Tamara Miller

TAMARA MILLER
Pop
9:15 p.m. Wednesday, Theater 1
1 p.m. Saturday, Main Stage
Toronto native Tamara Miller is a new name to look out for, as her song "60 Seconds" has been making waves at home and abroad. Recently featured on CBC Radio and on community-campus radio stations across Canada, "60 Seconds" was also selected and featured on CTV's television show, "Degrassi: The Next Generation." Tamara's music has also been ranked high on the charts on 92.5 The X and on Toronto's CIUT, 89.5 FM. - CALIFORNIAN

“Always look on the bright side of life.” That famous line from a Monty Python song describes Toronto singer/songwriter Tamara Miller perfectly.

Tamara Miller’s CD Changing Lanes


The songs on both her CDs, her debut 60 Seconds and her new one, Changing Lanes, tend to be uplifting. Miller says her songs come from deep inside her and reflect her positive outlook.

“I always believe where I’m going on my journey and I try to show that encouragement to others. I write about my instincts and on what comes naturally. I have lots of songs of encouragement and on going after what you want.”

Changing Lanes, released in October, contains seven original guitar and piano pop-oriented songs with such refreshingly upbeat titles as Somethings Gotta Go Right and Everyday’s A Better Tomorrow.

Miller, 31, started playing the piano when she was six, and all the songs on her 2008 debut were written on the piano. This time around, she decided to write three songs on the guitar, which gives her a more textured sound.

“I found I wrote very differently on guitar versus the piano,” the York University graduate says. “On the piano, I felt I was going in the same direction. With guitar, I find the style’s a little bit different and I come out with different melodies than if I was to write the same song on piano. I find I have greater freedom on guitar.”

No matter how they were written, her songs are melodic and radio friendly. “I am really excited about Changing Lanes. I worked with producer David Martin (singer of the Juno Award-winning band Hemingway Corner), and it was a great experience to see how my music’s evolved.”

The songs on Changing Lanes sound more mature than the ones on 60 Seconds and deal mostly with love, life and relationships. “Musically, I think I’ve evolved a bit. I’ve moved beyond the boundaries of my first CD,” she said. “ I think I dug a little deeper in the lyrics and the music.”

This is clearly evident on songs like the title track and on A New Direction. Her songs have a soft rock, Sarah McLachlan-like feel, with slow, building melodies and catchy choruses, and often evoke Tori Amos or Chantal Kreviazuk.

Miller said she learned a lot in the two years since 60 Seconds, making things much easier this time around. “The first album was a stepping stone and opened new opportunities for me.”

Among the opportunities she’s actively pursuing these days are television and movie placements. The title track from her first album caught the attention of producers and was featured on the television show Degrassi The Next Generation. She has since signed with an agency in Los Angeles to help her in this endeavour.

“They’re promoting my music to different shows and seeing where my songs could fit,” she said. “It’s the direction that I want to go.”

Miller has been spending a fair bit of time in the United States. In addition to signing with the L.A. firm, she also performed at the Temecula Valley International Film and Music Festival in California, an organization that nurtures and showcases independent film and music talent.

“It was so amazing in L.A., being where everything is happening and meeting so many different artists from around the world. It’s been very inspiring.”

Two songs from her first album were just released on an American compilation CD Show Me Love, produced by the website roses4acure.com to raise funds to fight cancer. The album showcases Grammy Award winners and emerging talent. “It’s really exciting. It’s a nice thing to be a part of, with the proceeds going to fight cancer.”

This year, Miller won top spot twice in a monthly online voting competition, makeastar.com, in the best female solo artist category.

You can sample several of her songs on her myspace page (myspace/tamaramiller.com). Miller’s CDs can be purchased from Amazon or digitally from iTunes.

- CJN

With one album already under her belt, Tamara Miller felt it was time to once again hit the studio.
The North York independent singer-songwriter-pianist recorded seven songs for her EP Changing Lanes, a follow up to her 2008 debut album 60 Seconds.

"(Changing Lanes) could be about being in a relationship and trying to figure out your own path," Miller said. "The album is guitar-based and piano but still presenting my style. The first album was pop-piano driven songs, uplifting tracks."

A piano player since age six, Miller worked with producer/songwriter David Martin and musicians Mike Lent and Chris Bilton to bring Changing Lanes to fruition in a Toronto studio last March.

The fruits of her labour will be released during a CD launch Tuesday, Oct. 12 at Supermarket, 268 Augusta Ave., at 8 p.m.

