Help Talia & José Recover After the Eaton Fire

Hi, I’m Sam, and I have been part of the Rainbow Blonde Records collective since 2019. I’m writing because my dear friends, Talia and José, need our help.

What Happened?

Many of you know Talia Billig (Taali) and José James, two of the most generous, thoughtful, loving, and hardworking people I know. You might know them personally or through their music, the record label, their writing, or just because they’re the kind of people who show up for their community without hesitation. Now, they need us to show up for them.

On January 7th, 2025, Talia and José evacuated their rented home due to the Eaton Fire. They left with only what they could grab on their way out the door. At first we thought they were lucky; the house itself didn’t burn. But environmental testing has since confirmed that toxic levels of char, soot, and ash, including asbestos, have contaminated nearly everything inside.

This means nearly everything they own is lost.

Their instruments, recording equipment, studio gear → Damaged beyond repair.

Clothing and shoes → Unsafe to wear and must be disposed of per safety guidelines.

Furniture, mattresses, bedding → Contaminated.

Books, vinyl collection, personal archives → Unsalvageable.

And as if that weren’t enough, before the fire, Talia spent all of 2024 in and out of the hospital battling Minimal Change Disease, a rare and aggressive kidney illness. Because she is immunocompromised, doctors have now advised her to leave LA entirely.

They lost their belongings.

They lost their home.

And now they need to rebuild their lives safely.

Renters’ insurance will help with some costs, but it is extremely limited and does not cover everything they need to start over. And while we are all so grateful they’re safe, the reality is they have to rebuild their lives from scratch.

How can we help?

Right now, Talia and José need our support to replace essential belongings, recover lost professional tools, and cover the costs of a safe transition to a new home.

This includes essentials, like furniture, electronics and kitchen supplies.

Along with their professional needs like instruments, electronics & studio equipment – Talia's Wurlitzer, her childhood piano, José's entire collection of guitars, all their studio equipment is considered porous. José and Talia's professional wardrobe, accrued over a decade, far exceeds their entire renter's insurance contents budget alone.

Additionally, they are required to fund moving, cleaning, and the safe removal and disposal of a house’s worth of asbestos-contaminated belongings, an expensive and unavoidable process.

If You Love Them, Now is the Time to Show It

Talia and José have spent their lives giving to their community. They are not the kind of people who ask for help. But they would—and have—done this for so many of us.

Now we’re asking for them.

If you’ve ever been moved by their music, their words, their presence, please consider donating.

Where the Money Will Go

This will go toward immediate needs, including:

✅ Clothing & daily essentials

✅ Safe removal & disposal of toxic items

✅ Cleaning & restoration of what little can be saved

✅ Replacing necessary furniture & home items

✅ Instruments, music equipment & their studio rebuild

Every dollar helps. Every share helps.

Let’s rally around Talia and José the way they have rallied around so many of us.

With love, gratitude, and endless appreciation,

Sam