Tamara Bedricky

Ferndale singer-songwriter Tamara Bedricky has been marked as a potential star since she was a finalist in the Pantene Pro-Voice competition, a national contest that pitted her against more than 2,000 up and comers. Though she put out an EP last year, “Through These Eyes” is the first full realization of that promise, a 12-song disc stuffed with the kind of easy, sing-along melodies that nearly instantly stick in your brain, Even more important, there’s the voice: a limber and sweet instrument that’s a perfect vessek for the high-school longings and other affairs of the just-developing heart. This is unapologetic top 40 pop-rock, caramel and hummable: Think Avril Lavigne with less attitude, or a little more straightforward Michelle Branch. The songs, all written or co-written by Bedricky, practically blossom with young love, and it’s not difficult to imagine a good half of them playing as the credits roll on a teen romantic comedy or over the breakup scene on the latest WB Drama. It’s almost silly to pick the standout tracks, but here goes: the pensive “A Million Miles,” which was also on the EP; soaring love-declaration “Head Over Heels’; you-better-be-hurting-too stinger “So Am I’; and the pleasantly peppy “Addicted,” helped along by some neat, ‘70’s style horn charts.
As fickle and capricious as the world of pop music is, it’s always tough tot predict stardom. But don’t be surprised to see the 25-year-old Bedricky on a major label sometime soon. She’s got major talent, and an obvious knack for simply communicative, radio-friendly fare.
- Steve Byrne

Tamara Bedricky seems wiser than her years.
Maybe because it’s because she’s 25 and the business manager of her own emerging musical career. The singer/songwriter/guitar player performed for substantially sized audiences in Central Park after being chosen from more than 2,000 entries in the Pantene Pro-Voice competition.
Now she’s focused on writing good lyrics and has a realistic attituded toward the harsh music business.
“I was raised in Rochester Hills but spent a lot of years living in Nashville and that’s where I got the music bug,” Bedricky said. “I’d see those musicians coming through town and I was so interested in that lifestyle…but I also saw that it wasn’t easy.”
Eight years ago she began studying music.
Bedricky, who now lives in Ferndale has finished college, toured the country and recorded a CD. She’s hosting a party to unveil her first CD, Through These Eyes on Friday Oct. 1, at The Magic Bag in Ferndale.
“The music is alternative singer/songwriter pop…but not like a lot of the pop that’s out there today…My stuff is definitely more raw,” Bedricky said.
Though These Eyes is a compilation of songs written, appropriately, through Bedricky’s personal experiences.
“The struggle that we go through in life…pain, love, friendships, the way we all interpret things differently,” she said.
“It’s a personal album, I’m proud of it because I put it together from the ground up.”
The album us comprised of 11 emotionally charged pop rock songs. Million Miles is the song that grabbed the attention of the Pantene contest judges.
“That competition was a good stepping stone for me,” she said. “It didn’t get me signed, but it helped me learn a lot about the industry.”
Her show at The Magic Bag will be like her others: aggressive, soulful and passionate. She’ll play with a full rock band including Danny Cox (He’s performed with Alexander Zonjic and Blackman Arnold), who produced the album.
- Lana Mini

Bedricky was first bitten buy the music bug while living in Nashville, Tenn., where she learned how to play the guitar. She realized she had a knack for it, and used it to her advantage. Having moved from Michigan to Nashville and even Spain wit her family, she used songwriting as a way to express her thoughts.
“Moving around makes you an adaptable person that’s how I channeled all my feelings.” She says, “That’s how I dealt with things, by writing songs about it. Musicians tap into that, and are able to express themselves through their songs.”
She was inspired when she saw her first concert – Wynonna Judd – and began to have dreams of being a musician. It wasn’t until she moved back to Michigan to go to college that she wanted to make her dreams a reality.
“I had to really physically take that step.” She says. “It was probably my sophomore year in college when I transferred to Oakland (University) …one day in class it just really hit me, I was like, “this is what I want to do; I don’t want to be in class.”
She still finished college but when her parents moved to Japan, she moved into their house, allowing her to “get into the Detroit music scene.”
Her biggest break occurred in 2002, when she submitted her now-signature song “a million miles.” To the Pantene Pro-Voice competition in New York. Her song – a sad, loving melody about a long distance relationship – was picked from 2,000 other submissions she was flown out to play in central park alongside Michelle Branch and M2M. When she came back to Michigan, she made an EP and began to play local venues.
By October 2004, Bedricky released the appropriately titled “Through These Eyes.” Featuring 12 original songs written or co-written by her, written from her heart and sung with Bedricky’s sweet, pleasant voice.
Memorable tracks include “Tell Me Why,” a personal story about Nashville and her friend James, and the upbeat “addicted,” an amazing track featuring blaring horns, reminiscent of ‘70’s style music. And, of course, “A Million Miles.” The song that helped jump start her career.

www.theoaklandpress.com - Christopher Gray

Tamara Bedricky, whose music has been compared to Michelle Branch, Sheryl Crow and Sarah McLachlan, will perform at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 30, in InfoJunction on the SFA campus. Admission is free.
Bedricky took a few minutes to introduce herself.
When and how did you become interested in music? Who or what inspired you to become a songwriter?
From the time I was little, something always drew me to music. I'm sure I have many childhood pictures of me with a guitar.
I didn't start to really become interested in music and playing guitar until I was about 15 years old and lived in Nashville, Tenn. I lived there for about eight years and was exposed to the music scene a lot while living there. I would see musicians all the time where I lived, and on weekends I would go downtown to hang out with friends near Music Row.
I saw my first concert while living in Nashville, too (Wynonna Judd). I'm not a huge country fan, but the whole production thing and the band, music and how the stage lit up really impressed me.
That inspired me to start taking guitar lessons. Once I started, I realized I had a knack for playing guitar and writing songs. I never really adapted to moving around a lot, so writing became a channel for my feelings and emotions.
When did you decide to pursue music at this level, as a professional?
Ever since I started playing guitar, I "dreamed" of doing this as a profession. But there comes a point where you have to get serious to take your music to the next level. I started doing that once I graduated from college about two years ago. I pretty much have focused 110 percent on my music career ever since.
What has your experience been like thus far, coming up in the industry? What are you currently involved in, as far as touring, promotion, etc.?
I have found that this road I am following is certainly not easy. I have fun with my shows, but I also work my butt off. At this point in my career, I do a lot of things myself, and it can get overwhelming sometimes. There are so many aspects to music that people don't realize -- from booking, publicity, promotions and production, etc. I'm slowly starting to branch out and delegate things.
Do you have a set songwriting process? Do lyrics come first and then music, or vice versa? Do you make a conscious effort to tie the two elements together, or does that come naturally?
I constantly write words, thoughts, emotions that inspire me in my journal, notebook or wherever I seem to be at the moment that something specific hits me. I could be at a grocery store and hear something or think of something that would be way cool for a song. I'll run to the counter and ask for a pen and paper to write it down. My car is filled with pieces of paper with random lyrics on them.
I also set time aside for writing every week. When I was writing songs for my current album, sometimes I would go into a deep "songwriting mode" and set time aside where I would drink lots of coffee and spend up to six hours writing and playing guitar. Sometimes, though, songs come together so naturally and fast.
What other musicians do you consider vital to your development as an artist? And, more important, what CD is playing in your car stereo right now?
I was really inspired by artists such as Shawn Colvin, Sting, U2, Sheryl Crow, Sara McLachlan and Eric Clapton. Right now, I'm really feeling this new band called Keane, a totally cool band from Europe. I also really like Marc Broussard's new album. It's so smooth.
- Buzztexas.com