Tara Kelly
I’ve been following Tara Kelly on Instagram for a little while now and I always loved her visuals, her music and her voice. I’ve been meaning to feature her on my blog, and it finally happened :)
She’s just released her new single “Play With Fire”. Co-written with Billy Delia and produced by Alex Wilke, the new single is about pushing your limits so far that you “burn” yourself in the process.
Describing her music as cosmic country music, Tara Kelly continues to create stories through beautiful melodies and visuals.
“Play With Fire” is now available worldwide :)
Photo credit: Julie Schweiss
Introduce yourself - what's your story?
I’m a girl with a guitar from southern New Jersey who moved to Los Angeles and started making folk music. The desert setting combined with the cosmic energy of the west was so overwhelmingly palpable that I couldn’t help but be inspired to write songs while becoming a woman in this wild world.
When did you start writing songs?
I started writing songs on my parents old piano at age 11. I recorded them with my computer mic and “produced” them in Garageband. I hadn’t yet been through some of the things I was writing about like falling in love – so it was mostly folklore – but I did write candidly about my tumultuous relationship with my mom or losing my childhood friends. It became my coping mechanism very early on. Writing songs about heartbreak when I was 13 prepared me for those emotions by the time I actually felt them at 20.
At what point did you know you could sing?
I knew I could sing well at age 8, when I got my first solo in an elementary school choir concert. I’m grateful to this day for the teachers who believed in me and nurtured my talent so that we could convince my parents to stop trying their hardest to force my poorly-executed athleticism.
What gave you the confidence to become an artist and release your original music?
I had been writing and recording for myself and other artists for a while before I got the confidence to release something on my own. To be very honest, it took time to develop autonomy over my own vision as an artist so that I could learn how to kindly and respectfully say no to something. I learned how to offer alternative solutions, and work with the people that were on the same creative wavelength I was when possible. It’s a trial and error process but once you realize you have a piece of art that the world would be better off with than without, you have no choice but to let the music live and breathe.
How would you define Tara Kelly, the artist?
My collaborators and I like to describe Tara Kelly as a fairy cowboy sometimes. She’s confident, and rugged – and simultaneously floats through the cosmos wearing her vulnerability like a glowing shield in a desert storm. I hope I move in the world in that way every day when I wake up – strong in my convictions and even stronger in my most raw and vulnerable moments.
Who was the first person to ever believe in you?
The first person who ever truly believed in me was my high school choral director, Robert Lowden. He saw a spark in me and knew I could handle competitive singing in acapella girls choirs and perfect pitch competitions. He exposed me to different types of music and production techniques, working long hours with me both during and after school. His consistent encouragement was crucial to my growth as a musician. I will always be grateful to him.
"Play With Fire" is your latest single - what's the story/inspiration behind this song?
“Play With Fire” is about pushing your limits so far that you “burn” yourself in the process. In relationships, I’ve found I can forgive and understand a person’s natural attraction to other people up to a point. You’re “playing with fire” when your transgressions become so egregious that you know what you’re doing is hurting the other person. That’s where I draw the line.
When did you start working on this song? Who helped you create it?
I wrote the song right before quarantine. I had the privilege of writing it with Billy Delia from the band Grizfolk, and it was such a great session. I so admire their sound and passion as a band – they are a must-see live. One of my favorite co-collaborators with whom I worked on my last single “The River,” Alex Wilke, produced and finished the track, and he did a phenomenal job.
What did you feel when writing this song?
For Billy and I, it was our first time writing together. I came in with the title “Play With Fire” and a vision for folky, cosmic country anthem. He started messing around in Open C and I immediately got excited when I heard him play that deep, low-pitch progression for the first time. It had an ominousness to it that was really captivating, but the ring of C in 3 separate octaves made it feel light and fun. From there, we wrote the whole song in a half hour.
What's your favorite thing about this song?
I think my favorite part of the song is the harmonica solo at the end. I LOVE the way the instrument creates a resonating feeling inside of you and you can’t help but lean in for more of that sound. Also the little piano lick in the last chorus is an easter egg worth listening for.
What can you tell us about the artwork?
The artwork was a dream come true to shoot! My incredible friend and photographer Julia Schweiss worked closely with me to come up with a vision that involved the fire theme of the song, but in a more subtle way. We shot with a smoke grenade and instead of having me hold it in my hand, our friend was moving it in a circular motion while I danced in the smoke – all against a backdrop of one of the most gorgeous Venice beach sunsets ever. We wanted the smoke and the orange light in the sky to evoke that fiery feeling, and I think she absolutely nailed it.
What's your goal for this single?
My goal is to continue inviting listeners into the cosmic country music world I’m creating, with stories from my life they can relate to. I want my fans to feel confident when they add this to their road trip playlists and sing with the windows down about their cheating lovers. That’s solidarity only music can create.
As an artist, what is the hardest part? And what is the best part?
Hardest part of being an artist is balancing everything that comes with a creative life while still remembering to be a human. Best part is making the music, and the privilege of someone sharing how much your song affected them.
What are your thoughts on today's music industry? If you could change one thing, what would it be?
Today’s music industry is slowly putting power in artists’ hands, and I think that’s awesome. I also love how genres are blending more than they ever have. If I could change one thing, it would be increasing the mere 12 percent of female songwriters, producers, engineers and artists that make a living and have a seat at the table in the music industry.
What biggest life lessons have you learned so far?
I’ve learned that your opinion matters as much as the opinion of your collaborators. If you have different opinions and can’t reach a mutually beneficial compromise, it’s okay to move on and try different collaborators. Having autonomy over your vision is everything. Don’t let other people tell you who you are.
In your opinion, what would make the world a better place?
At the risk of sounding cliché, it's a connection. I genuinely believe that authentically relating to one another with more kindness, more listening, more compassion and more vulnerability could go a long way to changing how we operate in the world. It’s very hard to ignore something or feel a disconnection to it when it’s in front of you, asking for your care and understanding. Whether it’s the climate or another human being’s right to exist.
What message do you want to deliver to the world?
Oh wow – here are my mantras: Kindness is cool, you have the power to heal yourself, community is immunity, and the most important person is the one right in front of you.
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