Daily Inspiration: Meet Tia Penny

Tia Penny is an Arizona-based singer/songwriter/musician with an exceptional range of talent for such a young age.

She recorded her first two singles in New York City with music producer Vanessa Silberman, creating a catchy blend of her acoustic guitar, electric guitar, and vocal harmonies. Tia employs all of these instruments to perform dozens of original musical compositions and covers. Upon completion of her recordings, Tia was offered to sign with Poppy Records/ A Diamond Heart Production, a record label owned by Vanessa, and she is in the process of creating her first EP for a 2023 release date.

Tia Penny has generated a wealth of national, regional, and local experiences. Tia’s two new original songs, “Joyride” and “You will be found”, were selected to play at the 2023 Phoenix Film Festival. The Arizona State Fair has placed her on the main stage multiple times over the years – her fearlessness when it comes to live performances is one of her greatest strengths. She repeatedly performs locally at establishments supporting musicians such as Greenwood Brewing in downtown Phoenix, AZ and Belles Nashville Kitchen in Old Town Scottsdale, AZ. She is excited to be part of Roosevelt Row CDC JAM Festival in downtown Phoenix.  She travels to Southern California often and enjoys repeated performances at Solterra Winery and Mia Marie Vineyards. In addition to frequent local TV spots on The Daily Mix on AZTV 7, she has performed nationally live at Old Woodsongs Radio Hour in Lexington, KY. She was first discovered at the age of nine and cast in NBC’s Little Big Shots in Hollywood, CA, with Steve Harvey, and has challenged herself musically ever since.

Tia has not taken the usual path of a musician. While busking in downtown Phoenix at a First Friday event, several university students stopped and listened to her entire set, and then invited Tia to audition for Grand Canyon University’s official TEDx as a performer/speaker. She ultimately delivered a fifteen-minute TEDx presentation with two originals and two covers in front of an audience of 400+ attendees in Phoenix, AZ. Tia even challenged herself to sing the first verse of one of her cover songs in Spanish at the ripe age of 12. Another notable experience for Tia was her part in multiple performances of the Arizona Opera’s rendition of La Boheme where she sang in Italian. Her vocals were also key to landing a lead in a theatrical performance as Liesl in The Sound of Music at the Del E Webb Center for the Performing Arts in Wickenburg, AZ. Tia has been asked to sing the national anthem for the City of Carefree, AZ as well as Major League Baseball’s Colorado Rockies, and in both instances generated considerable support from the fans. After hearing her impromptu jam session at the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) in Pasadena, CA, the master luthier of Master Craftsman Guitars gifted Tia a beautiful electric guitar. These varied adventures have molded her into the diverse performer she is today.

Tia continually hones her skill set by performing at music festivals, art walks, bars, coffee shops, and various cultural events throughout the Southwest. Tia also provides musical support for numerous non-profit organizations, including the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, The Arizona Chapter of the National Kidney Foundation, Rock the District, Something So Worth It, UBU Project Hope, and Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Teen Center.

Tia Penny is driven by the thrill she gets when performing, observing the reactions of her audiences, and inspiring others with her compassionate lyrics. In addition to her advanced musical skills, she exhibits a rare balance of confidence with humility.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
We’ve taken a slow and steady path since I was so young when I started performing at age 9, and it has been a pretty smooth ride where one event seems to lead to another.  However, I’ve had moments of struggle. I did not reach for my guitar during the pandemic, and I took a break during that time. I found myself not creatively inspired even though I had more time than ever before.

Once life started to get back to normal again, I wrote the songs “You will be found” about finding your passion again, and “Joyride” about finding the joy in everything that comes your way.  It’s like I wrote those songs to myself to help me get into a more positive place. I hope my music reaches others in the same way.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As a singer-songwriter acoustic guitar player and vinyl enthusiast, I’m drawn to throwback music from the 60s and 70s where true instrumentation is represented. I attend an art school in Phoenix where I’m classically trained on guitar and vocals. I write my music with the intent to honor the guitar that I’m playing as much as the vocals.

My family, friends, and fans appreciate the intricate techniques I use, and it sets me apart from a lot of modern musicians. I’m most proud of the song I wrote after my Papa passed away; I sang it for my family and they cried while listening. I realized how big of an effect I could have on those around me with my music.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
I try to challenge myself by listening to unfamiliar songs and using music theory to figure out the chords, so I guess my school books would be my biggest resource. Music theory is really starting to be a part of my daily activities and I’m able to use it when asking my audience for song requests in my sets. If there is an interesting song with more chords like “Vienna” by Billie Joel or “Goodbye yellow brick road” by Elton John, I use the app Guitar Tabs to look up the chords, and I use a capo to shift it to the key that suits my voice.

After recording my first two songs with my Music Producer, I was inspired to learn Logic software. Logic has helped me expand my technological scope of knowledge circling music theory.

• Website: http://www.tiapenny.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tiapennysings/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tiapennysings
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@tiapennysings7733