This week, Type One sat down with senior Tara Perez, a talented singer-songwriter who writes and performs her original music. She gave us some exclusive information about her musical style, past performances, and where to find her latest music.

T1: When did you first become interested in music?

Perez: As a singer-songwriter, I have had music running through my head my entire life. I participated in music classes from a young age but didn’t take matters into my own hands until I was about five years old and began classical piano training. From there, I picked up the guitar and began to write my own music.

T1: Which of your original songs is your favorite and why?

Perez: I can’t even count the amount of songs I have written. At the moment, I only have a few fully recorded but am working on releasing an EP on Spotify soon. My favorite song I have written so far should be coming out this month!

T1: Where can Pine Crest students listen to your music?

Perez: I have a few original songs posted on SoundCloud. Since they are mostly demos, I will be going back to produce them so that I can post them on Spotify.

T1: Do you play any instruments? Which is your favorite?

Perez: I primarily play the guitar, but I have also picked up the ukulele and have taught myself the basics on the piano.

T1: How do you think your Instagram account has an impact on your music?

Perez: I created my music Instagram about a year and a half ago. I have kept it separate from my main Instagram account so that I can focus on solely posting covers and keeping my other singer-songwriter friends updated!

T1: Who is your favorite artist?

Perez: I would say the artists that influence me the most are Taylor Swift, Bebe Rexha, Sia, Anne-Marie, Zara Larsson, and Rihanna.

T1: Where have you performed?

Perez: At Pine Crest, I have performed at the Playing for Change concert. Outside of school,  the summer programs I have attended usually have two performances. I attended the singer-songwriter program at the Frost School of Music in the University of Miami, and we had a gig at a local coffee shop. At the end, there was a big performance in the University of Miami auditorium.

T1: How would you describe your musical style?

Perez: I would say that my music is  definitely in the pop genre. When I am in the middle of writing a song, I ask myself “Who am I trying to appeal to? Can I picture this song being played on the radio? Can I picture this song being performed on stage?” Although I can easily mimic the melody in a chord progression, what takes conscious effort is creating inversions of melodies that are catchy yet different from what the listener would expect. Since the music industry is constantly adapting, I try to keep up with the latest music while staying true to my own style.

https://soundcloud.com/araerez/stains-final-acoustic

T1: Aside from music, what other hobbies and interests do you have?

Perez: In addition to songwriting and performing, I am on the Pine Crest cheerleading team and am in the school’s Spirit Club.

T1: Do you plan to continue with music in the future and in college?

Perez: Yes! I am only applying to music programs that primarily focus on guiding young artists into the music business. My long-term goal is to become a recording artist and be signed to a label.

T1: What advice would you give to aspiring musicians?

Perez: The advice that I would give to aspiring musicians is to write constantly and not be afraid to write what you want. I am often asked if it’s uncomfortable to have other people listening to lyrics I write, considering they can be a personal and intimate thing. But the reality of writing music is that most of the time it is not based off personal experience.Never feel ashamed or shy to show other people your music because it is your passion and your form of art and expression.

As you can see, Tara is a talented singer-songwriter who hopes to serve as an inspiration to her fellow musicians. You can listen to her original demos on Soundcloud or stay up to date with her latest songs and covers on Instagram.