“I recall being part of my school choir in grade four. We were singing Christmas carols to a disco beat and at the end of the performance, we got a standing ovation. I remember thinking – I like this!” From that moment on, multi-talented singer/songwriter Mark Tara was hooked on music and performance. Attending the first public high school of the arts in Canada alongside such talented performers as LISA LOUGHEED, Mark began to hone his craft. By the time he graduated, he had formed his first band and had performed regularly as a vocalist across Toronto, including a gig on the CBC.

Desiring to be active in community issues, Mark has lent his voice to several causes over the years. His first release with band Front To Back was used as a fundraiser for the PWA [ The Toronto People With AIDS Foundation]. The single, Different Love, was produced by THE BOOMTANG BOYS and reached the top 20 on Southern Ontario's Energy Radio. The video for the song received regular airplay on Much Music and has subsequently aired on OUT TV and BPM TV. The song was also chosen by the TORONTO PRIDE COMMITTEE as the theme song for the 21st annual Pride Week celebrations. Not bad for a first release from an independent artist.

Continuing with his humanitarian efforts, Mark’s first album - also entitled Different Love, was released through the Canadian Foundation For AIDS Research (CANFAR) as a charity CD. Mark decided the album should be a compilation and asked friends from within the music community to support this worthwhile cause. The finished project included tracks by MOLLY JOHNSON, BILLY NEWTON-DAVIS, LIBERTY SILVER and Mark’s longtime idol, DONNA SUMMER! It was the first time Summer’s track, "SOMETIMES LIKE BUTTERFLIES", was made available on a CD format. Mark’s single from the album, "LIVE YOUR LIFE [UNCENSORED]", was produced by PAUL GRACE and featured vocals shared by Mark and fellow Canadian artists Liberty Silver and Mark Cassius.

DANIEL CAUDEIRON, a contributing editor to Billboard Magazine, calls Trinidadian born Mark Tara’s music “a perfect example of the kind of sharp, multicultural, urban pop that is ruling the Canadian music scene.” Mark’s material can be found on such CD compilations as Dance Hit Invasion, All Star Dance Tour and DJ Network and are available from exclusively through Mark's online STORE!

 

Bio Written By: Darren Stewart-Jones