"My goal is to do more shows and get my music in movies and television," she said, adding the song sharing the same name as her 60 Seconds album title was featured on an episode of Degrassi: The Next Generation. "I'm not signed with a label right now and it's great to be independent but if the right fit at the right time came along, I'd be open to that."

The York University music graduate is still riding high from being named Best Female Artist in July and August for online music competition makeastar.com, which allows musicians to post songs and the public then votes for a monthly winner.

Songs 60 Seconds and You Made Me See the Light, both off her first album, won fans over.

Miller, who performed opening night for the 16th annual Temecula Valley International Film and Music Festival in California in September, will also have her music featured on a CD compilation to be released Nov. 29. The CD will be made up of some 20 artists with sale proceeds going to the American Cancer Society.

"I want to keep doing shows and getting my music out there and staying true to who I am," said Miller, who admires singers Sarah McLachlan and Chantal Kreviazuk. "I have a whole bunch of other songs I have recorded ready to put out there." - NORTH YORK MIRROR - Insidetoronto.com

With one album already under her belt, Tamara Miller felt it was time to once again hit the studio.
The North York independent singer-songwriter-pianist recorded seven songs for her EP Changing Lanes, a follow up to her 2008 debut album 60 Seconds.

"(Changing Lanes) could be about being in a relationship and trying to figure out your own path," Miller said. "The album is guitar-based and piano but still presenting my style. The first album was pop-piano driven songs, uplifting tracks."

A piano player since age six, Miller worked with producer/songwriter David Martin and musicians Mike Lent and Chris Bilton to bring Changing Lanes to fruition in a Toronto studio last March.

The fruits of her labour will be released during a CD launch Tuesday, Oct. 12 at Supermarket, 268 Augusta Ave., at 8 p.m.

"My goal is to do more shows and get my music in movies and television," she said, adding the song sharing the same name as her 60 Seconds album title was featured on an episode of Degrassi: The Next Generation. "I'm not signed with a label right now and it's great to be independent but if the right fit at the right time came along, I'd be open to that."

The York University music graduate is still riding high from being named Best Female Artist in July and August for online music competition makeastar.com, which allows musicians to post songs and the public then votes for a monthly winner.

Songs 60 Seconds and You Made Me See the Light, both off her first album, won fans over.

Miller, who performed opening night for the 16th annual Temecula Valley International Film and Music Festival in California in September, will also have her music featured on a CD compilation to be released Nov. 29. The CD will be made up of some 20 artists with sale proceeds going to the American Cancer Society.

"I want to keep doing shows and getting my music out there and staying true to who I am," said Miller, who admires singers Sarah McLachlan and Chantal Kreviazuk. "I have a whole bunch of other songs I have recorded ready to put out there." - NORTH YORK MIRROR - Insidetoronto.com

TAMARA MILLER'S CD RELEASE!!! TUES OCT 12/10 - Bill Gladstone - CJN

Canada is fertile soil for quality female solo artists. Home not only to some of the world's biggest superstars such as Celine Dion, Avril Lavigne and Shania Twain, but also a wealth of vocalists like Sarah McLachlan, K.D. Lang, Alanis Morissette and Nelly Furtado who've consistently mixed chart success with critical acclaim. Toronto native Tamara Miller is a new name to look out for, as her song 60 Seconds has been making waves at home and abroad. Recently featured on CBC Radio and on community-campus radio stations across Canada, 60 Seconds was also selected and featured on CTV's television show, Degrassi: The Next Generation. Tamara's music has also been ranked high on the charts on 92.5 The X and on Toronto's CIUT, 89.5 FM.

July 2010 saw 60 Seconds climb to the top of the monthly charts on music and talent competition website MakeAStar.com. The American website not only gives new artists a great forum to expose their music and let the public vote for their favorite songs, but also awards $100 monthly prizes to all the winning talent - rewards that go a long ways to help the careers of young musicians, especially as music sales struggle in the download era.

Recently after her win, Tamara spoke with Make A Star about her song, her lifelong love of music and what inspires her creativity.

Listen to Female Solo Artist winner Tamara Miller sing '60 Seconds'

MAS: Congratulations Tamara Miller for your song '60 Seconds' and the win in the July Female Solo Artist Contest on MakeAStar.com! Tell us how you got started as a singer and how your recording career began.

