Tanya Wills Won’t Play the Dating Game Anymore  in Her Latin-Tinged New Single That’s Love

Stepping back into the realm of dating can be an intriguing or irksome conundrum for those who have recently separated, split up, or divorced.

Toronto jazz and blues singer Tanya Wills steps back into the realm of dating on her new single That’s Love, premiering today on Tinnitist.

With the commitment to your former partner now just a distant memory, some people appreciate the joys of dating from afar. It’s this idea that planted the creative kernel for Wills’ latest single.

That’s Love was inspired in part by the culmination of her own marriage and wondering how difficult navigating dating waters nowadays could be. She knew it might not be for her at this time but realized it could be the germ of a fine song. “That’s Love is from a slightly different outlook on love,” Wills says. “I was reflecting on how grateful I am to NOT be in the dating game, and how it could cause one to develop a bit of a cynical attitude toward the ‘relationship.’ I have several friends who are finding themselves newly single again, and they have stories about their experiences in having to dive into the dating pool.”

The single opens with Latin sonic flavours that could recall a Santana classic. From there Wills relays the huge series of questions running sporadically through a person’s mind. Is this date going good or not so good? Is there a connection? Will it last? What am I even doing here with this person?

Guitarist Bill Bridges provides some breezy instrumental work in the bridge as drummer Kevin Coady and bassist Ron Johnston are locked into the airy yet sensuous groove. The narrative recalls the classic Latin song Quizás, Quizás, Quizás, better known in English circles as Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps and made famous by Doris Day, Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole:

“Because this might really be love… or isn’t

And you might have givin’ me your heart… or didn’t

Flip a coin, douse the flame, turn the page, or change the game

Roll the dice, it’s all the same

That’s love.”

The single is from Wills’ new album She. Wills, who performs in the Wintergarten Orchestra in Toronto as well as leading the Tanya Wills Quartet, says the material was written over a 15-year period with her quartet, as well as Jordan Klapman and Rob Korb. Unfortunately, the recordings were shelved due to the pandemic. But Wills and her bandmates kept working on it by sending files and ideas back and forth online. A second phase of recording post-pandemic at Toronto’s Revolution Recording completed She.

Check out That’s Love above, listen to She below, and find Tanya Wills on her website, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.