Bryson Tiller is Back, He’s Better and Committed to His Self-Evident Evolution

As artists and creatives, there are moments when reclaiming your creative space is essential. This necessary autonomy has allowed Bryson Tiller to thrive again in his element. “Young Tiller” has been revealing his true personality through his latest self-titled album, which features hits like “Ciao!” and “Whatever She Wants.” However, it took a great deal of time and reflection to get to a place where he could maximize his artistry.

When initially creating his 2020 album Anniversary, he found that he was coming back to himself and curating a sound that was all his own. This was evident in the creation of tracks such as “Like Clockwork,” which became a channel for him to express himself freely and true to himself.

He opened up to EBONY about his touring experience as he navigates social anxiety with the drive to gain full control of his confidence. “When I started in 2015, I couldn’t grasp that concept. It didn’t make sense to me that people were coming out to see me. It felt like a talent show more than a concert. I was going out there thinking it was a talent show and I had to put on a show. I think that was hindering my performance,” shared Tiller. He continued, “Even when I was making the Anniversary album, I was a little unsure and a little nervous. At that moment, I just reclaimed it. I was like this is my confidence. I’m not letting anybody take that from me. I’m gonna keep strengthening it for the years to come and that was in 2020 through 2021.”

“Now, we are in 2024 and I feel like my confidence is bulletproof.”

Bryson Tiller

In releasing Bryson Tiller, the singer tells EBONY that this time, he desires to challenge and dismiss preconceived notions about his identity through his music, as people often have a skewed perception of who he should be. “As a misconception that I like to take hiatuses, which isn’t true, I only ever took one hiatus. I guess people consider one or two years between an album release a hiatus. It’s not at all, it’s just me. I can’t just make an album the next year after, and people always think I disappear.”

It’s safe to say that he is in a realm where he is pushing his boundaries and persona in all aspects. Regarding the album cover art, Tiller delved deeper beyond his love for cypherpunk and Sci-Fi. It symbolizes his commitment to constructing something resilient that transcends the opinions and criticisms of others, embodying a message of strength and resilience.

“One thing that I always heard was ‘Bryson Tiller is never gonna top this, he’s never gonna top that.’ So, I decided to work on something that I knew was going to be stronger than what anybody had to say about any of that. I know the time will tell in the end. Building something some people say that the cover looks a little scary and that was the intention,” he states.

In this new era, Tiller wants more than to be taken seriously; he wants to affirm that he’s playing by his own rules. This also contributed to his choices in the album’s cover art selection. “I want him to look a bit intimidating. I wanted people to be asked to look him dead in the face and tell them that he suck. There’s a lot of bigger things brewing in the background that people just don’t even know about, but they will see in the future,” Tiller tells EBONY.

As figures in the music industry, it goes without saying that anything can happen at any given time. However, it’s important to remain flexible and committed to the pivot to keep up your own momentum. When asked about the recent rap beef that unfolded on the day he released his album, some suggested it might overshadow his release. However, as a true hip hop lover, Bryson expressed excitement about witnessing artists engaging in their craft, emphasizing his admiration for their contributions to the genre while he’s in his own lane himself. 

“At the end of the day, that’s hip hop. This is R&B and you can’t overshadow it. I don’t care what you do, I don’t care who you diss—whatever you say, you’re not overshadowing anything because I can name 20 beautiful women who are going to be listening to this for the next couple of months straight. So with that being said, my music is also for women and for men who love women.”

Bryson reveals that he struggled with his mental health for years from 2015 to 2020, dealing with imposter syndrome and failing to recognize in himself what others saw. It wasn’t until his grandmother passed away that he was compelled to confront his reflection and see himself through her loving eyes, as she had been his guiding force and source of strength throughout his upbringing.

“I’m only going get better. I’m only going to collaborate with more people. A lot of people tend to forget that I still know how to sing and rap. Right now, it’s about working with the right people that can get me to write the right songs. I don’t need to do it by myself; I don’t need to prove anything. I’ve already proved that I could do it by myself and I got a wall full of plaques saying I did it.”