Tara Beier, the Canadian-American singer-songwriter, sought rest in the desert after the loss of a loved one and emerged with her third album, Mourning Doves of Joshua Tree out on Manimal Records (a Los Angeles-based label whose artists include the likes of Yoko Ono, Moby, Duran Duran, Carla Bruni, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Bat for Lashes and more). Known as a champion for women, she has long encouraged her listeners to break free to their true selves with self-awareness and love, helping to remain resilient in hard times.
Beier has overcome adversity and worked hard to achieve her American dream of being a successful artist and mother. It has been a long, hard journey from her challenging childhood in Canada to her current life. Diagnosed with PTSD, she went through several years of psychotherapy and completed a recovery program.
“During this time of metamorphosis, I was always writing and composing music, sharing wisdom and healing to my audience,” Beier shares.
Presidential reckoning
The singer’s hard work and talent have paid off. For nearly a decade, Beier has been appearing at indie-rock festivals and has released three full-length indie albums since 2016 to acclaim. Her song “Hero and the Sage” was used by President Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign “100 Days, 100 Nurses” featured in the 2020 Presidential inauguration festivities. Several songs from her three well-received albums have appeared in films and television shows.
Known for her motherly feminine and yet fearless aura, she has been christened a trailblazer by many in the music scene. Her catchy “earworm” melodies, poetic lyrics, and down to earth confidence are celebrated by indie-rock music connoisseurs. Her music is often defined as hyper-feminine yet gritty and she’s drawn comparisons to female musical icons such as Fiona Apple, Kate Bush, and Sheryl Crow. The lyrics in her songs are her self-realizations, taking the listener into her journey of triumphing over difficulties.
Mourning Doves of Joshua Tree is a mirror of her journey processing grief after the death of her grandmother. She sought rest in the Joshua Tree desert and was often visited by mourning doves as she wrote. In some belief systems, visitations from mourning doves are loved ones, angels, and God making themselves known. The presence of the mourning doves gave Beier comfort, making her feel her grandmother was with her. The desert was the perfect backdrop for her to process her grief and “center back to myself as an artist.” The mystical beauty of the lyrics and music reflects this period in Beier’s life. She defines the Joshua Tree desert as the backbone of her new album.
“I don’t see the desert as some kind of empty, rock-bottom,” says Beier. “I see it as a turning point. It’s the place we go to slow down, sit in silence, and start to heal ourselves.”
Music for Rainbows
Rainbow is the first pre-single off “Mourning Doves of Joshua Tree” on Manimal Records. An indie-rock anthem about finding your own way and making your own rules, “Rainbow” feels aptly and pleasantly contained—like a fish in a tank of its own design. It’s lo-fi, clean, and slightly retro-psychedelic in the vein of acts like Babe Rainbow, Dean & Britta, and Tennis, and the chorus overflows with genuine charm and perfectly balanced male and female vocal harmonies.
“Rainbow” was inspired by a real therapeutic practice that entails creating a spectrum or “rainbow” of boundaries. “It’s a way of arranging the relationships in your life with purpose,” says Beier.
“Instilling boundaries like this—by mindfully choosing to hold people closer or farther away, depending on how safe you feel in any particular relationship—can actually help keep people in your life.” In other words, it’s not about pushing people away; It’s about respecting what you need, and teaching the people who love you to respect the boundaries you put in place.
“The question the song poses is Where Do You Fit on My Rainbow?” says Beier.
“In other words: What color/position should you take? How close or how far away do you belong in my life?”
It’s available for pre-order on itunes: Sept 20th, 2024 with official release date on all digital outlets, Oct 4, 2024.
Here is a sneak peak teaser: https://youtu.be/7tFtr7VPVCk
Though being a successful artist was a part of Beier’s American dream, so was being a mother. Unfortunately, motherhood wasn’t something that came easily, and was yet another battle she had to fight. Beier endured a challenging, and public In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) journey. IVF does not ensure a viable pregnancy and she had to face several challenges along the way. In the end, she gave birth to two beautiful twin sons, Austin and River, and knows she is fortunate.
Her music has always been a reflection of her inner journey and her experience becoming a mother has further inspired her to encourage others not to let life’s challenges pull them down, but to keep reaching for their dreams.
“Keep following your path, even if no one understands or supports you. Listen to your heart, be kind always to others and trust in God,” she says.
Rolling Stone MENA newsroom and editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content.
