Toronto-born singer-songwriter Tara Van is back with her new single, “Sunshine’s Callin’.” The song is as soulful and bright as it is descriptive of bringing peace of mind and clarity through the great outdoors. From that very first beat of her song, the listener’s attention is instantly rallied on the heartbeat-like percussion, laying a perfect foundation for the forceful lyrical narrative Tara gives. In addition, her multifaceted vocals and harmonies have a great way of turning almost dreamy to the point of being an ethereal vibe that is as catchy as it is deeply resonant.
Tara Van’s music is a mix of soul, folk, and pop with tinges of jazz, which defies easy categorisation. Her sound indeed eschews genre, which expresses just how wide her influences are and how through every note, she expressively emotes. The track is loosely centred on the simple thought of getting outside, airing it out while soaking up the rays, to remind us that sometimes the answers we seek come when we least expect them.
The track follows last year’s “Fucked-up-ness” and further delves into Tara’s neurodivergence. Diagnosed with ADHD just before the release of her album “Rise” last year, 2020 was a year of newfound clarity and confidence for Tara. “After officially being diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder right before my album ‘Rise’ dropped last year, I began trusting my gut,” she explains. The answers I had sought for so long in my life seemed to hit me out of nowhere all at once, mirroring the lyric “just like lightning.” It electrified me and jolted me into a new reality, one with a lot more clarity. The self-confidence the diagnosis brought me is probably the most significant thing. That solidified my every foot stomp forward as my most genuine self and shook off all the abusers and critics.
The song “Sunshine’s Callin'” was produced by Mark Calderone, with meaning known beyond the lyrics: it is one of personal discovery and a celebration of those small joys in life. This makes Tara shine bright—her ability to create personal experiences universal messages. She paints vivid pictures with words, calling on us to relish the so-common ‘aha’ moments of realization, more common than not, as they come upon us unannounced.
Tara Van’s life has always been a world of music. Muscled merely into her life, it is listening to choral baroque music for breakfast or belting out the last notes of a song at a parking lot merely because it hits so hard that it would be simply not right to ignore it. Firelit open mics, where guitars appear out of nowhere, and loved ones reveal their hearts.
“Sunshine’s Callin'” personifies this spirit, providing its audience with a few moments of musical cheer and contemplation—ideal for those sunny days when you just have to step outside and feel the world around you. The solid vocal performance by Tara Van put against the heartbeat rhythm of the song, and sky-high harmonies bring this track up and into the introversion all-in-one.
So next time the sun rises, and you need to get out of bed, let “Sunshine’s Callin'” by Tara Van be your anthem. That one beautiful reminder that sometimes all one needs, with arms wide open, is to step into the light, from which the transparency is felt and peace is found.
You can find more of Tara Van at:
You can listen to ‘Sunshine’s Callin” below:
Karen Harding is a Melbourne, Australia based singer/songwriter, founder of Sounds On The Couch, and founder and operator of boutique music PR service for emerging and independent artists, Rise Indie.