Tara Louise is a singer songwriter based in Los Angeles. She’s been working as a professional Session Vocalist for over 7 years. Her music career started at 15 and by 18 she had performed over 350 gigs in and around LA. Tara released her debut EP Mainstream (written and produced entirely by herself, mixed & mastered by Grammy award winner Cassidy Turbin) in December 2014.
We wanted to know all about this 23 year old LA talent, her strange vocal warm-up routine, what she has in common with Ariana Grande and her love of all thing Nsync.
Where did your singing journey begin?
My parents tell me that I was singing before I started talking. Around six-years-old though, I remember listening to The Little Mermaid’s Part Of Your World on cassette and deciding I wanted to be a singer. I then performed the song at a talent show shortly after and I’m not going to lie, I sounded pretty darn good for my age! Since then it just seemed like the only career option for me.
What do you hope to accomplish as a singer?
Packing out an arena for a concert is definitely a goal of mine. I personally think Taylor Swift and I could write the pop hit of the century together, so I’ll add that to the list. Oh, and I wouldn’t mind taking home a Grammy or two. I’m on the fence because I’d have to dust them rather frequently, but I imagine I could learn to overcome that.
Is there a particular warm up process you have before recording?
I’ve acquired a bunch of different vocal exercises over the years. The ones that I’ve stuck with tend to make my roommates think I’m being possessed, but they sure get the job done. It usually includes lots of sirens and raspberry blowing.
Tell us about your songwriting process – is there a particular way you tackle the topline?
Often for me, the song speaks for itself. I can sort of feel what the track wants to communicate when I listen to it and I just let it happen. A lot of the time I’ll get ideas for a melody first and then the words manifest after. I personally just really love the creative freedom of writing a topline. There’s also something incredibly satisfying when I send it to the producer and they instantly fall in love with it. It’s a bit like winning the lottery.
What’s your biggest success to date?
Perhaps my debut with Postmodern Jukebox. They’re an incredible band that does covers of modern songs with a retro feel. I’d been a fan of the band for over a year and had dreams of singing with them. Then as fate would have it, I submitted an audition video and my dream came true! It’s still a bit surreal. We did a cover of an ‘Nsync song and Lance Bass (from ‘NSYNC) shared it! Along with Ashton Kutcher and a couple other celebs. It was a blast.
Next to that would have to be a track I did a topline for, with an artist that found me on Vocalizr! The song we did: Disfigure – Blank VIP (feat. Tara Louise) ended up being released on NoCopyrightSounds and recently surpassed 13 million views.
Who would you most like to work with, and why?
That’s a tough one. I think Zedd and I could make some magic. A duet with Michael Buble is a must. I’m bound to have some real musical chemistry with Pentatonix and Imogen Heap, and I also have a soft spot for K-pop, so anyone in that field!
Which artists do you find inspiring? Why?
Powerhouse vocalists are always an inspiration to me. Jessie J, Ariana, Tori Kelly, and all those singers that can nail it in a live performance give me chills. When I hear someone hit a high note flawlessly, it’s almost spiritual. Just makes me want to get on stage and do the same. I also get the urge to run to my piano whenever I listen to Jamie Cullum, Kimbra, and the Punch Brothers.
Do you have a home studio? If so, tell us about your setup?
Yep! I like to keep it simple. I work with an SE Electronics X1 Microphone, Komplete NI Interface, laptop, sound-proofing and that’s really all I need to get the job done!
As a singer was it hard to find jobs before vocalizr?
I was a word-of-mouth commodity. I’d occasionally message a producer I liked to see if he needed any vocals, but as you can imagine that’s a painstaking process. Vocalizr makes it so easy. So simple. When I came upon it I just found myself thinking, “Why hasn’t someone thought of this before?!”
Have you made new connections through Vocalizr? Has it opened any doors for you?
Absolutely! I’ve worked with a ton of producers now and a lot of the tracks I’ve done have brought in countless new fans and future jobs for me. Vocalizr has been fundamental in my establishment as a session vocalist.
