Sitting in a small Leddy Library study room at the University of Windsor, our little trio of interviewers waited anxiously for Tara Watts to arrive. In the hopes of making a good impression, we set up our audio equipment and laid out an offering of cookies and coffee, appealing to that innate love for Tim Hortons that all Canadians share. After pumping ourselves up with a little caffeine, we finally received a message that Watts had arrived at the building. It was time to begin.

Leading her up to our little rented room, we showed Watts in and sat for a few minutes, getting comfortable with each other. Warm and friendly, Watts quickly entered conversation with familiar ease, like we were friends catching up after being apart for months. It was no surprise that a seasoned musician like her was so comfortable speaking with us about herself and her art.

To start, we wanted to cover the basics when interviewing Ms. Watts. But when we asked her why she decided to become a musician, the answer we received was unexpected, yet honest. The Windsor-grown, folk-rock artist astounded our interviewers when she matter-of-factly responded: “Boys.”

“I can’t believe I’m admitting this; I’ve never admitted this before”, she said with a laugh, before disclosing her more serious answer: having been raised on music. Like many musicians and artists who grow to have a passion for sound, Watts explained how she grew up in a musical environment, whether it was with her parents constantly playing music in the background, or singing hymns at church and youth group. She cites her mother as a big musical inspiration — introducing her to the symphony orchestra, her Celtic roots, and always having music on in the house when she was growing up. Music was a significant aspect of her life from a young age, so the seed was planted early on.

But it didn’t stop there; a teenage Watts learned to combine her journaling with a newfound love of guitar. Living across the street from a guitarist proved good exposure for her, as her neighbour encouraged Watts to sing and play simultaneously. Singing in her own made-up language as she learned to strum chords, Watts wrote her first song this way. Suddenly, things seemed to click into place as she realized her talent and passion for songwriting. Inspired by topics such as nature and the questioning of her faith — which she refers to as “some of this religious B.S.” in our interview—Watts began to speak her mind and put her thoughts and feelings out into the world.

And for over fifteen years, she has done exactly that.

Taking the Windsor music scene by storm, she’s managed to make her mark with gorgeous song lyrics and a voice both haunting and angelic. She’s performed all across Windsor as a solo artist, and with bands like The Locusts Have No King, Years of Ernest, and a trio with Kelly Hoppe and Ron Leary. She’s won the award for “Best Female Original Artist” by Windsor Independent Magazine four years in a row, which is huge for the Windsor music scene. Windsor hosts some of the most talented musicians in a variety of genres, yet not all are recognized for their talent. Many local artists agree that the Windsor music scene can be difficult to get into, but once you’re welcomed in, you are embraced by the most loving crowd. Watts described the Windsor music scene as gritty, but with an unmistakable charm that always leaves you wanting more.

The Windsor music scene isn’t the only thing that’s impacted Watts’ unique sound. Despite being a Windsor-grown city gal, her love of nature has influenced her music tremendously. In our interview, she explains how despite growing up in the highly automotive-based city, her parents taught her to appreciate nature—even if it was a small flower sprouting from the cracks in a sidewalk. The first song she ever wrote was actually composed during a trip North as a young girl, and her spiritual-like connection to the serenity and beauty of nature has since continued to inspire both the tone and lyrics of her music. “I love the earth. […] For me, I feel like nature is my church—like, I don’t do church anymore, […] but I feel like nature speaks to me. I find [it] healing.”

Her love of travelling has brought her all over the world, and she recounted her favourite performance moment for us. Travelling with a church group in her early 20’s, Watts performed for over 2,000 people at a concert in Thailand. Her and her church group travelled all over Thailand before returning back to Canada. More recently, she travelled to the Northwest Territories in 2017, following a boy again, using the time there to write and create new music.

Her many venture around the world have influenced some of the songs on her 2014 album “Pale Blue Moon”, which is brimming with gorgeous natural imagery. Lyrically, the album takes you away from the city’s sirens and harsh lights, whether it be on a mountainside like in her song “Hello Sun” or to the edge of a cliff overlooking trees and a river in “Barren Trees”. Her spiritual connection to the natural world is mirrored through the stunning simplicity of her folk sound, and she pairs the lyrical landscapes she creates with the simple yet enchanting layering of acoustic instruments to transport you to the places she’s travelled. The genuine pain and sincerity you can hear in her vocals makes you realize how important nature is to her—important as an escape from the hustle and bustle of the Windsor city, and at times, an important way to heal. And in 2016, healing was a necessity for the singer.

Watts’ life stopped completely after a tragic biking accident in 2016. Her perspective on music and life changed completely. In a CBC interview, Watts states that she now has a “new appreciation on life and [on her] days and time.” She was no longer rushing to create music, but now she slowly takes her time in the writing process. Her bike accident resulted in a traumatic brain injury where she suffered a concussion. In our interview, Watts made the point that her poor condition restricted even her ability to produce music. She had trouble keeping tempo and physically struggled to play the guitar, and it pained her to even listen to music. As horrible as it was, it can be seen as a “blessing in disguise”, since it allowed her to be reflective on her life, and see things from a different perspective. Her condition forced her to take care of herself as she could no longer work crazy hours with little to no sleep. It also affected her as a musician since she was more selective on where and when she will play music. Her new appreciation for life also pervaded her writing style. Watts suggested that her songwriting has only become stronger since her accident because it forced her to pace herself and carefully design each song with a more careful eye. In interviews previously, Watts would say that she used music as therapy and would write “in the depths of (her) despair” while now her music focuses on reflecting on all the beauty in life and being able to cherish it.

We were taken away by Watts’ perspective and asked how she kept positive. “You know what,” she remarked, “it’s the Windsor [music] scene that reminded me that I’m loved and supported. It was really overwhelming how much love I experienced. It is a hard scene, but when stuff gets real that’s where you see the heart of the city.”

And that’s exactly what happened. Summer 2016 saw the true love and charm of Windsor locals, musicians or not, as they band together to raise funds for Watts’ recovery, hosting a successful collaborative concert at Windsor Beer Exchange, and creating a GoFundMe page that surpassed its $5000 goal within 24 hours. The closeness of the tight-knit Windsor music community was shown in this moment, as was the love that locals had for Watts and her music.

No matter what you listen to, you can find traces of it in her. Whether it’s acoustic guitar in hand, or electric hollowbody, she blends in like a musical chameleon. From old-time country to folk, or pop-genre film soundtracks to Celtic roots, Watts has something for everyone. Speaking of which—friends and fans alike can expect something new from her in the coming future.

In an industrial city like Windsor, and the little brother of Detroit’s automotive industry, it is easy to forget that naturesque beauty is only a stone’s throw away. In the local scene, Watts is a constant reminder of this. She is many things; a flower blooming from the cracks of a sidewalk, or the first buds sprouting after a cold winter. But perhaps most of all:

Tara Watts is Windsor’s finest songbird.

Listen to our interview with Tara here: