Tara Blaise facts for kids

Tara Blaise (born on March 1, 1975) is a talented Irish singer. She sings pop, folk, and rock music. Tara was born in London, England. When she was three years old, her family moved to Ireland. She grew up in a place called Aughrim in County Wicklow.

About Tara's Life

Starting Her Music Journey

Tara's parents encouraged her love for drama and music from a young age. Her dad was an architect, and her mom taught speech and drama. Tara studied speech and drama at the Royal Irish Academy of Music.

Tara started singing when she was 16. She formed a band with her school friends called Les Legumes. Later, she became a backing singer for a Dublin band called The Wilde Oscars. This helped her get noticed in the Irish music scene.

After that, Tara joined a band called Igloo. They became well-known for their live shows and released some popular songs. Then, a band called Kaydee asked her to join them. Tara recorded an album with Kaydee, and it received great reviews. Even though they toured a lot, Kaydee didn't become a huge success.

Her Solo Career

Wild Ocean Collaboration

Tara decided to start her solo career. A friend connected her with John Hughes. He was the manager for the famous band The Corrs. John was working on his own music album called Wild Ocean. He needed a singer and songwriter.

Tara and John worked together on a song called 'Dancing in the Wind'. They liked working together so much that they recorded another song, 'Come Away'. Tara also studied drama at Dublin's Gaiety School of Acting. She sang on 'Deo', the first song from John's album. Tara also appeared in the music videos for 'Deo' and 'Dancing in the Wind'.

Dancing on Tables Barefoot Album

John Hughes offered Tara a record deal with his own label, Spokes. He sent her to Los Angeles to work with Olle Romo, who had produced music for The Corrs. This led to Tara's first solo album, Dancing on Tables Barefoot. Her first solo song was 'Fool for Love'. It featured only Tara's voice and a string quartet.

Both 'Fool for Love' and her next song, 'Paperback Cliché', were played on BBC Radio 2 in the UK. Tara toured many radio stations in the UK, performing with Corrs guitarist Anthony Drennan.

'Paperback Cliché' became a huge hit on Irish radio. It was played over 400 times and reached number 2 on the Irish airplay chart. The song was also featured in the movie Tara Road. Her album Dancing on Tables Barefoot came out in the summer of 2005. Critics praised it as a "warm and honest record."

In 2005, Tara performed at many big music festivals. These included The Isle of Wight Festival, T in the Park, and V Festivals. She also played at the Oxegen Festival in Ireland. Tara headlined shows in London and had her first Irish tour.

A slightly different version of Dancing on Tables Barefoot was released in Spain in February 2006. Her song 'The Three Degrees' reached number 9 on the Spanish airplay chart. Tara promoted the album in Spain with guitarist Anthony Drennan. In July 2006, Tara toured Spain again to support her second song, 'Paperback Cliché'.

Great Escape Album

In March and April 2007, Tara opened for singer Michael Ball on his UK tour. Tara released the song 'Fall at the Start' in June 2007. This song is also on her second album, Great Escape, which came out in May 2008.

Great Escape features two songs: 'Breathe' and 'Make You'. 'Make You' was produced by the famous producer Robert John 'Mutt' Lange. Tara's website was redesigned in October 2008.

In 2009, Tara submitted a song for the Eurovision Song Contest 2009. She wrote it with Billy Farrell and John Hughes. However, the song did not make it to the Irish finals. In January 2010, Tara recorded music with Davey MacManus for his new album. In March 2012, Tara released her new song, Our New Horizon, which she wrote herself.

Acting on Stage and in Films

In April 2006, Tara played the role of 'Beth' in the first stage show of Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds. She performed alongside famous singers like Justin Hayward and Russell Watson. The show toured the UK and Ireland. Tara also performed at a special concert in Trafalgar Square.

Tara is also part of the cast for the play Seven Deadly Sins Four Deadly Sinners. She performed this play in Barbados in 2009 and in Guernsey, Channel Islands in 2010.

In 2009, Tara had a part in The Rivals at the Abbey theatre. She also worked on a short film called Dental Breakdown. This film was shown at the Corona Cork Film Festival in 2009. Tara appeared in the 2011 short film 'The Opening'.

Modeling Work

Tara Blaise has also worked as a model. She was featured in an advertising campaign for the Dublin make-up brand Face2. In late 2008, Tara was a model for a Tommy Hilfiger advertising campaign in Ireland. In 2009, Tara appeared on the RTÉ show Off the Rails.

Awards and Nominations

At the 2009 Meteor Awards, Tara Blaise was nominated for Best Irish Female Artist. She was a strong contender but the award went to Imelda May.

The Voice of Ireland

Tara surprised many people by auditioning for the first season of The Voice of Ireland. This is a reality TV talent show. Even though she made it to the blind auditions, none of the coaches chose her. Her performance of Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer" was discussed in the news. Some people were surprised because she already had a professional recording contract.

Tara's Music

Albums

Songs (Singles)

Collaborations