The Iridescent Universe of TARRA
Mustard had the pleasure of speaking again with independent artist and music consultant TARRA whose newest single "What Love Feels Like (yeh ya voh)" brings listener into their world.
Mustard had the pleasure of speaking with TARRA in January. Before diving into our latest conversation check out our previous conversation here:
Mustard once overheard a human say that: “travel is a luxury.” As a condiment the concept of traveling is one they are familiar with. They often are the guest of many sixteen wheel big rig trucks that transport them from store to store. This type of travel though Mustard would not consider luxurious or extravagant. No, concrete’s charm is minimal. It helps lead humans to their destination while on the open road but this was not the type of travel that human was talking about. Being able to travel from one country to another; that is a luxury.
So is the music made by independent artist TARRA. TARRA is a Berklee College of Music student whose music allows listeners this luxury. Her music provides you the comfort of travel without ever boarding an airplane. TARRA has been hailed as Mumbai’s indie Taylor Swift. Being compared to the biggest pop musician in the world could cause you to feel imposter syndrome. But not TARRA. TARRA does it all; their an independent musician, college student, and music consultant. Not only is TARRA herself growing as an artist she is helping others do the same. Mustard appreciates the selflessness of TARRA.
On her newest single What Love Feels Like (yeh ya voh) TARRA bridges her worlds of Mumbai and Boston. It is TARRA’s first English-Hindi crossover. Mustard hopes that it is not last as TARRA beautifully transitions between both languages in the song.
In our interview below you have an opportunity to learn more about TARRA. Together we discuss their universe, business plans, figuring out what love feels like, and so much more!
1. Mustard is grateful and appreciative to have you join them again at Music Shelf. How are you doing today?
Thanks for having me! I am doing great, thank you for asking! I just wrapped up a wonderful summer internship here in Mumbai, and getting ready to fly back to the States.
2. We are still living within your universe which includes paradoxical dualities and feel good vibes. How do you keep your universe organized while still maintaining some space for spontaneity and surprise?
Uhh... Do I keep my universe organized? that's the real question. I think the only key to balance that I've discovered is that there's no key to balance at all. There will always be a juggle - some periods of life will be fun and spontaneous, others will be more focused and productive. All of it can't and doesn't always coexist AT ONCE, but in the grand scheme of things, the different eras and seasons seem to balance each other out, I've discovered.
3. One thing you love to do is throw curveballs and riddles at your fans. Growing up did you have any favorite riddles? Have your fans caught on to these riddles? What would a song about riddles by TARRA sound like?
Yes! I love hiding little secrets and clues in my social media and music content. I think world-building is so important; I totally know how lucky I am to have followers who want to listen to what I have to say, and I don't take that for granted. I want to interact with them and involve them in my world as much as possible. Sometimes I'll just leave little cryptic hints in my captions, other times I'll do something bigger like a crossword to reveal a tracklist. I think puns, wordplay and hidden messages are some things I always enjoyed growing up, so yeah, it checks out! What would a song about riddles by TARRA sound like, you ask? Well, go listen to my song "Easy Love" that I released last year! I've hidden a bunch of my song titles in that song.
4. According to your Instagram biography you are writing songs, stories, and business plans. As a condiment Mustard wonders - what is a business plan? When is the best time to have a business plan?
I can admire a condiment who wants to learn about business! A business plan is, simply put, a guide that highlights and clarifies your strategy, goals, and plan of action for achieving those goals. I know it sounds like a corporate term, but a business plan is not just for a business entity, it also equally applies to artists and creatives. The best time to have a business plan is... right now :)
5. Additionally, in your Instagram biography, you are "just your average Hinglish speaker." What advice would you give to someone interested in learning Hinglish?
"Hinglish" is the term given to when when you speak Hindi and English at the same time - usually interchangeably and in the same sentence. Speaking Hinglish is an essential survival skill (I'm joking but not really) you learn after living in a metro city like Mumbai, where both these languages are so embedded into our everyday. Think "Spanglish" but with Hindi. My advice to anyone interested in learning Hinglish is to just watch a lot of Bollywood movies ;)
6. Some of your influences are Taylor Swift, Gracie Abrams, and Shreya Ghoshal. What song by each do you consider essential listening?
Just one, huh? You're making this difficult on me. I'm going to cheat and give you a few for each artist.
Taylor Swift - Gold Rush, Cornelia Street, Long Live, Peace (ask me on a different day and I'll give you a completely different set of songs haha)
Gracie Abrams - Where do we go now?, Full machine, Under / over
Shreya Ghoshal - Tere Naina, Saibo, Noor E Khuda
7. Your dad's determination gave you determination to pursue a career in the music industry. If you could collaborate with your dad on a song, what would it sound like? How would it incorporate your home of Mumbai?
