Tara Oram

Tara Oram
Tara Oram
	Performing at the 2010 Cavendish Beach Music Festival in Prince Edward Island, Canada.
Background information
Birth name	Tara Oram
Born	April 28, 1984 (age 40)
Origin	Hare Bay, Newfoundland
Genres	Country
Occupation(s)	Singer; television personality;
Instrument(s)	Vocals, guitar
Years active	2003 – present
Labels	Open Road

Tara Oram (born April 28, 1984) is a Canadian country music recording artist and TV personality. She was a top six finalist on the fifth season of Canadian Idol in 2007. In 2009, Oram received the "Rising Star" Canadian Country Music Award and was nominated for a Juno Award, for Country Album of the Year, for her debut album Chasing the Sun.

Early life

Oram was born in Hare Bay, Newfoundland but moved frequently during her early years. Oram first moved to the Malton area of Mississauga, Ontario when she was 10 years old, and later to Brampton, where she attended Bramalea Secondary School.

Career

At age 16 Oram was signed to indie label Wellcraft Music Group and released her first country music single called, "More Than I Dreamed" which was her first top 50 hit. She later toured with a local agency called Performerz, which allowed her to sing in theatres, malls and festivals throughout Ontario. When 19 Oram joined her first real band, Big Catch. The band played the bar/club circuit and corporate events around Ontario for the better part of four years, performing a mix of country, top 40, rock, R'n B and retro. In 2007, Oram auditioned for the hit show Canadian Idol, earning a 6th-place finish on the hit reality show.^[1] The next year, Oram signed her first major record deal with Open Road/Universal Music Canada and also appeared on reality TV series called, "The Tara Diaries" on CMT.^[2] CMT filmed a Christmas special she hosted, "The Night Before Christmas".^[3] In October 2008, Oram's first show as a signed artist was opening for her Idol, Marty Stuart in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

In 2009, CMT and YTV Oram appeared a celebrity judge on the TV series, "Karaoke Star Junior".^[4]

On July 10, 2010, Oram was the opening act for Taylor Swift and performed at the second annual Cavendish Beach Music Festival in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, singing to a crowd of more than 35,000 people.^[5]

Oram became a judge on YTV's Canadian reality TV show, The Next Star since Season 5, which premiered July 18, 2012.

Awards and nominations

Oram received nominations for the 2009 East Coast Music Awards in the categories Female Solo Recording of the Year and Video of the Year, and won in the Country Recording of the Year award.^[6] She also received a CRMA (Canadian Radio Music Award) nomination as Best New Group/Solo Artist. On February 2, 2009 Oram was nominated for a Juno Award in the Country Recording of the Year category. Oram won the 2009 CCMA Rising Star award. She was also nominated for Rising Star, Female Artist of the Year and Video of the Year.^[7]

In 2015, Tara Oram received a Star on Brampton's Walk of Fame.^{[citation needed]}

Discography

Albums

Title	Details
Chasing the Sun	Release date: October 7, 2008 Label: Open Road Recordings
Revival	Release date: July 19, 2011 Label: Open Road Recordings

Singles

Year	Single	Peak positions	Album
Year	Single	CAN	Album
2008	"Fly Girl"	1	Chasing the Sun
2008	"538 Stars"	5
2009	"Go to Bed Angry"	16
2009	"Living the Dream"	50
2011	"1929"	—	Revival
2011	"Kiss Me When I Fall"	—	Revival

Music videos

Year	Video	Director
2008	"Fly Girl"	Stephen Scott
2008	"538 Stars"	Stephen Scott
2009	"Go to Bed Angry"	Warren P. Sonoda
2011	"1929"	Margaret Malandruccolo

Awards and nominations

Year	Association	Category	Result
2009	Juno Awards of 2009	Country Recording of the Year – Chasing the Sun	Nominated
	Canadian Country Music Association	Female Artist of the Year	Nominated
		Rising Star	Won
		CMT Video of the Year – "Go to Bed Angry"	Nominated
2011		Female Artist of the Year	Nominated
2012		Female Artist of the Year	Nominated