Tamara Miller's Page

Leave singer-songwriter Tamara Miller alone in a hotel lobby for 60 seconds and she might just write a song.

In less than a minute the talented Toronto musician will have found the grand piano. If she’s feeling inspired — and there’s a cocktail napkin around — by the time her fingers reach the keys, a new song will often follow.

“It’s as if I can already see the music on the keys as I walk over to sit down,” she says.
That’s exactly how “It’s In Your Eyes” came to be, a fan favourite at her live shows. Tamara was in Milan. One afternoon, she sat down at the grand piano in the quaint hotel lobby and started composing. With no paper in site, she asked the bartender for a napkin. Somehow that piece of paper filled with words and music made the cross-Atlantic journey.

With the release of her EP – 60 Seconds - Tamara is ready to take her words, music and songwriting journey to a new space. She describes the title track as epitomizing this leap of faith.

“The song is about making it and standing on your own. Leaving the past behind and moving forward.”

60 Seconds has a dreamy feel to it and it’s all about movement. Filled with soft-pop songs that create a visual musical landscape, the EP was recorded in Toronto and produced by Juno Award winner Ron Lopata, keyboardist for Jacksoul, who has also produced records for artists such as Simon Wilcox and Tomi Swick.

“I really enjoyed the production and recording process,” Tamara says. “It’s amazing to see how with just one idea, one emotion, you can create a whole universe of instruments and possibilities.”

Tamara Miller’s 60 Seconds is currently being featured on CBC Radio and on community-campus radio stations across Canada. Her hit song, 60 Seconds was selected and featured on CTV's television show, Degrassi: The Next Generation (Season 8, Episode 17). Tamara's music has also been ranked high on the charts on 92.5 The X and on Toronto's CIUT, 89.5 FM where Tamara was also recently interviewed LIVE about her recent successes.

Tamara began taking classical piano lessons at six. She picked up concepts quickly, and while she loved playing classical music, in her heart she always enjoyed playing contemporary music. She continued her musical studies at York University in Toronto, where she was awarded an entrance scholarship to attend the Faculty of Fine Arts at the age of 18. At York, Tamara took songwriting courses that truly allowed her to experiment. The light bulb went off; she realized she wanted to pursue a career in music. Her true passion was writing songs.

Tamara’s obsession with playing pianos in public does not stop at hotel lobbies. Music venues, schools, art galleries and shopping malls – anywhere there’s a lonely instrument, she’s drawn to the hidden possibilities that lay within its keys and she always draws a crowd. Tamara's lyrics and music continue to captivate audiences no matter where she seems to be performing.

“Even amongst the 50 per cent off sales, they stop and listen,” she jokes. “Songs need to uplift the soul, inspire us to listen, and bring everything we are at that moment right into the song.”

That’s the power and passion of this singer’s voice and her melodic songs. This passion is on full display on the half-dozen songs on 60 Seconds. Give her 60 seconds and she’s sure to have you stopping what you’re doing too.