Long Island's TAZ releases debut single, 'Say Something'

Brandon "TAZ" Niederauer has waited a long time for this moment. On Friday, the 22-year-old singer-guitarist from Dix Hills dropped his first solo single, "Say Something," on all music streaming platforms. The three-minute pop tune instantly grabs the listener from the get-go with its hip-hop drumbeats, emotional lyrics and hooky guitar licks. The song is the first cut off his forthcoming yet-to-be-titled debut album, which is due in the coming months.

"This song is a great representation of me as an artist and as a person," Niederauer says. "I grew up in a conglomeration of musical cultures listening to singer-songwriter material, R&B, hip-hop, rock and pop. Those vibes came out naturally. ‘Say Something’ is a fusion of my influences."

The lyrics, centering on young romance, are personal to Niederauer.

"This is focusing on the moment when a fight is about to bubble up," Niederauer says. "You’re giving each other the silent treatment and you’re waiting for the ice to break."

The song was written during his first session with producer Neff-U (Justin Bieber, Eminem), back in 2019. Recorded at Speakeasy Sound Recording Studios in Burbank, California, this is one of 12 tracks the duo made together over the years while Niederauer completed his education at Half Hollow Hills High School East in Dix Hills followed by Yale University.

"I’d go to California on my school breaks to work on the album. We also recorded in New York City at Jungle City Studios," Niederauer says. "I’m grateful that it took as long as it did because I gained so many experiences just growing up and becoming an adult at Yale. I met so many crazy people plus experiencing love and heartbreak. I put all this stuff into my album."

Niederauer has been working professionally since age 12, when he played the role of Zack in the Broadway musical, "School of Rock." Since then, he has performed in the orchestra of NBC’s "Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert" TV special, appeared in Spike Lee’s "She’s Gotta Have It" Netflix series and even developed his own signature guitar — the Deluxe Brandon Niederauer Atlantic — from D’Angelico Guitars. But launching his solo career is something that he has been building toward.

"I’m really excited about this brand-new sound," Niederauer says. "I’m reintroducing myself to the world as an artist named TAZ. It’s my most mature formation."

Niederauer is planning on professionally going strictly by TAZ, the nickname he was given at Rock-N-Roll U in Hauppauge because his hands on the guitar are seemingly as fast as a Tasmanian devil.

"I always wanted to be a one-name artist. I didn’t do it before because I wasn’t pushing my own material yet," Niederauer says. "People call me both Brandon and TAZ. Most people in the music industry call me TAZ and a lot of my friends do too. TAZ is as much my name as Brandon is at this point."

Niederauer is ready to start playing his new material live onstage. That process will begin Aug. 14 at Manhattan's Mercury Lounge.

"We will be playing the entire album with little to no covers pushing my new era of music," Niederauer says. "I’m stoked to play this material live. The songs will be stretched out and jammed out, which is my favorite thing to do."

By David J. Criblez

david.criblez@newsday.comDavidJCriblez

David J. Criblez is a reporter for Newsday's exploreLI, covering entertainment-related events from local music to stand-up comedy to festivals.