Tarra Visits Section 36 Music!

Section 36 Music has another visitor! Tarra is an incredibly talented artist whose recent single "Time of Our Lives" should be on all your playlists. I was thrilled that she was willing to visit with us and discuss her music, future goals, and more. I’m sure you’ll enjoy everything she has to say.

So, let's see what happens when Tarra visits Section 36 Music!

I really enjoyed your recent single, “Time of Our Lives”. What can you tell me about it?

Thank you so much, I'm glad you enjoyed it! "Time Of Our Lives" is one of those songs that honestly came together completely on accident. I was just messing around with some virtual instruments on my music production software when I discovered a synth sound that I really liked. Instantly, that sound felt very free, exciting and adventurous to me- just like a road trip. I immediately knew I had to create a song out of it (and I knew that the song was going to have this same spontaneous, adventurous vibe running through it). I started adding more layers to it, and eventually I got to collaborate with the amazing Taylor Franklyn to finish up the production! We added some ear candy and exciting details like the sound of waves and seagulls at the start. I'm very pleased with the outcome and even more excited that so many people are resonating with the song!

You also posted a music video for the song. What was it like putting that together?

Yes! Creating that music video was such a memorable experience, partly because it was shot all across the beautiful city of Dubai. Even though I planned and storyboarded what the music video was going to look like (just like I do with all my other videos), I also had the opportunity to let loose and be spontaneous. After all, that's what "Time of Our Lives" is about - throwing caution to the wind and having fun! The video was an excuse to do things like skip across the beach and dance across the boardwalk - without being held back. So really, it was about enjoying myself and letting the audience feel that enjoyment through the screen!

You currently attend Berklee College of Music. What’s the biggest thing you see Berklee doing for your career?

The thing I love most about Berklee is that you get to immerse yourself in the industry every single day. Whether it is in your classes or in the cafeteria, every person you meet is a connection you build and a possible future collaborator. I am a music industry major, so I've been collaborating with some amazing artists on their campaigns and strategies lately. I believe in these artists and their music so much, and I feel fortunate to work with them. Therefore, the biggest thing Berklee has done for my career is given me real-world experience. I don't take it lightly that I'm lucky enough to be exposed  to this whole network of thousands of absolutely incredible, talented musicians.

Who or what would you consider your biggest musical influences?

I don't know if this quite makes sense, but as a songwriter-first artist, a lot of my influences are literary. I love playing with words - and that was, in fact, what got me into music and songwriting in the first place. Therefore, I've always been inspired or influenced by songs that have a play on words, a metaphor, a deep message, a double meaning, or have witty lyrics. I think, like a lot of this generation's songwriters, I was very inspired by Taylor Swift's songwriting when I first got into music at the age of 12! I think a lot of my stylistic choices and writing style reflect that even today.

What would you say is your biggest career challenge?

I'd say my biggest career challenge is that I want to do EVERYTHING :) I love making music and being an artist, of course I am absolutely enthralled by the creative side of things. However, I also have a knack for music business, and I'm starting to be very passionate about helping other artists find and reach their audiences. My major, music industry leadership and innovation, reflects that. Then again, I'd also love to be better at production, and I also really enjoy writing for other artists! I wish I had unlimited hours in the day to do it all. I think the hardest part is deciding what's most important to me, prioritizing that, and therefore deciding what is my career path vs what should remain a passion.

What are your immediate career goals?

Given that I'm pursuing my own artistry at the same time as a possible career in the music business/marketing side of things, I'd say I have two different sets of goals. For my own music goals, I'd really like to get my debut album out this summer. This is a body of work that I'm really proud of that has been in the making for a long time. It's finally nearing completion, and I'm so excited to finally have the opportunity to share it with everyone! On the other hand, my business goal would be to work with 8-10 fellow artists at Berklee this year on their branding and release strategy - I would want these to be artists that I really believe in! I'm looking forward to pursuing both these goals, and excited for what this year will bring. 

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I definitely want to hear that album!

As always, I want to thank Tarra for visiting with us, and for sending along the pictures to accompany the interview.

I'm sure you’ll all want to follow along with her to see what she's up to. I would definitely follow her on Instagram, and/or Spotify. In fact, go do both right now!

Thanks again Tarra, and good luck reaching your goals!