Today we’d like to introduce you to Tiarra Girls.
Hi Tiarra, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
We each took interest in music at a young age because we were amazed at the way it could transform a room and people. Tiffany started taking piano lessons around age 7, Sophia took percussion lessons at age 8, and Tori became interested in the guitar at age 8. People would joke that we were a band and it was always something we laughed at. After getting the courage and support from our parents, we enrolled in music classes together and started learning covers by the Beatles, Stevie Wonder and Corinne Bailey Rae. Our dynamic has been a family affair from the start. Our mom took on the job of booking the shows and networking, while our dad began educating himself on everything that he could on the music industry as well as roadie duties. We started out playing for small festivals, community events, opening up for other artists, and doing what we called “exposure shows.”
Being involved in the community is an important value that we hold and we bring that into our music by taking the opportunity to work with different organizations that serve marginalized communities and the greater good. When you grow up in the midst of tense elections, threatened rights, and a pandemic all while finding your own path as a young Latina, it’s difficult. We use music and performing as a way of release, connection, and celebration. Along the way we have created a mission statement for our band by centering our music around identity, empowerment, and using this medium as a way to raise voices.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Since we began playing at a young age, it was important that we kept a balance in our lives. We persevered through keeping up with a rigorous curriculum in school, extracurriculars, and our own music. Our schedules were hectic but with the support of our parents and the rewarding feeling that music gave us, we kept on. When we began playing shows as pre-teens, we noticed that people underestimated our ability to play our instruments. There were many instances where we would be shrugged off by the sound person or generally disregarded because of how young we were. Once we began to play, the demeanor shifted.
Growing into our identity as musicians and exploring what kind of music we wanted to play had its own twists and turns. We eventually came to the realization that our music didn’t need to be put into a box. Our everlasting journey as Mexican-American women has also had its bumps in the road. Living in a world of double standards has given us fuel to celebrate our culture using our talents and voices.
Adapting to the Pandemic was intense in the beginning. We lost one of the biggest SXSW years of our musical career thus far, signed to a record label over Zoom, and craved the personal energy we had to replace with virtual shows.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Tiffany is studying to be a nurse and has a passion for helping others. Sophia is studying business marketing and she finds power in pushing herself to weight train. Tori is studying Audio Engineering and believes that music is healing. We each are multifaceted and when you put us together, we’re like the Powerpuff girls.
We take pride in using our voices unapologetically and prioritizing uplifting our community. It’s a great feeling to know that people in Austin know us for these qualities. What sets us apart from others is that we have a deep rooted connection with each other and use our music as a way to uplift ourselves and others. We know what it’s like to feel underrepresented, angry at the world, and overwhelmed on the journey to understand yourself. We make music for anyone who can resonate with us.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
We believe that what is meant for you will come your way, whether it’s an opportunity to help you succeed or a lesson to learn. There are times that we feel a sense of being in the right place at the right time. Meeting highly respected musicians, our inspirations, and making genuine connections in this industry can often feel like luck. Where we’ve ended up today came from a snowball effect just like many other artists. It’s important to remind yourself of how far you’ve come and that having abundance or opportunity come your way is most likely well deserved or meant to be on your path.
Contact Info:
- Email: tiarragirlsband@gmail.com
- Website: https://tiarragirls.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tiarragirlband/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TiarraGirls
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/tiarragirls?lang=en
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsRCRt3b-8ucWHuMk7UkiEg
Image Credits
Jackie Lee Young
