'Tiny Things' by Tiny Habits is no small feat
The band Tiny Habits have been no strangers to the music scene; the Boston-based trio consisting of Maya Rae, Cinya Khan, and Judah Mayowa have been renowned as an internet sensation, delivering angelic harmonies and homely acoustic instrumentals on covers and original songs posted on their social media pages. Since their first TikTok post in January of 2022, Tiny Habits have grown exponentially; they have achieved a cumulative 3 million likes on their TikTok page, collaborated on videos with big-name indie folk artists such as Adam Melchor and Lizzy McAlpine, and opened for Gracie Abrams on her recent tour. While they have previously treated fans with a plentitude of musical splendor in their videos, their debut studio EP Tiny Things was released onto streaming services on April 12th.
Every bit of Tiny Things is just as magical as everything Tiny Habits have previously blessed our eardrums with. Tiny Things is luxurious and mellow. It invokes the feeling of being a mysterious bystander in a tranquil coffee shop on a rainy afternoon or a warm hug from a loved one after a long day. The band’s debut bundles together happiness, grief, melancholy, and celebration to name just a few from a limitless list of emotions developed in their six song tracklist. Tiny Things is folk-pop perfection.
The EP opens with its title track “tiny things”, and the listener is instantly thrown into the intimate world created by the trio. The smooth harmonies on this track simultaneously entrance the audience in the song’s soothing and supple main melody and lovingly linger in the background. The instrumentals harbor a wide variety of elegant strings and fun pops of percussion. “tiny things” sounds like pure joy and peace; despite its musical complexity, the song manages to still sound simple and sweet, which is equally reflected in its lyrics as the trio sing: “love is a verb it’s an action / it’s not a film reenactment / I don’t need the moon or a mansion / I’m happy to be standing.”
Tiny Habits achieved viral status on their acapella cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” on TikTok, which currently brandishes over 4 million views. A fully produced cover of the song with added background instrumentals joins Tiny Things’ tracklist. While it is no easy task to make such an iconic song able to stand out against the original, Tiny Habits’ version of “landslide” manages to live up to the emotional weight of Fleetwood Mac’s version. While “landslide” remains relatively true to the original, the trio manage to take several creative liberties when it comes to the vocal performance. Rae, Khan, and Mayowa’s harmonies are outstandingly haunting in this track, and their vocal runs are nothing short of stunning. Tiny Habits’ version of “landslide” is a soft and sweet ballad that feels right at home with the rest of their EP.
Tiny Things’ lead single was the track “hemenway”, which initially released back in November of last year. “hemenway” reflects on the story between two lovers; the narrator cut off the relationship and went their own way. However, the lyrics demonstrate a ruminative recantation when looking at the love in retrospect, as the three cry: “Is there a future where you forgive me? / Where it won't hurt, where we agree / To love each other with good intentions / Another heartbreak, can we prevent it?” The production dons a lonely guitar instrumental alongside the group’s gorgeous backing vocals. The instrumentals and vocals increase in their desperation and presence alongside the melancholic lyrics, and eventually piano and several other stringed instrumentals join in on the mourning. Tiny Habits poignantly portray regret, longing, and hopefulness throughout “hemenway” and paint the picture of someone who took love for granted, hoping that they might be able to undo what has already been done.
The album closes with “some things (i’ve learned)”. This track tugs at the listeners heart strings immensely, both in its production and its lyricism. “some things (i’ve learned)” sounds airy, forlorn, and sanguine. The instrumentals and vocals are stripped back and slow once more, as the lyrics demonstrate the narrator coming to a gentle realization of life’s realities. In contrast to the will to undo the past in “hemenway”, “some things (i’ve learned)” recognizes that the past is not reversible; however, the song finds peace in the fact that the future is not determined by the experiences of one’s past. The trio recognizes this as they reflect that “ some things are broken / but don't need my help / if I'm gonna repair anything / then it sure as hell should be myself.”
Tiny Habits express in their debut EP that the pain, the joy, or whatever we might live through is not what defines us; however, those experiences help us find closure and figure out how exactly we wish to define ourselves. “some things (i’ve learned)” concludes with this realization, and it serves as the perfect thematic ending for Tiny Things as a whole. It’s easy to call Tiny Things by Tiny Habits a masterpiece through all of their instrumentation, vocal performance, and lyricism. Tiny Habits have released an incredibly strong debut that is an absolute must-listen for indie folk fans.