Spill tab, born Claire Chincha, has grown up on music. Her father is a composer who plays saxophone and flute, her mother plays the harp and piano, and growing up she recalls “sitting underneath my mother’s piano while she just ripped and performed these beautiful songs.” 

Her journey to becoming the multi-faceted artist we know her as today has been interesting, to say the least. She began with a stint as the merch manager for Gus Dapperton’s tour. It went well enough that she planned to re-enter the world of live music as a tour manager in 2020 until the pandemic hit and swiftly derailed those plans. Despite the uncertainty, 2020 came as a blessing to spill tab as she was able to focus on creating her own music—learning and networking with the industry’s finest. She released her first single, “Decompose”, in 2019—and well, we’re still recovering. Her music is an eclectic mix of bedroom pop and synth-pop—the kind of music you can play on a chill evening or blast on the AUX cord. Her songwriting succinctly captures real-life events and the emotions they evoke, allowing her listeners to tap in if they can relate. 

Her first EP Oatmilk, released in 2020, was a smash hit receiving praise from fans and critics alike. She’s been steadily growing a die-hard fanbase with her latest EP, Bonnie, and has collaborated with the likes of Gus Dapperton, mazie, Varsity Junior, and more. For those in Vancouver, she’ll be at the Fox Cabaret on September 15th. Grab your tickets here.

Below, we caught up with spill tab ahead of her Vancouver show—getting to know her a bit better.

How do you choose who to collaborate with?

It’s usually a combination of friends or friends or friends, or sometimes my team will recommend people.

What is something about you that your fans don’t know and would surprise them? 

I think grape-flavored anything is the devil’s work.

What’s your creative process for songwriting? 

Very different every time.

What is the relationship between music and mental health for you? 

It’s changed so much throughout my life, sometimes I lean on making music to help me, sometimes I prefer to just listen to it, and sometimes anything music related makes me feel super anxious.

What’s a mistake you made that turned out to be a valuable lesson? 

I always try to be super careful with my time and money, but sometimes saving money somewhere can lead to so much wasted time. I’m learning that it’s not always the smartest move to pick the cheapest option.

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