ALTERNATIVE ADDICTION
AA: What have been your greatest achievements in 2019?
TS: So many things! Sometimes I feel like I go to bed out of breath. lol. I feel like 2019 has been a year of sowing for me. It was a very expensive year for my business, but in all good ways. I took this year to curate and hire an amazing team of people who are excellent in what they do to take my brand, my company, and my online course to a whole new level. There has been a lot of strategic planning, analyzing and growth. So far this year, I have completely restructured the entire experience of my 8-week online course called “Sing Like a Superstar”. I have grown from 35k subscribers to 300k subscribers on YT as of October 25th, 2019 and I have filmed hundreds of reaction and tutorial videos on YouTube, started a new YouTube series called Sing Better In Seconds (which is SO fun and amazing!), all while continuing the growth of Tara Simon Studios (www.tarasimonstudios.com) private one-on-one vocal, piano, guitar, songwriting and artist development lessons both in person at our brick and mortar in Atlanta, GA and online worldwide.
I have also released my first single in 7 years since “Walk Away” I was on The X Factor called “She Walks The Moon” in August of this 2019. Before the year is over, I will have also released a new 4-week course as a follow up to my 8-week course all about learning how to do amazing riffs and runs with your voice (you know, the crazy fun stuff you hear all of the divas do and you wish you could too!). I should also note that I’m a single mom to the most amazing little boy in the world. I have a rule that when I pick him up from school, work waits until he is asleep. Then I pick it back up again. I don’t want him to ever think for one moment that there is anything more important in my life than he is, and actions speak louder than words. Finding balance can be really tough, but setting important rules and boundaries has been really key for me as a mom.
AA: What can we expect from Tara Simon Studios in 2020?
TS: I’m exhausted just thinking about it! lol. In 2020, my goals (so far) are:
1. Open up a South Florida Branch of TSS
2. Speak at a Tedx (and/or Ted Talk)
3. Hold a citywide audition for TSS’ first Vocal Variety Production held in Atlanta.
4. Create a foundation to scholarship talented but underprivileged kids so they can receive proper training to perfect their craft.
5. Continue to grow our student body in Atlanta and hire at least one additional vocal coach.
6. Release a new single.
7. Expand and grow my online course offerings.
AA: What do you find to be the greatest form of encouragement for the artists you work with?
TS: Being 100% transparent and genuine with them. Most of this industry is all about seeing and hearing a “finished product”. And these days, it’s not just a finished product, it’s a product so engineered autotuned and airbrushed the original artist themselves are hard pressed to reproduce that product in a live performance environment. Showing our artists that truth instantly helps immensely. Also, being real about our own vocal struggles even as coaches that we have had to overcome and are still overcoming in our vocal journey is very powerful for our students to hear. This automatically gives the singer permission to really try, and not sing with the pressure of attempting to attain the unrealistic.
AA: Who were your favorite musicians and vocalists growing up?
TS: I was heavily influenced by Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Sandi Patti, Aretha Franklin, Etta James and Christina Aguilera growing up. I love singing with soul, with a big presence and commanding the attention and emotion of an audience.
AA: Anything else you would like to share with our readers?
TS: Finding time and balance is constantly eluding me. I really try hard to have a “me day” one day per week. Realistically (if it even happens at all) it ends up being a “me couple of hours”… but I take what I can get. I do have one nonnegotiable each day: I work out every morning 5 days per week. It is etched into my schedule and routine and I consider that “me time” as well. Luckily, I freaking LOVE what I do, so I do consider it fun and find so much joy in it. (Which is really convenient cause I’m always working!). On the rare occasion I have a night free, you will find me salsa dancing somewhere, anywhere. I LOVE salsa dancing! Like…if I lost my voice tomorrow I would become a professional salsa dancer. (No Joke!)
AA: Please list the links you would like to share.
TS:
www.tarasimonstudios.com
@tarasimonstudios
YouTube: Tara Simon Studios
Facebook: Tara Simon Studios
