Tara McDonald

Tara McDonald
Background information
Birth name Tara Jane McDonald
Origin Dartford, Kent, England
Genres House, pop
Years active 1998-present
Labels ULM, Mercury Group, Universal Music Europe
Associated acts Snoop Dogg, Axwell, David Guetta, Armand van Helden, Nicky Romero, Todd Terry, Kenny Dope, DJ Sneak, Funkerman, Roberto Bellarosa, Quentin Mosimann, Angger Dimas
Website taramcdonald.tv

Tara Jane McDonald is an English Irish songwriter and vocalist widely recognised for a string of crossover hits both internationally and in the UK. Tara achieved success working and co-writing with Armand Van Helden and Axwell on the chart hits ‘My My My’ and ‘Feel the Vibe’. Both these projects debuted at #1 in the club charts before peaking in the UK sales charts at #12 and #16, respectively. She has also collaborated with Todd Terry co-writing the song ‘Get Down’ and with David Guetta co-writing ‘Delirious’ and ‘You Are Not Alone’. ‘Delirious’ – which featured on the platinum selling album ‘Pop Life’ LP’ – was one the most heavily played records on European radio throughout 2008.

McDonald hosts her own dance music radio show called "I Like This Beat" (formerly called "Shut Up & Dance") which is a one-hour show currently syndicated in 40+ countries and 50+ stations across the world and on dance music stations and is also a podcast available as a free download through iTunes worldwide.

At the start of 2012 Tara worked as assistant vocal coach on the first series of the TV show The Voice in Belgium alongside the French pop star Quentin Mosimann, the winner of this series Roberto Bellarosa was from their team and went on to sign a recording contract with Sony records.[1]

McDonald signed a two album deal with Mercury/Universal in 2012 and her debut album will be released in 2015.[2]

In 2014, Mcdonald released a new single featuring Snoop Dogg called "Vay-K".[3][4]

Biography

Early life and career beginnings

Tara was born in Dartford, England to Irish/English parents. Tara is named after the Queen of Ireland & the hill of Tara. Her names means Star or leader. At the age of 9, Tara performed in Les Miserables as Eponine at The Palace Theatre in the West End of London. She won an international singing competition "The Danny Kaye Award" presented by Audrey Hepburn representing Great Britain and won. The song Tara performed was entitled 'Make Your Own Rainbow'. Her prize was to be a child ambassador for UNICEF for a year promoting & campaigning for the "rights of the child" throughout Europe and also Africa. Tara performed in the NYMT (National Youth Music Theatre) production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" with Jude Law for the Edinburgh festival. Tara won the juvenile lead part in a new musical called St. Bernadette at the Dominion Theatre in London, this part was also played by Martine McCutcheon. Tara was schooled at the Italia Conti stage school then later moved to the BRIT School.

Tara also worked as a backing dancer for Karen Ramirez for promotion of her single "Looking for Love" and also appeared as a backing dancer for the Jungle Bros. single "I'll House You".

Tara worked for the charity CSE: {{{1}}} (combined service entertainment) as a "forces sweetheart" providing entertainment for the UK armed forces around the world. Performing in far flung destinations such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Sierra Leona, Sarajevo/Bosnia, Guam and the Falkland Islands to name a few. The aim of these performances was to act as a link back home and escapism for the men and woman stationed overseas.

In 2000 Planet Funk asked Tara to perform with them their big dance anthem "Chase the Sun" at the MTV Ibiza dance festival alongside Basement Jaxx and Faithless, which proved to be a big success. Tara continued to write songs for other artists and pay the rent by working as a session singer for a range of different artists/tours and TV shows. She co wrote "D-Side's" debut UK Top 5 single "Stronger Together", with Cliff Randall & Simon Britton and was produced by Grammy Award Winning Producers Cut Father & Joe and went on to hit Number 1 in Japan and various other countries throughout South East Asia and was the title track of the album.

Strictly Come Dancing, David Guetta and Playboy (2005–2012)

From 2004 to 2007, McDonald sang lead and backing vocals on BBC1's programme Strictly Come Dancing.[5]

In 2005 when McDonald was 18 she co-wrote and sang "Feel The Vibe ('Til The Morning Comes)" with Axwell, which became one of the biggest dance tracks of the year. It peaked at number 1 in UK Dance Singles Chart and number 16 in the UK Singles Chart #16 Finland #62 The Netherlands #4 France club chart in August 2005.[3]. Tara's next release was "My My My" with Armand Van Helden in 2006 which entered the UK commercial charts at number 11. Both tracks became big dance anthems and saw McDonald perform these live on Pete Tong BBC1 dance show in Ibiza.

