Tania Nichamin's new single, Lorraine, hit no. 1 on the iTunes singer/songwriter charts on Monday, September 4, the same day it was released. The Wollongong musician shared the story behind her success with Amanda De George.
It’s one thing to grow up in a musical family, to maybe pick up a guitar or try a little singing yourself. But it’s another thing entirely to find the level of success that Wollongong local Tania Nichamin has had in her late forties.
And we’re not talking the kind of success that consists of pats on the back from friends, as nice as that may be. This is so much more than that. Think: national radio and television interviews, reaching number one, not once but twice. Not only that, but with the music video for her latest song filmed in Jamberoo, Tania has added ‘director’ to her resume, even roping in Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery to play a unique role.
As the daughter of Golden Guitar-nominated Shane Nichamin, Tania grew up with music always in the house, or more specifically in the garage, where her Dad’s band would practise.
“I grew up listening to country music, watching Dad play and being influenced by the music he listened to and played,” Tania said.
And while she has been writing and performing her own songs since she was 15, life, as it so often does, got in the way.
“I really hadn’t focused on my music for years," Tania said. "I mean, I was always still doing something like singing on someone else’s song or writing a song here and there, but as a now 48-year-old mother, I found that what we do as mothers is anything but for ourselves.”
All that started to change when This is our Love Song was released, almost seven years after it was recorded. It was written as a wedding gift for her husband, Doug, and featured her then 14-year-old son, Isaiah, on trumpet. Isaiah, who is following in his Mum’s footsteps, performing under the name izzy sphere, encouraged Tania to upload her song to streaming services.
In January 2023, the song reached no. 1 in the iTunes singer/songwriter charts and no. 5 across all genres. To put that into perspective, Taylor Swift had a song at number 6.
“There were three generations of Nichamins on that track, including my Dad… So this track was special to us anyway, but for it to blow up the way it did on the iTunes Charts was just mind-blowing,” Tania said.
Her third single, Lorraine, which deals with domestic violence, has already become her second chart-topping hit. It hit no. 1 on Monday, September 4, the same day it was released.
Not satisfied with just writing and performing, Tania knew that she was the only one who could bring this story to the screen.
“Directing a music video was not something I thought I would ever do, but when the song comes from you and it's a really important song, about a highly sensitive issue, I knew I was the only one who could articulate every single little movement or emotion, even down to the set design for the scenes, it was all in my head. I did all the casting, found the locations, hired props, cinematographers, lighting…”
Photo: Tania Nichamin Music
Part of that process was ensuring that the actors were suitably clothed and a quick dash to Spotlight left Tania with a priest’s costume that was, shall we say, a little less solemn than required. “It was more likened to a stripper priest or the newest member of the Village People,” she said.
“I thought to myself, I don't really know any priests but I know that our Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery is. So I called Wollongong council and somehow got through to our Lord Mayor's assistant… She said, ‘I'm sure he's got something in his cupboard you could borrow, leave it with me!’
"Gordon Bradbery phoned me to say he thinks he has something that could work. So, the priest outfit in the music video belongs to Wollongong's Lord Mayor, Gordon Bradbery!”
With plans to release an album, play in Tamworth and hopefully head on over to Nashville, Tania’s days of not prioritising her music are over.
“Life’s too short to wonder 'what if?' Instead, us women need to know our worth, trust your gut, and nap. Lots a naps. Age is just a number and, I'll be honest, I was my own worst enemy. But once I gave myself permission to do it, I'm doing it.”
To be notified when the video for Lorraine drops (I’ve seen it and it’s fantastic!) and to hear her latest music, follow Tania on Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, Apple Music and TikTok.