If I could collaborate with my dad on a song, it would probably feature Whitney Houston-esque production and topically be somewhere in between "inspirational" and "keepin' it real", because that's exactly who he is. I think I'd love to create a song at some point with voice notes from him and voice memos from our home in Mumbai. Music is so powerful in that it can bottle up a moment and help you replay it forever, and I'd love to create a song that feels like being home.
8. You have experience helping artists reach their full potential as a consultant. What does a typical consultation session with TARRA look like? How do you prepare for a session?
My favorite way to work with artists is to do a brand consultation session with them. The process goes something like this: I spend the first half of the session getting the artist to open up; not just about their music, but about themselves as a person. I am a strong believer that a person's artist brand already exists, they're just too close to it to figure it out themselves sometimes. Therefore I try to pick at some of the parts of their personality that make them unique, and some of their stories worth telling. The next stage is to figure out how to bring out those aspects of their personality through visuals, narrative, motifs etc. I usually put together a guidebook for the artist with some branding guidelines to take away. While I do prepare for a session by listening to the artist's music and writing down my initial instincts, I always ask the artist not to do any preparation AT ALL. I've found the more the artist thinks about their brand in advance, the more "constructed" their answers tend to be. I love hearing their first response to my questions because those are usually the most authentic-feeling.
9. In our first conversation you shared you dislike the word dislike. Are there any other words you are not fond of? What word would you love to incorporate into a song of yours?
I've come to realize most people collectively hate the word "moist"...I think I'll concede to that. A word I'd love to incorporate into a song at some point is "iridescent". That's one of my favorite words of all time. Again, just cause.
10. Humans are terrified of confessing their feelings. Why do you think this is?
I think it's because we're simply terrified of putting ourselves in a vulnerable position. Sometimes it's because we're terrified of losing our leverage over the other person. Sometimes it's because we don't want to confirm what we already know to be true. Sometimes it's because we like the thrill of 'not knowing'... even if we don't admit it. The "will he, won't he" of having a crush is sometimes more fun than the closure of actually finding out :O
11. When we spoke last you mentioned wanting to build and nurture a community in 2024. Would anyone be able to join this community? What would be your mission statement for this community?
Anyone can join the community! The mission is to connect over music, good conversation, and this silly little thing called life.
12. You also mentioned wanting to experiment more. How does TARRA prepare for an experiment? Would you recommend other artists also experiment?
I prepare for an experiment by letting go of the expectation that the experiment will go well (that's easier said than done, I'm still working on that one). But mostly, I think I experiment in music making by simply going where my instinct is leading me next! I think experimenting is an amazing exercise for reconnecting with why you became an artist in the first place. Not every exercise will be "commercially viable", but if you have the time and freedom for it, it reminds you why making music is so fun in the first place.
13. Mustard would like to congratulate you on your newest single What Love Feels Like (yeh ya voh). Could you share more about your newest release?
Thank you so much! I'm excited about this one because it's my first English-Hindi crossover release. In the song, I used metaphors to wonder out loud - "what should true love feel like?". Because truly, how do you know who’s right for you? Showing contrast was important to me; the dreamy pad verses feel like belonging & magic ; gritty electric guitar choruses show the mental noise of being unsure on so-called-love . The song explores duality through 2 languages, 2 subjects ("he" and "you") & 2 contrasting production moods.
14. Mustard wonders what love feels like to TARRA? Did a specific kind of love inspire this single?
TARRA is still figuring out what love feels like. This single has really been an exploration of that dilemma, actually. This single was inspired by me realizing that the media has fed us really polarizing ideas of love. Some say love should feel like butterflies in your stomach - it should make you nervous and give you an adrenaline rush. Others say love should make you feel safe and at peace, giving you an easy sense of comfort. Which one is it? This song was written from the perspective of me experiencing a different type of connection with two different people, and wondering how to make sense of thw two very different experiences.
15. They also wonder if the "he" in this single was inspired by an actual human?
Maybe...
16. Mustard loves how you tell a story in your music. Who are some storytellers that have influenced you creatively?
Thank you so much! Storytelling is without a doubt my favorite part of songwriting, and some of the songwriters named above have definitely inspired me to tell stories with music. I also I really admire the work of Taylor Jenkins Reid, if we're talking "storytelling" in the more traditional sense of the word.
17. What is on the horizon for TARRA?
Creativity. Entrepreneurship. Trial & Error. Authenticity. Learning. Growth!
18. Can readers still find your music on all streaming platforms?
Yes, absolutely! Find me and my new single wherever you get your music :)
https://ffm.to/whatlovefeelslikeyehyavoh
Music Shelf with Mustard is a publication that interviews independent musicians from all across the globe. It is read in 32 states and 19 countries. Check out previous interviews here.
Music Shelf with Mustard originally began in early 2021. Inspired by independent musicians on social media application TikTok Mustard knew they had to do something to help share their music. Shortly after Music Shelf with Mustard was born. Its goal is to highlight independent artists from all across the globe. Mustard appreciates you taking the time out to read this interview.
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