Get to know Tygapaw, Brooklyn's finest r'n'b vibesmith

It was while studying in New York that she threw herself into music, first teaching herself guitar, then forming a band called My M.O., and at last launching herself as Tygapaw.

“Tygapaw’s the identity that I’ve always wanted to have,” she tells us. “I’m quite introverted really, but Tygapaw is the side of me that’s confident on stage and has attitude, but is warm too.”

Since settling on the name nearly a decade ago, Tygapaw has built a solid reputation in New York and beyond as a DJ, for hosting her genre-hopping parties Fake Accent, and as a producer of deeply emotive and elegant r’n’b inspired electronica in the mould of FKA Twigs or Kelela.

With a new EP dropping in the next few months expect more ethereal delights very soon. “Music’s an emotional experience for me, imbued with all the things I’ve gone through in my life,” she explains. “I’m going to call it ‘sad girl music for the club’.”

Tygapaw is in the Smirnoff Sound Collective. Find out more: Mixmag.net/soundcollective