Hollywood Dame Exclusive Interview – Tamar Kaprelian

On her debut album, Tamar Kaprelian sings about being “a delicate soul.” “Old soul” is more like it—if you consider the classic pop stylings of 30 or 35 years ago; the remnants from another lifetime, as they literally are for this 22-year-old singer/songwriter. Growing up, Kaprelian gravitated toward the rock classics her musician father schooled her in.

“I’m definitely an old soul when it comes to music,” she says. I grew up only listening to all those records my dad would play in the house, from Queen to Paul McCartney to Sting. My dad used to play Billy Joel songs to put me to sleep. Asked what 21st century artists she listens to, she reels off Mika, Coldplay, Sheryl Crow, Alicia Keys, and John Mayer—basically, all the contemporary artists who are as steeped in the great music of the ‘70s as she is.

Kaprelian has a classic story of being discovered more or less at random. Actually, she’s got two or three of those stories. Her first discovery came at age 15, when a talent scout tapped her on the shoulder at her local mall after watching her sing with a school group for a fundraising event. One contact led to another until, right as she was about to go off to UC Berkeley at age 18, she was instead personally signed to a major label by one of the world’s most famous record company chiefs.

That particular fairy tale was not her destiny. That would-be debut album was scrapped and Kaprelian and her former label parted ways. Then, in odds akin to being hit by lightning twice, she got discovered more or less off the street again.

Mindful that some other singers had broken through with covers, Kaprelian’s producer suggested that she film herself doing a solo cover of OneRepublic’s “Apologize” to post on YouTube. “He said, ‘You’ve always liked Ryan’s style of writing, and it’s piano-based. What have you got to lose?’ Soon after, she learned OneRepublic was sponsoring a contest to see who could do the best cover of “Apologize,” so she uploaded it. Weeks later, she was getting twin messages from people at Interscope—one informing her that she’d won the contest, and another inviting her to come in for a meeting.

And here’s where she really rolled a seven: “Honestly, I feel so lucky, because Interscope let me make the record I wanted to make. My A&R guy was like, ‘Do what you want. I trust you.’” The rewards of that mutual faith are abundant.

Her core recording band included well-known players Abe Laboriel and Matt Chamberlin on drums, Chris Chaney on bass, and Lyle Workman on guitar. That the album would also have some orchestration was a given—I wanted the record to sound very rich and lush and full. And there are barely any synths on the record. I wanted everything live.”

The strings are usually used for seasoning, but they become altogether prominent on the song “March Mornings.” Kaprelian says: “No other instrumentation aside from the strings and a vocal. I really wanted people to hear my voice. When you have a song that has a much bigger arrangement, like ‘New Day’ or ‘Sinner or a Saint,’ you can’t tell if I can really sing or not. In ‘March Mornings,’ you can hear the quality of my voice, and that was the goal for that song—aside from trying to model it after one of my favorite Beatles songs.”

Lyrically, though, “March Mornings” couldn’t be any more different from the lonesome “Eleanor Rigby.” It’s a song of ebullient, newfound hope, and—not coincidentally—the first song she wrote after signing her deal with Interscope, “about how incredibly excited I was about the whole situation.”

“New Day” is also a profoundly positive song, but with a slightly darker lyrical edge; it was written after Kaprelian lost her previous label deal and before she signed the new one, when she was struggling to maintain faith in her musical path. That first single, which was prominently featured at the climax of an episode of MTV’s The Hills, was written “about how completely unhappy I was, and really about struggling, persevering, and being in a situation where you don’t know how you’re gonna dig yourself out of it. And at the end of it, life is like a road—you don’t stop in the middle of it. I really want people to listen to this record and get a sense of hope from it.”

Kaprelian veers darker in “Should Have Known Better,” which is “definitely about someone who did me wrong and led me in the wrong direction. Had I not gone through that experience, I wouldn’t have written the record that I wrote.” “Raw” is a pure lost-love song sent out “for every angry female who’s ever been wronged by a man.”

But that rage is the exception, and not the rule, on an album that has more tender than raging moments. “Purified,” for instance, is “my ‘You’ve Got a Friend’ moment. I remember listening to Carole King’s Tapestry over and over and over again. I wrote it about my producer, Xandy Barry, who stood by my side and said ‘I believe in you. We’re gonna do this together. And I will spend as much time with you as I need to, to help you get to this next step.’” The bulk of the album’s tracks were produced by Xandy Barry and longtime associate Wally Gagel. On “Sinner and a Saint,” she collaborated with Tedder. Bandmate Brent Kutzle produced “Three Simple Words,” a non-album, iTunes-exclusive single.

The ten songs on Kaprelian’s debut album are full of dashed hopes, fierce renewal, and proud vulnerability. The singer expects to bond with a younger audience, but has already been surprised at how her music clicks with listeners of a certain age, too—which maybe should be no surprise at all, given its lyrical depth and roots in rock classicism. By the end of the album, listeners both young and old are certain to feel the emotional connection. Or, as she said, “Spend a couple hours and we’re all best friends.” How was it that a piano woman from another generation once put it? Oh yeah: You’ve got a BFF.

I had the chance to ask Tamar a couple of questions – You can read them below!

When did you first realize you had an interest in music and what sparked that interest?

According to my parents, I was singing before I was talking. Growing up, I was very influenced by my father; I got the musical gene from him. He would constantly play classic records — Billy Joel, Queen, Elton John– and I found myself wanting to emulate those artists.

How did you break into the music industry?

I was doing a student government fundraiser for my sophomore class and I was discovered by a talent scout who overheard me singing.

How would you describe the sound of your music and what is it that makes you feel that your upcoming album is different from others in your genre?

I was influenced by the classics and really wanted to make a timeless record. Songwriting is an art and I wanted to make sure that I created a body of work that represented who I am as a person and who I am as an artist. It’s a very positive, honest, and sexy record. I think the quality of my songwriting will set me apart from other artists in my genre. I am proud to say, that every single one of my songs on this album can be stripped down to a single instrument and still sound really great. That’s something that not many people can do.

What are some of your plans for promoting your album?

I'm excited to get out on the road again this fall. Nothing makes me more happy than being able to connect with my fans.

What are some short term and long term goals that you have lined out for yourself?

Short term goal: Make this record ‘Sinner or a Saint’ insanely successful and leave a permanent mark in the music industry. Become a household name would be nice… did I mention my plan for taking over the world? Long term goal: To have the freedom to write, create, and perform the music that I love. Artists who I admire that have that freedom are Sheryl Crow and Sarah McLaughlin – they have a very loyal fan base that allows them to tour and release records whenever they please. Eventually, I want to start writing for other artists; possibly develop and sign other acts as well.

Do you have any musical pet-peeves?

Auto-tune. I appreciate hearing someone’s voice without distortion.

Besides music, what are some of your favorite things to do?

I love running, reading, going to the beach.. those three things keep me sane.

If you had the chance to work or record with any singer, band, or producer, who would you choose?

Billy Joel.

What drives you the most to do what you love? What inspires you?

My passion for music. Life experiences, love, classic records inspire me.

What is your favorite song on your upcoming album and why?

Depends on the day and on my mood. When I’m feeling sexy, Sinner or a Saint. When I’m feeling emo, Raining in Paradise. When I need a ‘pick me up,’ New Day. There is a song for every emotion on this record.