background singers, even a choir if we can swing it, plus an AV team doing sound design and visuals for every concert, that’s what I prefer. I have a classical background. I was seriously pursuing opera for a long time. The grandiosity of opera is still a big component of my soul, rnb kind of work. When I’m doing my solo sets, it’s magnified. It’s like a snowglobe. Instead of trying to encase you in a larger way, I’m trying to put you in a snow globe with the solo show. It still has a grandiose nature to it, but it tends to be more meditative and have moments of profound improvisation, stuff like that.
On “Autumnal Equinox” you have a great line: “The end of summer makes you wanna do things you’ve never done before.” Now that summer’s ending, do you feel that still resonates? Have you done anything you had never done before, or do you plan to?
That rings true for me every summer. There’s things I’m doing that I’ve never done before, but I can’t share them until they’re done. By the end of this summer, I’m trying to get a tortoise. I love tortoises. I’m big on the shelled homies. That line’s also a metaphor. Summer is your life. It’s about getting those things done before the summer runs out.
Where do you like to wander? Where are you wandering to next?
Wherever I can be quiet and things are new. Next, I’m wandering to an unknown, scary, and beautiful land. I have to make decisions about what I need. That’s a lot of pressure sometimes.
[INTERVIEW]
[07/18/25]
[07/18/25]