Tamara: I began playing taking classical piano lessons at six. I loved playing classical music, but I was always more interested in composing and playing contemporary music. I also loved composing pieces for piano and voice and loved to sing! I continued my musical studies at York University in Toronto, where I was awarded an entrance scholarship to attend the Faculty of Fine Arts at the age of 18. I enrolled in a songwriting course that allowed me to experiment. For the final assignment, we had to compose an original piece of music and perform the song for the class. It was such a wonderful experience and it was at that point during my studies that the light bulb went off; this was something that I wanted to do. I began performing my music in various live shows, released my EP – 60 Seconds in 2008, produced by Juno Award winner Ron Lopata (Jacksoul, Simon Wilcox). The CD has been featured on CBC Radio and on community-campus radio stations across Canada. I was also very excited to have my song "60 Seconds" featured on the hit teen drama series, Degrassi: The Next Generation - airing across Canada, US and worldwide.

MAS: That is a stunning accomplishment and well deserved. How did you develop your sound? Are you the primary songwriter, or is it collaborative?

Tamara: I am often the primary songwriter, but I also really enjoy collaborating with other musicians. I think it's a fantastic way to see what other people are doing, how other people write, and find different ways of saying the same thing. Sometimes I think artists can get stuck in the same "style of writing" if you are always writing by yourself in the same environment. Co-writing is an excellent way to find new inspiration. I think I developed my sound along the way of studying classical music and finding what inspires me to write (from traveling, to walking by a large open lake, to watching a film etc..). I write and play what comes naturally to me and go from there! I have found that it's really important to stick to my instincts and stay true to what I want to express.

MAS: What's the story behind the song you've entered in the Make A Star contest?

Tamara: The song that I entered into the Make A Star contest is entitled "60 Seconds" - the title track to my latest CD "60 Seconds," This is a song about making it on your own, leaving the past behind, and moving forward. I believe 60 Seconds is a journey that all of us at some point in our lives have taken.

MAS: Beautifully expressed- you won by judge and fan votes. How does MakeAStar.com compare with other websites for music fans and musicians?

Tamara: MakeAStar.com is a fantastic medium for artists to learn about each others' work and for fans from all around the world to become involved in their success! It's great exposure for artists and for fans to find new music. It just goes to show the amazing impact of the internet and its importance in the music industry. There are so many music sites out there, but I think MakeAStar.com stands out in that it really supports the independent artist and I just love the incentives of points/gift cards for voting for your favorite artist!

MAS: Which musical influences have other people compared you to?

Tamara: I have often been compared to Natalie Merchant and Chantal Kreviazuk.

MAS: What sets you apart from other artists in your genre?

Tamara: I believe I hav - MakeAStar

Tamara Miller's CD "60 SECONDS" is #2 ALbum in ROOTS/FOLK Catgegory for Early September 2008!

www.thex.ca
(click on Top 30, then TOP ALBUM BY GENRE) - 92.5 FM, THE X!!

Tamara Miller’s EP 60 Seconds was given to me by a colleague who prompted me to “take a listen.” When I did, I was pleasantly surprised with the maturity of her lyrics and her sultry voice. The young Torontonian’s got what it takes to make it and she is bound to have music lovers wanting more of her commanding talent.


With support of Canadian studio recording heavyweights including Ron Lopata (Tomi Swick, Jully Black, jacksoul) producing her six-song CD, songs are already playing on pop radio stations in western Canada. This solo artist is looking forward to organizing a tour to back up the radio promo.


But it's Tamara’s songwriting that makes her music so special; she really wants to bond with her fans and give them something to think about, “I am always honest in my music and in my lyrics … I hope my fans and audience can connect with that and respond in a positive way. They may be going through similar things or experiencing similar moments … or experiences. I hope my music uplifts them and gives positive messages to help them go after their dreams.”


One of her favourite songs on the CD is “You Made Me See the Light.” She explains, “When I was writing on my piano … I had this vision of this girl running down this dark street with those tall lamp posts on the side and it is raining … this light is there and she realizes that somebody is there to help her. It was almost like writing a movie in my mind … it's fun and catchy and people just seem to like it.”


As Tamara visualizes hope in her music and shares with us … I too am inspired. It’s the words in the song “Something Great” that really touched me and for a fan, at the end of the day, that’s what really matters.


60 seconds is available on itunes, amazon, puretracks and hmv

For more info go to www.myspace.com/tamaramiller or http://tamaramiller.coffeehouse.ca
- JUICY STUFF MAGAZINE (Aug 26/08) - Toronto's Freshest Culture & Entertainment Magazine

(August 14, 2008)

http://www.cjnews.com/images/stories/Heebonics/Aug_14_08.pdf

Please click on the above link for full page article in the CJN! - CJN

(August 14, 2008)

http://www.cjnews.com/images/stories/Heebonics/Aug_14_08.pdf

Please click on the above link for full page article in the CJN! - CJN