In 2007 McDonald co-wrote two tracks on David Guetta's third studio album, Pop Life, which peaked at number two in France and was certified platinum by the SNEP Pop Life, resulting in the hit single "Delirious" released in 2008, was one of the most played records on European radio in 2008, and an album track entitled "You're Not Alone". McDonald also featured in the music video for this single.

2007 also saw McDonald working with Bryan Ferry on his Dylanesque album backing singing and arranging some of the vocal harmonies.[6] They met previously when McDonald was backing singing for the Band Du lac on a special charity concert where McDonald was backing singing for Gary Brooker, Eric Clapton, Roger Walters. McDonald sang backup on Bryan's next studio album a work of Dylan covers and toured with him for a year.

McDonald also worked with the "Leo Green experience" as a guest vocalist at jazz venues in the UK like Ronnie Scott's and supported the Roy Ayers.

In 2008 McDonald supported the charity Childline Rocks performing alongside Roger Daltrey (The Who), Thunder, Lulu & Russ Ballard at O2 Indigo, London.

In 2009 McDonald featured on and co wrote the song "Revolution" by Vibers, (written as the anthem for the electronic music festival Liberty Parade) the song won best musical production (of the electronic genre) in Romania at the Nights.Ro Gala Awards 2009.

McDonald won the "Best Female Voice of 2010" in electronic music with OnlyForDj's magazine which launched a worldwide competition and it was voted by the public.[7][8][9]

McDonald has been described as a "tigress on stage"[10] and "the chic sexbomb of electro music."[11] by David Guetta

In 2010, McDonald collaborated on many new records "I'm Your Goddess" with David Vendetta, a dance track with a middle Eastern feel featuring Alim Gasinov from Azerbaijan on DJ Centre Records. "Elevated" with the Australian dance duo TV Rock, "Everything", "Funkerman", "Beats for You" with Mischa Daniels on Amarda Music, "Set me on Fire" with Sidney Samson on Spinnin Records.

In 2011, McDonald released "Dynamite" with Sidney Samson on Spinnin Records and the remix by Nicky Romero became one of the most successful club tracks of that year with over 2 million views on YouTube. Tara's next record "Generation 24/7" was released though Hed Kandi records on 26/12/11.

McDonald released a new track with David Guetta and Afrojack in 2011 called "Pandemonium" from the 2011 FMIF Ibiza mix album which reached #3 France, #17 Austria #39 Spain and #2 Switzerland; which was released on FMIF Ibiza mix compilation on EMI Records. She also co wrote and sang the anthem to Tomorrowland (festival) 2010 with Dimitri Vegas, Like Mike and Dada Life called "Tomorrow/Give Into The Night" which was an international club hit as well as a commercial radio hit in Belgium which peaked at top #20. Tara wrote the vocal melody and lyric for the song and also recorded & produced the vocals for the track.[12] In 2010 McDonald was voted the best voice of the dance scene by the readers of "Only For DJ's" magazine in France.[13]

In 2011, McDonald performed at the festival 24hrs of Burning House (held in Smederevo Fortress, Serbia), alongside Junior Jack, Sandy Rivera, Chocolate Puma, Steve Edwards and many other artists. It was her second time visiting Serbia.

McDonald performed at the "Girls First" concert by children's charity Plan in Amsterdam with the biggest pop stars from The Netherlands and she was the only non Dutch artist to perform on the night. The concert was to raise awareness for equal rights for girls in developing countries and was televised through Avro. The United Nations declared 11 October to be an international day to put "Girls First".[14]

Radio Show, The Voice and New Album (2012–2013)

In 2012, McDonald started her own weekly radio show every Monday 1am - 2am called "Shut Up & Dance" (now recalled "I Like This Beat") on FG Radio (France & Belgium).[15] She is the only non DJ to have her radio show on France's coolest dance music station alongside, David Guetta, Armin van Buurin & Laidback Luke. In 2013 the show was renamed to "I Like This Beat" and is on radio in 45 countries across the world each week, plus onboard Emirates airlines and as a free podcast on iTunes.

In 2012, McDonald was the assistant vocal coach on "The Voice" in Belgium working alongside the French pop star Quentin Mosimann.[16]

In 2012, McDonald signed a two album deal with Mercury/Universal[17] and the first single "Give Me More" was one of the most played tracks on European commercial radio during the summer period and her first album will be released in 2013.

