TerraTara: A Melodic Journey from Canada to the World.

TerraTara, a singer-songwriter from Slocan, Canada, is making waves throughout the world. TerraTara’s music is a reflection of the landscapes and surroundings that have influenced her life and journey.

Her mysterious given name combines two names she was frequently likened to, Terra and Tara, in honour of Ireland’s sacred Hill of Tara.

Catherine McGrath, Jamaine Johnson, and Neil Symonette make up the backbone of TerraTara. Since 2005, these skilled musicians have been working together, seamlessly blending their own musical styles.

TerraTara adopted a nomadic lifestyle and set off on a world tour with her entrancing music in tow. She took her one-of-a-kind sound throughout the globe by busking with a mandolin because of its mobility.

Her travels exposed her to a wide variety of musical styles, including the earthy rhythms of Irish folk music and reggae as well as the exotic melodies of Eastern European, Middle Eastern, and Indian music. TerraTara’s music combines elements from many different genres and eras to produce its own unique sound.

Her new single “Forward” displays this hybrid of styles. Guitar, voice, and mandolin were all used in the song’s original recording, which took place at Sincerity Sound Studios in Winlaw, British Columbia. Real-Time Sound Studios in Nassau, Bahamas, was where the bass, drum kit, and percussion parts were added.

The “Forward” album was conceived when TerraTara and her pals relocated from Ontario to British Columbia. They left the city and moved to the country, leaving behind their friends and family. Their old methods of thinking and behaving have to drastically change in order to accommodate this development.

The word “forward” conveys a powerful message: look forward to better times, welcome change, and forget the past. The musical voyage of TerraTara is as much an investigation of new sounds as it is a celebration of the flexibility and fortitude of the human soul.

Listen in as TerraTara pushes the envelope further with her signature fusion of worldwide influences, resulting in a sonic environment as varied as the places she visits.

What kick-started your songwriting journey?
I started writing songs about almost anything, really. From cute funny little limericks to sad ballads. It was always easy for me to express myself lyrically and sonically. I just started to take it more seriously as I got older.

What’s the most thought-provoking piece you’ve ever written?
That hasn’t been released yet. But one that has is Empty Apartment which is available on all streaming platforms. It was recorded in 1999 but was never properly released. I decided to re-release it in Nov 2022!

Where’s your creative sanctuary?
In nature or at my cabin in the woods, with tea brewing and clouds forming.

What would you say is your greatest strength as an artist?
To express emotion through my voice with sad or happy lyrics and to elicit my listeners to have an emotional response. Also, I play the mandolin with repetitive patterns that can put the listener in a trance-like state.

What is your creative process when making music?
I either come up with a catchy chord progression first and then the lyrics come after. Or I write a chorus that gets stuck in my head, mostly the lyrics, and then I write the chords. or I have just had a hook for weeks, musically, and then the rest of the song comes later.

What inspired you to write your latest album/song?
This song initially was written about the exodus of a whole group of my peers from Ontario to British Columbia. We were moving from the urban life and everything that comes with it, back to nature, leaving behind an old way of life, and our friends and families.

We had to take the first step and let go of everything we had known. We were moving forward to a new life in a new place. It is also about moving forward in life, in general. I decided to release this song right now because the entire world is moving forward out of covid…

What are the things you do to help perfect your craft?
practice, practice, practice

What are your plans for extending your music beyond USA and Europe?
I do my best to promote on the streaming platforms, to me the best way to get your music heard abroad is to get on playlists from other countries.