We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tamara Miller a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Tamara, thanks for joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

I always dreamed of living in Los Angeles. That’s where all the action takes place! I knew that’s where I needed to be in order to grow and expand my career. I often travelled back and forth for conferences several times a year. After some time however, it was clear that I had to make the move in order to pursue my dreams. I had to take the risk.

So I set a date and off I went! The rest is history. What I have taken from this experience is the power of sticking to your instincts. You have to just go for it! Because chances are it will work out. So many people come so close to achieving their dreams but give up too soon. Living the life of a creative is definitely not an easy path but is anything really in life? From my experience, I’ve found how important it is to take these “risks” in order to fulfill your gifts. Since being in LA, I have been fortunate to work on so many exciting projects and have been presented with amazing opportunities.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

I would be happy to! I am a Los Angeles based Composer, Music Producer, Singer & Songwriter for TV Shows, Films, and Advertising.
At the age of 6, I started taking piano lessons in my hometown of Toronto, Canada. I knew from the beginning that I wanted to pursue a career in music. While pursuing a Music Degree in University, I began exploring the world of songwriting and composition. I always loved writing my own music. I was often inspired to write new songs while I was practicing for my piano exams. What can I say…Chopin inspired me to create! After writing several songs, I began performing my original material in many venues around Toronto including The Cameron House and Free Times Cafe. I recorded my first EP “60 Seconds” in Toronto and was thrilled to have the title track featured on the hit teen drama series, Degrassi: The Next Generation. This is where it all began.

After performing as a singer-songwriter in Toronto, I made my way over to Austin, Texas. I continued to perform my music on many amazing live stages including Fox 7 Austin Morning News, One World Theatre, The Parish, Mozart’s, and Waterloo Records at Austin Airport (Yes! Austin has several stages inside the airport). While I was performing, I also began to research about production music and became really interested in writing for film and television. I made my way over to Los Angeles and since then I’ve been focusing on writing custom music for TV networks, composing production music for libraries, collaborating on songs for sync, and composing music for film.

What type of products/ services/ creative works you provide:

I am grateful to be working in such a creative field. Most recently, I was delighted to be the Composer and Sound Designer for the Documentary Short Film, FINDING MY EDGE. This documentary follows the courageous tale of an ultramarathon hiker as she fearlessly guides us through her challenging expedition. I loved scoring the music to the scenes of the film. The editing process often feels like you’re placing pieces of a puzzle together. Every piece needs to be the right fit.

In addition to scoring music to picture, I also write custom music for network television where specific episodes need music. That’s always fun! I have also been writing various albums for music libraries including Mpath Music/APM Music and Warner Chappell Production Music. I specialize in composing piano-driven introspective & emotional compositions, drama & tension cues, pop & dream pop, and singer-songwriter pop ballads. Writing for music libraries is always an adventure because you never know where your music will land. For example, I wrote a beautiful emotional piano and guitar piece that was used in the WWE when it could have been easily used in a romantic comedy. You just never know!

My Music is featured around the world and broadcasted daily on NBC, CBS, ABC, ESPN, Fox Sports, Hulu, Netflix, Peacock, Disney+, Amazon Prime, Max. Some of my recent placements include Saturday Night Live, The Young and the Restless, TODAY Show, Tom & Jerry Christmas Movie Promo featuring Flo Rida (Warner Bros.), Hallmark Christmas, Single All The Way (starring Jennifer Coolidge, Michael Urie).

What problems you solve for your clients and/or what you think sets you apart from others:

I believe my strengths are in my ability to compose not only great music but also being able to effectively communicate with my clients and listening to what their needs are. Yes, it’s important to be talented, to write from your heart, but it all comes down to building that trust with your client. It’s really not about what music you want to write. It’s about what music and emotion is best for the project. I’m sure you’ve heard it before.. it all comes down to relationships. It’s about building that relationship with your client, creating music that you love but to ensure you are always coming back to home base and understanding what your client is looking for. It’s about finding the right sound to enhance an image, delivering the right emotion through sound.

I believe I provide my own signature sound to each and every project. I also have a great business mind and consistently deliver great work to my clients. Composing music for film is a true collaborative process. We are all in this business because we are creative and love using our imaginations. A big part of this business is to ensure you also have the skills to communicate, have everything organized, and follow through and deliver. I’ve always been creative but I’ve also been persistent and took risks to chase my dreams. What made you pursue your dream in the first place? Always know your “why.”

What are you most proud of and what are the main things you want potential clients/ followers/ fans to know about you/ your brand/ Your work/ etc.

Thank you for that question! I am most proud of my ability to stay true to my instincts and take risks where I see fit. Even when you might have doubts if you can even take on such a big challenge. Just go for it! You’ll be amazed at how much you can achieve. The only way to grow is to get out of your comfort zone. Everything always starts with a blank canvas. I love to take on projects that are challenging, that make me grow as a writer, and that require different set of skills. Whether it’s writing a new song for a TV Show, or creating a custom score for a project. This is not an easy business and you have to develop creative ways to be resourceful, work hard, and stay true to your gifts. I love being creative. I love writing with other songwriters and releasing new music for everyone to hear. Speaking of which, you can find me on Spotify, Youtube, my latest updates on my website & Instagram. Be sure to reach out and say hi!

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

What makes being an artist truly fulfilling is the opportunity to create something new each and every day. I wake up every morning knowing that I get to play music, work on inspiring projects, write music with my peers, and be part of an amazing community. It is very rewarding to be able to use my gifts and work with clients to tell their unique story. I’ve always found it fascinating to learn about their journey on how they arrived to where they are today. I know it takes quite a bit of persistence and drive to pursue any creative field and I applaud all the creatives for pursuing their passion. I’ve discovered so many remarkable journeys through my placements and what a gift that is! Being a composer, songwriter, and pianist is a passion I’ve always cherished and can’t imagine a day without it. Music is our universal language and I’m grateful to be able to work in the music industry where I meet so many talented and wonderful people. I am truly honored to be a Voting Member of The Recording Academy where I have the opportunity to discover incredible music.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

One story that exemplifies resilience is the experience of relocating to Los Angeles. From the moment I stepped foot into La La Land, I knew I wanted to be living in this town. The creative energy, the Hollywood lights, the excitement all poured into my work. But what I learned from moving to a new place is that an incredibly gratifying part of resilience reveals your inner strength. I moved to LA right before the pandemic. Who knew, right? Just beforehand, I attended many industry events and began working on different projects. Once things shut down however like for so many, life was forever changed. While I was often used to working from home as a composer, the challenge lay in the realization that our social gatherings had come to a halt.

Thankfully, I was able to have many writing sessions on FaceTime and Zoom and kept moving through. I worked on several custom projects and continued to turn every stone and looked for new opportunities. I believe it’s how we bounce back, work together, and how we move through the challenges that really shows us our inner strength.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.tamaramillermusic.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tamaramillermusic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tamaramillermusic/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamaramillermusic/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/TamaraMiller_
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TamaraMillerMusic