Today we’d like to introduce you to Tiana Woods.
Hi Tiana, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I am a singer/songwriter and entrepreneur.
I started singing when I was four years old, did my first professional demo at eight years old and starting playing in professional bands when I was 15. After years of cycling in bands and after graduating from Music Business at MI, I started my own project in 2010 which was renamed VARNA in 2012. We are the only female-fronted unsigned independent band to have two consecutive Top 40 singles on the Billboard Rock Charts. We also won “People’s Choice’ at the Independent Rock Awards and were nominated for ‘Best Rock Song’ for our single, ‘Living A Lie’ at the Independent Music Awards held at Lincoln Center in New York City. We toured, opened for multi-platinum rock bands and played many shows in the US, also appearing on “Warped Tour” showcasing female-fronted rock bands. The pandemic hit everyone for a loop, especially in the music industry and VARNA was no different. This is my first interview I have given since I am currently expecting a baby and I have decided to branch out into sync and licensing for film and tv and songwriting collaboration until we can get back in the studio and on the road. Reach out!
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?
How much time have you got? Being in a band is anything but a smooth road, haha!
I have spent my life overcoming other people’s opinions and underestimations of me and the music industry has been no different. If anything, initially it freaked me out that people were responding so positively to our music and our band. My own singing teacher told me when I was 12 that I was such a “horrible singer” that I would never make it as a professional if that gives you any insight!
We have gone through every struggle every other band has gone through. Band members cycling in and out for various reasons and/or excuses, producers not believing in what we bring to the table, music opportunities not working out at the last minute, gigs falling through and popping up, breaking down on tour..you name it.
I’m not your typical female lead singer in hard rock, so I think I confused people more than anything. I’m very professional, straight edge and hyper-feminine off stage, but I turn into an alpha absolute beast on stage, so I definitely stood out from the other females in our scene.
To be honest, I have had nothing but support from my male peers in the industry and most of the time, guys are very protective of you which I appreciate, even though I don’t require it. Once and a while, you will get the occasional troublemaker, but I prefer to prove people wrong than to waste my energy putting them in their place.
They usually change their tune once they see what I can do.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Since we are unsigned independent band, I am most proud of our fans. We proved that if you can just get your music in front of the right audience, all the ‘gatekeepers’ fade away. We had two Top 40 singles on the Billboard Charts with no label deal, no management and no booking agent. That is no small task and no one can take that away.
It also proved that YOU are the only one that needs to believe in yourself or your projects. We kept going and going regardless because people will always tell you why it can’t be done.
You have to have blinders on and stick with the people that believe in you–no matter who they are. Belief in your abilities and talents will take you further than you could have ever hoped for and if you can get a team of people who are on board with that, even better!
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I’ve never spoken about this in an interview before.
I recently joined a community called RAMPD, which connects the music, entertainment and event industries to a fast-growing global network of established music professionals with disabilities. I have a chronic “invisible” illness that I have been struggling with for most of my life called PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder).
Due to being such an ambitious and passionate person within the music industry, no one knew I was dealing with this on a monthly basis.
A non-music goal that I have is to write a memoir on my experience with it, hoping to inspire the millions of women in the world who suffer in silence (sadly, a lot of women have lost their lives to this disease), that although it is currently incurable, that there is hope and treatment to live a fulfilled life.
I am also an advocate for women in the music industry and fighting for fairness of songwriter’s rights and laws.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.varnarocks.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/varnarocks
Image Credits
Paul A. Hebert Enrique Nunez Chad Michael Ward Maya Kay Johnathan Heier
