Artist of the Week: Tara Chugh

Tara Chugh is a singer and songwriter in the Tacoma and Seattle area.

Seattle Refined: How long have you been writing/performing?
Tara Chugh: Does singing "Part of Your World" for my kindergarten class count? Haha! I've performed since childhood in concert and church choirs, but professionally I started around the early 2000s with my sister trio group. Moving out of state in my 20s led me to start performing as a solo artist. I always wrote piano music using my phone recording app to capture it all. It wasn't until 2018 that I finally got the courage to write and release my first album on streaming platforms! I perform regularly now in the Tacoma/Seattle area as a singer-songwriter pianist or with my band, "Tara Chugh & The Nines." I'm also the Music Director at Urban Grace in downtown Tacoma.

Tell us about the artistic process and the different stages that work into it.
I typically start with setting the mood in my studio — I tidy up the space, dim the lights and I might even do a little meditation before writing. I almost always just sit at the piano and tune into my feelings; I just place my hands on the piano and let them flow naturally. From there, I listen to what I just played and write words that come to mind. I use my phone recording app to just hum a tune with words that sometimes don't even make sense. Eventually, a song is born!

Where does your inspiration come from?
I find inspiration wherever I go; whether it's from watching an inspiring movie, hearing something insightful my therapist said or if it's just taking little moments to appreciate the earth and all the beauty she possesses. Sitting by any body of water is very calming to me, so that's where I go to reset. During the pandemic, a lot of people experienced anxiety and depression — it hit me hard. My therapist recommended I get outside more, so I challenged myself to write a song with a video for 100 days. From those 100 days, I picked my favorite songs and released an album called, "WAVES."

What artists have influenced you?
Hans Zimmer and Hauschka are two artists that truly inspire me when it comes to soundtrack music. On the vocalist side, I would say Sara Bareilles, Ingrid Michaelson, Corrine Bailey Rae, Norah Jones, Amy Winehouse and SIA. I would love to see Sara or Hans in concert next!

What kind of genre is your music?
My genre is a mix of ambient and contemporary piano when it comes to my soundtrack albums. For my lyrical songs, I would say it's a blend of contemporary jazz, blues, soul, indie-pop kind of sound.

What kinds of things do you write about?
One would think I have many problems in life, based on what I've written about, lol! In the past, my songs were about loss and heartbreak, but in my upcoming album, "The Butterflies," I write about lifting yourself up, dreaming big and finding your inner child again. I honestly write from where I'm currently at in my life. I'm not into the whole idea that you should write what people want to hear; I've tried that, and it doesn't work for me. I write about what's in my heart, and although I cannot promise I won't write a song about loss or heartbreak, I can promise that it will always be true to myself.

Do you have one song that means more to you or is extremely special to you?
Ah! I have two songs that are equally special to me that will both be on my next album. My bullet journal prompted me to write a letter to my younger self, so I wrote a song to 7-year-old mushroom haircut Tara, with a message to embrace your weirdness, dream big, spread your wings and fly high. My other song is called, "Me Myself & I," and it's a song that talks back to the cognitive distortion that happens in my brain when I make up stories that aren't true about myself stemming from imposter syndrome. It's a funny little song, and I'm really excited about it!

What experiences in your life have shaped your music?
I was always the quiet, shy and careful kid growing up. I taught myself that if I didn't speak much, I wouldn't get in trouble and people wouldn't judge me for being quirky and weird. The fear of being judged led my life for such a long time. In my early 30s, I wanted to start a family. We struggled with infertility, and then when I finally got pregnant, we experienced a loss. A year later, we brought our beautiful baby girl, Gabriella, into this world, and shortly after, the pandemic happened. I didn't know it at the time, but I had postpartum depression. Through therapy, surrounding myself with some amazing humans and creating music, I am in a much better place in my life! Being able to express myself through music and journaling is truly healing.

If we want to hear more of your work, where should we go to find it?
My music is available on all streaming platforms: Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, etc. I'm particularly active on Instagram @tarachugh.

What about upcoming shows (virtual or in-person)?
I have a very special candlelit concert on Saturday, Aug. 12, 6 p.m. at Urban Grace in downtown Tacoma called Euphonic Storytelling! I am sharing the stage with my musician friends, Jordan Neal, Michael Lauckner Thomas and Bree Gonzalez! We are performing stripped-down originals along with a cellist and violinist, so I'm so excited about this one and would love it if you came! Tickets can be found on my website: tarachugh.com. I'll also be performing the two songs I mentioned above, "Fly High" and "Me Myself & I," so you don't want to miss it!

What is next for you?
In the last two years, I've been performing at a lot of weddings and corporate events. I've decided to take a break from that to focus on writing for tv/film sync licensing. I was recently invited to be a Recording Academy Voting Member and had the opportunity to attend the 65th GRAMMY Awards this past February 2023! I'm excited at the opportunity to be a voice for future award ceremonies and to collaborate with other artists!

Anything you're working on right now that you're really excited about?
Yes! I've teamed up with a few producers on the east coast for some cool songs that we'll be pitching to film producers soon! I'm also organizing the Aug. 12 concert, so a lot of work goes into the logistics of it all. I know that it will be a magical evening full of inspiration, so you don't want to miss it!

Lastly, how do you take your coffee?
I recently changed up my coffee order from the plain Jane Americano to the fancy Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew! Ok, now I want one — thanks for having me!

About 'Artist of the Week': This city is packed with artists we love to feature weekly on Seattle Refined! If you have a local artist in mind that you would like to see featured, let us know at hello@seattlerefined.com. And if you're wondering just what constitutes art, that's the beauty of it; it's up to you! See all of our past Artists of the Week in our dedicated section.