Today we’d like to introduce you to Tamara Bruketta.
Tamara, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I have been writing since I can remember – stories, essays, and poems. As soon as I could articulate thoughts into the written form, I would find excuses to grab a notepad and write down everything I could see. Those thoughts always turned into elaborate stories and landscapes of other dimensions. All of which would help me understand and express a constant struggle with depression and synesthesia before I ever really knew what either of those things were. I moved to LA when I was seventeen to pursue a career in writing and acting, and more and more found myself lost in a sea of confusion and disappointment. I knew I wanted to be a storyteller, but all of the outlets I had used to tell stories seemed shallow and dependent upon other people… and the industry I was involving myself in was looking less and less like something I wanted to be a part of. Then music found me and I mean it when I say it saved my life. It was as though my writing had finally found it’s home. I dove in head first and haven’t looked back.
My goal with music is to help other people find some peace in this life. I want to create safe spaces for people, especially other female artists. I want to help elevate voices that have not been heard enough and I want my work to help set free the minds of people who feel lost and trapped. There are a lot of dark, undisclosed corners of our human consciousness. Music allows us to bring those scary shadows into the light so that we can all learn to move forward in love and compassion. With this concept at the forefront of all of my projects, I have had the honor of creating some incredible music with some magical people… and it’s just the beginning!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Honestly one of the most difficult challenges has been people trying to take my guitar out of my hands, figuratively and literally. It sounds silly, but it would shock you how often men come up to me before I have played a single note, and ask if they can play my guitar and “show me something.” It takes a lot to not completely freak out and start a brawl… I’m a fire sign, after all. I think the hardest part was having the assumption placed on me that I was not capable enough and needed some help which really tears away at your confidence especially when you are in such a vulnerable situation. EVERY woman has experienced this in some format or another, but it always helps to slip a few angry songs into my set that basically call it like it is… Get all the mad out while melting their faces off and then forget about the jabronies.
Dawn of Jayne – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from others?
I write for a few different projects, but my main project is my band Dawn of Jayne. Which is a soulful, folk, indie, R&B/Rock band featuring a few other incredibly talented musicians and a whole lot of heart. Our sound is somewhere between Laura Marling, and Lianna La Havas tying together psychedelic rock, classic R&B, and alternative jazz. It’s always an experiment and it’s constantly changing, but the root is the same – exploring a collective experience and sharing our stories with love and empathy for all, even the things that we think of as separate from us.
There’s a deep sense of blissful melancholy to our sets, you feel sad because this world is a MESS, but also strangely hopeful because you’re reminded you are not alone. I think people feel the love and magic that goes into our music and despite the tragic topics, there is a profound gratitude for our shared human experience.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
If you feel good in each moment about what you are able to do for yourself and for your community, then you are successful. I do not look at success as an individual endeavor and I think it will always wax and wane. If you are constantly feeling out of alignment, or without purpose, or always afraid and acting out of that fear, then I think it is important to work towards an alternative. I don’t have a bar for success because I think our society provides us with enough unrealistic goals. I think a general contentment with everyday achievements is a success. We all just need to do the best we can and have less judgment for ourselves and others. I get to create art every day, some days I feel successful and some days I don’t, but I try to always keep a deep gratitude for every small win that I make for me and my community.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://DawnofJayne.bandcamp.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @camerabruketta
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dawnofjayne
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/TamaraBruketta
Image Credit:
@followingjune, @jforonda805_freezeframe
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