2013

She released her second solo single "Shooting Star" featuring platinum selling Francophone artist Zaho. The song is a duet sang in English and French and also appears on the reedition of Zaho's "Contagieuse" album released at the end of 2013.

McDonald was the only non Dutch artist to be asked to perform at Strijders Voor De Liefde "Warriors For Love" a special televised concert to raise awareness for equal rights in love for LGBT.

During this year she performed at the Olympia (Paris) twice, for a special electronic party called "So Happy In Paris" and also performing "Shooting Star" with Zaho at her concert with full live band.

2014

She was honoured to be given the role of "La Marienne" of LGBT Paris Pride. Her duties included a presentation for a press conference, delivering a speech to open the march in front of 500,000 people, performing on the main stage and delivering a speech to close the years event. She performed an electric set at Ultra music festival in South Korea on the live stage alongside M.I.A & Far East Movement. McDonald's performance at the Exit Festival sister festival Sea Dance, won her rave reviews, performing on the main stage.

Her third single "Vay-K" was released on October 2014, and featured Snoop Dogg.

2015

On 8th March which is "International Woman's Day" McDonald announced her new single "Girls (Just Wanna Funk)". A song aimed at empowering girls, using a sample taken from Cyndi Lauper's song "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun". McDonald said the song is guaranteed to make you dance and is full of positive vibes and Girl Power!" [18] [19]

Discography

Singles

Charts

Single Year Peak positions Certification Album
AUS AUT BEL
(Fl)		 BEL
(Wa)		 DEN FIN FRA IRE NED NOR SWE SWI UK UK
Beatport		 US
Hot Dance Club Play
[20]
"MyMyMy"
(with Armand Van Helden)		 2004/
2005		 6 — 5 5 5 — — 25 18 9 12 — 12 1 2 AUS: Gold[21] Non-album single
"Feel the Vibe"
(with Axwell)		 — — — — 6 16 4
(Club) 		— 62 16 — — 16 1 —
"Delirious"
(with David Guetta)		 2007 — 27 17 2 — — 6 — 12 — 51 16 — 1 — Pop Life
"Shake It" 2009/
2012		 — — — — — — — — — — — — — 1 — Non-album single
"Tomorrow (Give In to the Night)"
(with Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike and Dada Life)		 2010 — — 16 — — — — — — — — — — — —
"Elevated"
(with TV Rock)		 2010 1 — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
"Give Me More" 2012 — — — 41 — — 107 — — — — — — — —
"Shooting Star"
(featuring Zaho)		 2013 — — — 16 — — 28 — — — — — — — —

Songwriting discography

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑ "Tara McDonald". Universalmusic.fr. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
  3. ↑ "iTunes - Music - Vay-K (feat. Snoop Dogg) - Single by Tara McDonald". iTunes. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
  4. ↑ "Tara McDonald in Dubai - Nightlife Features". Timeoutdubai.com. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
  5. ↑ "Strictly On Song". Strictlydancingfansite.com. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
  6. ↑ "Roxy Music". Vivaroxymusic.com. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
  7. ↑ "Only For DJ's - Meilleure voix féminine, Tara McDonald". Onlyfordj.fr. Retrieved 2011-12-03.
  8. ↑ "Tara McDonald wins ‘Only For DJs’ ‘Best Voice Award’". Chatter-fest.com. Retrieved 2011-12-03.
  9. ↑ "Tara McDonald wins 'Only For DJs' 'Best Voice Award'". Digg.com. Retrieved 2011-12-03.
  10. ↑ "Tara McDonald: The voice of an angel behind countless clubland hits steps up to the DMC plate". Dmcworld.net. Retrieved 2011-12-03.
  11. ↑ "Tara McDonald is cover model for French Playboy March 2010 issue". Houseplanet.dj. Retrieved 2011-12-03.
  12. ↑
  13. ↑
  14. ↑ "Clarence Bekker ft. Tara McDonald performing @ Girls First Concert Amsterdam video". Nme.com. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
  15. ↑ "Tara is one of the most successful vocalists in the world". Radiofgusa.com. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
  16. ↑ "Tara McDonald joins belgiums biggest tv show the voice". Mn2.com. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
  17. ↑ "Beatport artist Page". Dj.beatport.com. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
  18. ↑ {{https://instagram.com/p/z_DIZVszWU/?taken-by=taramcdonaldtv}}
  19. ↑ {{https://instagram.com/p/z-aXbPszZ3/?taken-by=taramcdonaldtv}}
  20. ↑
  21. ↑ "ARIA Charts - Accreditations - 2004 Singles". Aria.com.au. Retrieved 2014-05-24.

External links