Fast Facts:
Pursuit: Electronic Dance Music singer/songwriter
Definition of success: See below!
EDM, or Electronic Dance Music, is huge. If you happened to spend your teenage years in the nineties as I did, you probably think of it as an entity born in Ibiza and procreated across the Mediterranean resorts before trickling across the Atlantic. And you’d be right: twenty years ago the staple equipment for an aspiring American DJ was the suitcase and passport, ahead of records and mixing equipment. While the UK achieved mainstream popularity through acts such as The Prodigy and Fatboy Slim, the US had yet to fully embrace dance music. But you might not realise that it was American journalists who first coined the expression EDM a few years ago, and let’s just say their eagerness to establish a slick acronym which encompassed dance, club, house, trance and a whole variety of sub-genres, was no coincidence: dance music had exploded world-wide courtesy of chart acts like The Black Eyed Peas and Madonna vying to collaborate with established DJs. In recent years, EDM has moved out of the exclusive domain of the nightclub and into international music charts – where it perennially resides at top spot. But every DJ needs a voice, and the best vocalists are highly sought-after for their hypnotic tones and elegant versatility. Today’s guest is one such talent, and she’s very much in demand. Among her most noteworthy collaborations are those with DJ TyDi, with whom she has reached number one on the iTunes Dance Chart world-wide. Her work has been supported by such EDM moguls as Paul van Dyk, Armin van Buuren and Tiesto, and released on the prestigious Armada Records label (more than 1.5 million YouTube subscribers). She has performed all over the world from Las Vegas to Beirut, but today she’s right here with us at The Secrets of their Success. With her own album Now or Never out for release soon, please welcome the fabulous talent that is Tania Zygar.
As you’ll all be aware, I’m that common entity we call ‘Jack of all trades, master of few.’ No don’t say anything, I’m not being self-deprecating. It’s just that I interview people from every conceivable background so I’m no expert in the realms inhabited by my guests. Hey, I just ask the questions right? With that in mind, I’ll hand over to Tania for an explanation of her contribution to music.
“I’m a singer songwriter, best known for my releases with popular producers in the Electronic Dance Music scene,” Tania says. “I’ve performed all over the world alongside DJs like TyDi and Armin Van Buuren. For the past two years I’ve been working on my debut album, and its genre is a step away from EDM and it includes all the styles that inspire me. I also write for commercials and other artists.”
Speaking of inspiration, what drove Tania to get into music in the first place?
“It’s hard to explain,” she offers, “but there’s been this nagging feeling inside of me for as long as I could remember. I always knew it was what I wanted to do, my ultimate dream, but I never thought that it would ever come true. I started playing the piano at eight years old, I was writing songs and poems from a young age, and the first song I ever “wrote” was for a talent show. My friend and I were performing and singing Heart & Soul and I made up a second verse, at nine years old! I came to Canada not knowing a word of English, so that was a huge feat for me. I think the need grew stronger as I became more familiar with my piano; I always wanted to make new songs up as opposed to studying the ones given to me by my piano teacher. As an angsty teenager, writing and singing was the best way to deal with my emotions and process them, and it still is.”
[Look, don’t tell Tania I told you this but take it from me, she also processes her emotions on Twitter so if you want to get inside the head of one of EDM’s most promising voices, head over there. I’ll give you the link at the end.]
Tania’s compulsion to push her own creativity is, I find, reflected in her work ethic. I ask her what a typical day consists of.
“It really depends on the day or what’s on my agenda for the week. My day always starts with French-press coffee and e-mails. Because of the album release and all of the singles coming out, I’m on calls for most of the morning to early afternoon. I do some of my social media stuff and green smoothies, then I’m usually in the studio writing until late at night. This schedule changes when I have demos due or when we’re planning the album release. Right now, I’ve been pretty much glued to my computer at all hours trying to move forward!”
And don’t underestimate Tania’s commitment for that album release.
“I think just finishing an album,” she says of her proudest achievement to date. “I had no idea it would take so much work and determination. At the start, I thought it’d be just a matter or writing a bunch of songs that meant a lot to me and that would be it. But you have to have a plan, surround yourself with a team you trust, and never lose hope.”
If you’ve got the impression that Tania is a busy lady, you’re not mistaken. I want to know how much time she devotes to music and what sacrifices she’s made to get to this point in her life.
“I think about it twenty-four-seven – but I’m usually spending at least forty to fifty hours a week keeping up with emails, social media, writing demos, taking meetings and planning. It’s a lot of work. Part of it is also taking care of yourself because you can’t be creative without being healthy, in my opinion. I’ve sacrificed a lot throughout the years, I’ve lost jobs, boyfriends and friends because music has and always will come first to me. It pulls me in like nothing else and it’s what makes me happy. Sometimes I get frustrated because I can’t go out as much as my friends or that I don’t own a house yet and have this cushy job, but music has opened up so many doors for me and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Perhaps, then, Tania envies those friends and their somewhat more conventional lifestyles?
“Sometimes I wonder, but I tried both before and I couldn’t keep up, music always won. The office jobs bore me really easily, especially when there’s no room to be creative. I do envy some of the comforts of my friends who have a comfortable nine to five lifestyle but I know deep down that I don’t fit in that environment, and that’s okay.”
And it is okay, because despite the sacrifices Tania is well-satisfied with her lot.
“Working really hard on something you’re truly passionate about,” she responds when I ask for her definition of success, “and being happy with your work. It’s not about money but about self-satisfaction and growth and empowerment – if you feel like you’re continually growing, the work you do empowers you, and you leave happy every day – that’s success to me.”
More than qualified, I would say, to dispense a bit of advice to the rest of us..
“Sometimes forging your own path gets very lonely, you’ll feel misunderstood and alone, but always keep your end-game in mind. Remind yourself why and don’t sell yourself short. A lot of people will try and take that uniqueness away from you – don’t let them. If you believe in something so much that you’re willing to put all of yourself in it to work, don’t let the little things take it away from you. Be business-savvy, network, and surround yourself with like-minded people. Balance your passion because without your health you are nothing.”
It’s clear that music is Tania Zygar’s life, but somehow I’m not surprised to discover that she harbours some profoundly selfless ambitions alongside her own development.
“I want to start a non-profit organization and buy farm land to build a conservation site for abandoned, abused and sick domestic and farm animals. As well as rehabilitating the animals, I would host an education centre for kids to volunteer and bond with those animals. I think children – and adults – need to learn how to care for other living things, it’ll teach them compassion and responsibility. I think opening up their eyes at a young age to the detriment unsustainable conventional farming practices have on livestock and their health would help them make informed choices. I’d also want to have a vegetable garden where the community could teach children and adults alike how to grow their own vegetables, and how to eat a healthier and nutrient rich diet. I’ve given this a lot of thought..ha!”
My sincere thanks to Tania Zygar for giving us such a candid insight into her way of life.
For all the latest, head over to Tania’s website: www.taniazygar.com. As promised, if you really want to know the nitty gritty of Tania’s hopes (and the odd frustration!) you can follow her Twitter account @taniazygar. She is on Facebook at facebook.com/taniazygarofficial and you can listen to her music at www.soundcloud.com/taniazygar. Even if you’re not into dance music, scroll down to Line of Fire, a preview from Tania’s forthcoming album Now or Never. Blown. Away.
