Canadian singer, songwriter and performer Tara Macri has built a diverse career spanning music, theatre and voiceover, earning recognition for her memorable performances and heartfelt songwriting.

OCT: Before we get into your very diverse career, let’s talk about your new single, which came out recently. You have a real talent for writing songs that are both catchy and meaningful. This song has universal appeal, so we want to ask: who is your “Grace,” and who has made the biggest impact on your life?
TM: It came together because it was something I was writing on my own, very cathartically, for myself. It started as just piano and vocals that I had been playing with and working on. I sent it to my producer, and he heard it and said the lyrics were really strong. He asked if he could take the melody and lyrics and build a track around them. I said, of course. He went away and sent me several versions, but the first version he sent—the one he had heard in his head—was incredible. I had never heard the song that way before.

OCT: When you first came onto our radar, it was more than a decade ago with a song called “Prettiest Girl in the Room.” How has your music and your writing process changed as you’ve gotten older, and how has what you want to talk about changed? Is there a common thread through your music? You’ve also charted with songs such as “Waking Up in California.” Can you talk about the Tara who was there in 2015 versus the Tara we have today in 2026?
TM: I think we all grow up in a sense, but the songs always come from an experience. Depending on where you are in your life, that’s where the music comes from. “Prettiest Girl in the Room” came from overcoming obstacles and pushing through. “Waking Up in California” was a completely different vibe, but both still carried this idea of hope. I think that’s the common thread: pushing through obstacles and finding hope. I don’t think the songs are that different in terms of who I am. You’re still who you are; you’re just in a different place in your life.

OCT: Let’s talk about your career, because you’ve covered a lot of ground in the world of music and entertainment. You’ve performed on Broadway, you’ve charted musically, and you got your start on the Stratford Festival stage.
TM: I did, and I started there with Bill Hutt, who, sadly, is no longer with us. That was an incredible experience. I was in “The Tempest” and “West Side Story,” working with Sergio Trujillo and Kelly Robinson. I ended up working with Sergio again in “Jersey Boys,” so it was like coming full circle, which was incredible. I love Stratford so much, and I learned so much there. I don’t think you can pick a better training ground. All of us who were in that production of “West Side Story” were giddy and so happy to be there and to be part of it. That experience really changed me and shaped my career.

OCT: You were in “Jersey Boys,” “Hairspray” and “The First Wives Club,” but you also did voiceover work and were recognized for your work on “Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Scroll.” Was it an opportunity meeting preparation, as people sometimes say? Did you always want to do this type of work, even when you were a little girl?
TM: I think I didn’t have a plan. I just wanted to do it. When you’re doing theatre versus voiceover work versus writing songs, they’re all different, but they’re also the same in that you’re being creative in different ways. I really love that part of it—the ability to be creative. So, no, there wasn’t really a plan.

OCT: You’ve done incredibly well for someone who didn’t have a plan, and it’s smart to have as many tools in your arsenal as possible to be able to work in this industry.
TM: Writing music is something that is cathartic for me. With acting, when you become a character and get a role, you fall into that role in a different way, but it’s still part of you. It’s a fun way to express yourself, and you get to feel different. With voiceover work, you get to play characters you might not otherwise get to play. You can play a six-year-old, or you can play a young tigress. These different opportunities really do flex different muscles, and you get to explore all of them.

OCT: Your career moves between music, theatre and voiceover. Has that range helped you stay creatively fulfilled?
TM: Definitely. Each one challenges me differently. Music lets me tell my own stories, theatre lets me step into someone else’s world, and voiceover allows me to discover characters through my voice. Having those outlets keeps me curious and excited about what might come next.

OCT: And with “Grace” being so personal, does releasing a song like this feel different now that you’ve had so many years of experience in the industry?
TM: Absolutely. I think the older you get, the more you understand yourself and what you want to say. You become more comfortable being honest and vulnerable. That’s what makes writing so meaningful to me. If something comes from a real place, hopefully people can connect with it, because everyone has someone who has made an impact on their life.

OCT: That seems to be the beautiful thing about your career: whether you’re performing a character, recording a song or doing voiceover, there is always a piece of you in the work.
TM: Exactly. That’s what I love about it. You get to explore different sides of yourself while still being true to who you are. Visit TaraMacri.com