Latest posts by William Brookson
(see all)Toronto-based pop singer-songwriter Tara Van’s work gives glimpses of her internal world. She is generous in her self-disclosure. As a textbook ADHD oversharer, you can feel her weather report: sun-soaked, overcast, stormy etc. She lets herself express the mess. Her approach is as gutsy and bold as it is tender and vulnerable. She’s inviting you in. Listen to her diary with care. It’s best enjoyed by an open heart.
Tara’s brand new single, “Glow,” embodies the feeling of vibrancy and joy that you feel when you are living as your most authentic and unguarded self. Though the motivational song seems like it might be talking about someone else bringing out that glow in you, the truth of the song is actually that you are bringing out that glow in yourself and admiring how far you have come and how free you feel after dismantling your walls.
I write a bunch of different stuff but I have really been focusing on feel-good, motivational and empowering music in the past year. I don’t want to sugarcoat the troubles of our times, of which there are many, but my goal is to hammer in imported messages about inclusivity, collectivism, self-love, mindfulness, respect, environmentalism, empathy, living reflectively, deep listening, communicating effectively, etc., in hopes that incremental changes to people’s mindsets and mental wellbeing will positively impact individuals who then affect communities who then affect countries who then affect continents and so on and so forth. Love, joyfulness and hope are all completely infectious but so are hate, sadness and negativity. Though I write sad songs as well, and I believe there is complete merit in songs that allow you to tap into and process any emotion, I personally would like to fill the world with as much love as I can in the short time that I have here. – Tara Van
1. What did you enjoy most about the recording process of this new release?
Honestly working with my buddy Mark Calderone is such a joy. It’s super collaborative and fun and free flowing. The epitome of time flies when you’re having fun. ‘Glow’ was such a good time. I even came up with new parts on the spot in the studio while Mark worked on more instrumental parts, and it is just like that, two creative brains just going off and experimenting. Fundamentally, I think we both just love getting in the zone so much and there is a love for the music and each other and a trust too that is so integral. But Mark is just like that haha. Ask anyone. He makes people feel comfortable which is an amazing skillset. I also got to work with a couple other artists who I really admire and appreciate: Evan Porter, Alacran Amador and Ernesto Barahona. They absolutely smashed it. Everyone did such a great job and it really feels kinda like a coming out party haha in more ways than one!
2. Share a nugget of advice that has resonated with you most over the years.
Just do the thang. There is never a good time. It might not go anywhere. You might not see any economic success. But if you have a thang that is important to you that lights a fire in your soul you gotta just do it, make it happen, because doing it is enough at the end of the day. Do it for you and do it to show others they can do it too.
3. Who would be your dream artist/band to co-headline a tour with?
Hot damnnn, tough question but currently Thee Sacred Souls or JUNGLE. They would be two very different experiences haha with Thee Sacred Souls I would just let alllllll my soul out and with JUNGLE I would just dance and play. Both would be epic.
4. What sets your music apart from others in your genre?
Haha I don’t know if I’m very good at staying in a genre so maybe that is what sets me apart. I really like writing a lot of different songs in a variety of different genres; power pop, dreampop, soul, folk, jazz, country, bluegrass, rockabilly, pop rock, bubblegum rock ect. I don’t like limiting myself because I get so much enjoyment out of the writing process and whatever I’m inspired by at the time. Maybe my catalog might feel a little confused but it’s really not confusion, at the end of the day my identity has been shaped by a lot of different sounds and all of them hold a little piece of me.
5. Tell us what your favourite song is at the moment and why.
Oufffff picking favourites is soooo hard but if I’m going off the moment I literally yesterday just heard Carleigh Aikins sing her song ‘Credit’s Due’ live at an intimate showcase and it blew my mind. That is a dang song and she just has an amazing voice. Been stuck in my head since. It came out last year and I missed the release but mannnnn I’m glad it’s made its way into my life. Got all those Tina Turner, Whitney Houston, Janis Joplin, Pat Benatar, and Etta James vibes. Ya gotta check it!
