Award-winning songwriter/artist Tolan Shaw has recently released his new series of singles showcasing an artist laying down modern pop sensibilities.  Shaw’s latest single released today, “Craving”, offers head nodding, toe tapping melodies and swooning vocals.

Here’s Shaw on the single: “Craving was written in 2018 with hit Nashville songwriters Georgia Middleman and Dave Berg, and it quickly became a staple and a fan favorite in my live set on tour. It all stemmed from a guitar loop and a world-inspired groove. Lyric wise, it’s a story about lust. We all experience it, in one way or another. Some have a lot better control over it than others do. My co-writers and I created a character and a scenario that sort of plays out in the narrator’s mind. He’s super attracted to someone who is way outside of his comfort zone, away from what he usually looks for or what he has. That “forbidden love” kinda thing. And we kept it ambiguous so you never actually know if these are feelings he is acting upon, or just scenarios he plays out in his head for the thrill of it. I had a blast writing this with Georgia and Dave. They are master storytellers and know how to write damn good songs.”

Dig into his story a bit, and it becomes clear that Shaw’s new music represents a natural evolution in the creative journey of someone who first rose to prominence as an acoustic troubadour. Growing up, there was always an LP playing during family dinner. Shaw’s father played in a cover band for years, young Tolan in tow. Soon enough he was taking piano, then guitar lessons. High school and college bands followed, but after graduation Shaw’s wanderlust took hold.

With little more than degrees in Spanish and International Relations and a one-way ticket to Cancun in his pocket, Shaw embarked on a journey that would span eight months. Traveling all through central and South America by bus, he found both a sense of adulthood and a realization that he needed to make a real go at pursuing music as a career.  It wound up being a risk worth taking. In the past few years, Shaw won “Best Singer-Songwriter” at the San Diego Music Awards, became a Taylor Guitars official artist, and took a 4 month journey to Southeast Asia (endorsed by Taylor and GoPro) to write music and create a travel-music video blog called “Wandersong.” In 2019, Shaw achieved his first major label songwriting credit with “Could I Love You Any More,” a duet by Filipino star Reneé Dominique and international superstar Jason Mraz, which quickly went to viral charts on Spotify and racked up millions of views on YouTube.

Shaw has toured nationally and internationally, shared the stage with acts such as Gavin DeGraw, Nate Ruess (fun), Jason Mraz, and has toured as a guitarist/vocalist for the renowned rock band Bodeans.