TAMAR KAPRELIAN

HOMETOWN: Scottsdale, Ariz.
INFLUENCES: Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty
ALBUM: California EP, out now
WEBSITE: facebook.com/TamarKaprelian

Pop singer-songwriter Tamar Kaprelian, 25, moved around a lot as a kid—she was born in Scottsdale, Ariz., and raised in Georgia and California. After discovering Billy Joel and Paul McCartney in her father’s record collection at age 14, music became a constant in her life, and she began writing songs. Kaprelian’s career ramped up when she won a OneRepublic cover contest with her rendition of “Apologize.” OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder introduced her to executives at Interscope Records, who signed her to a record deal. In 2010, the label released Sinner or a Saint. The album’s first single, “New Day,” was featured on episodes of American Idol and MTV’s The Hills, and Kaprelian served as opening act for Grammy-nominated artists La Roux and Far East Movement.

Kaprelian’s new five-song EP, California, was just released on recently launched Killer Tracks Artist Series, an organization that issues original EPs geared toward music licensing and syncs. The voracious listener took cues from some of her favorite musicians. “I was listening to a lot of Tom Petty and the Wallflowers,” she says, “so I feel like this EP was really influenced by their records.” The album was recorded in Los Angeles and reflects on her time in the Golden State. “It’s about trying to lure someone to move somewhere for you because you’re in love with them,” Kaprelian explains, “and what better place to live than a place that’s always beautiful, always sunny, and always puts you in a great mood.” Kaprelian is also balancing other activities—she’s a student at New York’s Columbia University. Plus, she’s also launched a blog that features music and fashion tips for young women. “I like to think of my musical sensibility and style as being both timeless and simple,” she says. “That’s why I want to write about both.”

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