Today we’d like to introduce you to Tzar
Hi Tzar, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
When I was 4 and living in Moscow, I became fascinated with the piano and begged my mom to get one (which in the former USSR was pretty challenging lol.) My family did end up getting a piano and to this day at my grandparents’ house.
After we got that first piano, I started learning from our neighbor who happened to be a piano teacher. Once we moved to the states I was blessed to find a new teacher relatively quickly and ended up training and competitively playing through college. I’m ngl though, I hated practicing and as an escape I sang because it was just easier and more fun.
After college I started making songs with local musicians and bands in the bay. I ended up playing some pretty big shows out there and that lead to me getting noticed by a friend (shout out Menace) who was a DJ at Live 105 – the alt radio station in the bay. Menace connected me with Amp Live (a member of one of my fav groups from the bay, Zion-i.) I linked up with him and we made a record. I told myself that if the song did well I’d move out to LA and would pursue music for real. Needless to say, it did do well and I got my first record deal all from that song.
I’ve now been in LA for 9 years and have made records with and for people I never would’ve dreamed of meeting and collaborating with. So it’s been quite a journey – and it’s still going. Wild!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Imagine I just said, “Yep! It’s been super easy!” Lmfao. It definitely hasn’t been smooth, but I 1000% feel that the slow climb offers a lot of gifts along the way. You learn how to balance the ups and downs and be grateful for every win.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m an artist – I sing, I write records, and I’m also a pianist. The further I go down my artist journey, though, the more I realize these are all jumping off points for exploring as many creative outlets as I can.
My musical and aesthetic perspective comes from my being a Russian immigrant of Ukrainian/Georgian heritage but also from being raised between Moscow and the Bay Area. I’m a 3rd culture kid – my records and my visual identity are definitely heavily influenced by all these elements. I love exploring blending them all together.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
Ngl lol – but probably eating at McDonalds with my family when they first opened them in Moscow after the USSR fell apart. It was bomb haha.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://shorturl.at/nrsnR
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tzarsings
Image Credits
Elana Marie
