Tara McDonald

Tara Jane McDonald (born 9 September 1976) is an English singer-songwriter.

She is signed to Play Two/Warner Music.

McDonald achieved success working and co-writing with Armand van Helden and Axwell on the chart hits "My My My" and "Feel the Vibe".

Both these projects debuted at number 1 in the club charts before peaking in the UK sales charts at No. 12 and No. 16, respectively.

She has also collaborated with Todd Terry, co-writing the song "Get Down", and with David Guetta, co-writing "Delirious" and "You Are Not Alone" on his platinum selling album Pop Life.

McDonald hosted her own one-hour dance music radio show called I Like This Beat (formerly called Shut Up & Dance).

The program was syndicated on over 50 stations in 40 countries and released as a free podcast through iTunes.

In 2003 McDonald performed on the Jagz Kooner remix of "Butterfly Caught" for Massive Attack.

From 2004–07, McDonald sang lead and backing vocals on BBC1's programme Strictly Come Dancing.

In May 2005, Desmond Lynam presented the BBC1 programme We'll Meet Again, marking the 60th anniversary of VE Day.

During the show McDonald performed the song "We'll Meet Again" live.

In 2005, when McDonald was 18, she co-wrote and sang "Feel the Vibe ('Til the Morning Comes)" with Axwell, which became one of the biggest dance tracks of the year.

It peaked at No. 1 on the UK Dance Singles Chart and No. 16 on the UK Singles Chart, and also charted in Finland, the Netherlands and France.

McDonald's next release was "My My My" with Armand Van Helden in 2006, My My My" which reached number 4 on the world internet charts, number 5 in the Belgian and Dutch charts, number 6 in Australia, number 12 in the UK, and top 30 in the world dance charts and entered the UK commercial charts at No. 11. Both tracks became dance anthems and McDonald performed them on Pete Tong BBC1 dance show in Ibiza. In 2007 McDonald co-wrote two tracks on David Guetta's third studio album, Pop Life, the hit single "Delirious" Peaked at #24 on Billboard's Dance/mix show airplay chart for 20 weeks in 2008. and an album track entitled "You're Not Alone". Guetta later described her as a "tigress on stage" and "the chic sexbomb of electro music."

McDonald also co wrote two singles with Todd Terry on his All Stars project "Play On" and "Get Down".

"Get Down" Peaked at #11 on 12 January 2007 spending 20 weeks on Billboard Dance/mix show airplay.

McDonald worked with Bryan Ferry on his Dylanesque album as a backing singer, arranging some of the vocal harmonies, and toured with him for a year.

She performed at a 2008 show for the charity Childline Rocks at O2 Indigo, London.

In 2009 McDonald featured on and co-wrote the song "Revolution" by Vibers, (written as the anthem for the electronic music festival Liberty Parade) which won best electronic track of the year in Romania.

In 2010 McDonald collaborated on songs with several artists including: "I'm Your Goddess" with David Vendetta; "Elevated" with the Australian dance duo TV Rock; "Everything", "Funkerman", and "Beats for You" with Mischa Daniels; and "Set Me on Fire" with Sidney Samson.

McDonald performed with the "Leo Green experience" as a guest vocalist at jazz venues in the UK like Ronnie Scott's.

At the start of 2012, McDonald worked as an assistant vocal coach on the first series of the TV show The Voice in Belgium alongside the French pop star Quentin Mosimann.

The winner of this series, and member of Mosimann's team, Roberto Bellarosa, went on to sign a recording contract with Sony Music.

McDonald signed a three-album deal with Mercury/Universal in 2012.

In 2014, she released a single featuring Snoop Dogg called "Vay-K".

Her "I Need a Miracle" single was chosen as the Europride anthem for 2016.

The single charted in a number of European countries.

McDonald was born in Dartford, to parents of Irish descent.

At nine years old, shewon her first prosessinal role playing young Eponine in Les Miserables at The Palace Theatre London, after attending an "open audition" which was advertised on the television.

At 11, she made her first television debut on BBC1's Saturday night talent show "Opportunity Knocks", performing as a solo singer, she won her week and performed in the final.

At 12, she won the Danny Kaye Award for the song "Make Your Own Rainbow".

Hosted by Audrey Hepburn and attended by the Queen of Holland.

The show was a children's European song contest and Tara represented England.

The prize - McDonald became a child ambassador for UNICEF for a year when she was 12, promoting and campaigning for the "rights of the child" throughout Europe and Africa.

She also performed in the National Youth Music Theatre (NYMT) production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat with Jude Law for the Edinburgh festival, and later won the juvenile lead part in a musical called St. Bernadette at the Dominion Theatre in London.

McDonald was schooled at the Italia Conti stage school then later moved to the BRIT School.

McDonald worked as a backing dancer for Karen Ramirez for promotion of her single "Looking for Love" in Europe and appeared as a backing dancer for the Jungle Brothers single, "I'll House You" including a performance on BBC1 Top Of The Pops.

She also worked for the charity Combined Services Entertainment as a "forces sweetheart", providing entertainment for the UK armed forces around the world.

She continued to write songs for other artists and work as a session singer for a range of different artists, including Spike Edney SAS band, Thunder (band), Björn Again for various gigs, tours and TV shows.

She co-wrote D-Side's debut UK Top-5 single "Stronger Together" with Cliff Randall and Simon Britton.