Singers with Unique Voices: Tamara Weber (The Unique Voices Club #21)

Every Friday, I write a post about singers with unique voices not commonly heard in mainstream music in an effort to educate emerging artists and music lovers and inspire them to embrace their own quirks. This week I'm writing on Tamara Weber.

Taken from her Spotify

Almost everyone I've talked to that has been there has said that I need to travel to Montreal, because the food is so good, there's people playing live music everywhere, yadda yadda. Still waiting for the chance. Our unique voice of this week Tamara Weber is a native of St-Georges de Beauce, but whatever; they're in the same province. Maybe she busked on the streets of Montreal when she first started out.

It's been more than 10 years since Tamara was on La Voix singing in English (I swear other countries' versions of this show make the one in America look sad), but in recent years she's undertaken some projects in French. While I didn't grow up on folk music but still love it wholeheartedly, I did grow up on a little French jazz (hello nerd parents who have seen the world), and listening to some of her work has me imagining myself eating brie on a French loaf by the Siene.

Her 2014 debut Time, Wind & Fire is her only full-length album to date, followed by singles and EPs sprinkled between 2019 and last year. And while I don't take to astrology, Tamara's Aquarius wind sign self strives to embody the symbol of the water bearer distributing knowledge and new ideas for the collective good of the world. She used pain from a previous tumultuous relationship to create that work of art, and still aims to provide hope with her music while resolving her own emotions with it (Tamara listened to a lot of Avril Lavigne growing up; "I'm With You" immediately comes to mind). Drawing from songwriters like Tracy Chapman and Pink Floyd to hone her craft growing up, Tamara also draws influences from Our Lady Peace, Simon & Garfunkel, REM and other music people, as well as literary references such as Beaudelaire, Oscar Wilde, and Antoine de St-Éxupéry (author of The Little Prince, which I think every human being on this planet needs to read if you haven't already seen the movie).

While there's definitely hints of Avril and Tracy in her voice, what comes out of Tamara is a completely new sound altogether. It sounds seemingly timid and sad, with just a touch of vocal fry, but still forces you to listen to the words she sings since it adds to the emotion. She places breaks and squeaks at specific moments in her phrasing, which makes her all the more interesting to listen to, next to the almost musical theatre-like diction. Her music in general blends various genres, including jazz, folk, and even rock ("Leave it to The Palm Trees" from her Us Wild Folk EP gives me serious early 2000s pop-rock vibes), and her voice fits all of the songs well. I'm looking forward to whenever her next full-length album comes out because, as with all the singers with unique voices I gush over in this blog, I'm all here for it. I'd like to hear Avril Lavigne or Alanis Morissette (fellow Canadians) cover her songs since it's evident they all make their art from the same emotional terrain. Or she could cover theirs, even if she wants to work with Ed Sheeran in the future.

The song that got her in everyone's ears.

And that is all for this week on The Unique Voices Club, firebirds! Go check out previous posts and get yourself immersed in nonconformity in art. And maybe join the revolution of artists standing up to the status quo too. Especially if you want to go ahead and do it and lack the confidence to do so. I was once in your shoes, but as you can see, an artistic life on your terms is possible!

Stay educated,

Alexia