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Terra Naomi
Background information
Birth name	Terra Naomi
Genres	Rock, alternative rock
Occupations	Singer, songwriter
Instruments	Guitar, piano
Labels	Island
Notable instruments
Vocals, Guitar

Terra Naomi is an Alternative, rock, and pop artist, who rose to fame through a performance of her song "Say It's Possible" on the video sharing site YouTube. Originally from New York State, but currently based in Los Angeles, she writes and performs her own songs, and plays the guitar and piano.

Biography

Terra Naomi was born in Saratoga Springs, New York and raised on a farm for the first couple of years of her life. The family then moved to Cleveland, Ohio where they lived for six years before finally settling in upstate New York, from where her father, a plastic surgeon, originated. Her mother is a social worker. Terra Naomi has one older brother and one younger brother.

--- On her Official website she wrote her own biography:

" I am the lucky recipient of a strangely dealt card. I was conceived in a tent in Missoula, Montana, thanks to a cross country road trip and a broken condom, and the rest of my life has followed a similar path - unplanned, spontaneous, unexpected. Here are some facts about me: Was singing before I could talk, at the age of 8 months. Grew up in a small town in upstate New York. Played some instruments, including the French horn and the piano. Was an opera-singing teenage junky in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (I found that to be rather unpleasant and decided to pursue other options.) Moved to NYC where I waited tables and wrote songs. Moved to LA where I wrote songs and learned many lessons. Booked my own tours and drove myself around the US for 4 years, playing shows in almost every state. Won the very first Youtube "Best Music Video" Award in 2006, for my song 'Say It's Possible.' Signed a publishing deal with Universal Publishing and a record deal with Island Records in 2007 and moved to London. Performed solo for an audience of 75,000 at Wembley Stadium for the Live Earth concert. (that was fun!!) Played shows in many lovely towns across the UK. Released an album I didn't like, stopped it from coming out in the US, and together, with the head of my label, made plans to re-record the album at the beginning of 2008. And then he left the label. Left Island Records shortly thereafter and moved back to the LA in June 2008. I am now about to record my next album. This time around, my music will be exactly the way I want it to be. As it should have been the first time around. (lesson learned!) I do not know exactly what lies ahead on this path, but I am certain that it will be interesting."

Classical beginnings

Naomi studied classical piano and voice, attending Interlochen Performing Arts Camp in Michigan and Belvoir Terrace Fine & Performing Arts Camp for girls in Lenox, Massachusetts. Teachers convinced her to pursue a degree in opera from The University of Michigan. During this time, Naomi also participated in the Aspen Opera Theater Program.

Change in direction

Terra Naomi moved to New York City after college and began writing songs. During this time she also started playing guitar. She played at various clubs in Manhattan, including The Bitter End, The Sidewalk Cafe and The Living Room. Following a tour of the US in 2003 booked by Ifolo Media, which started in NYC and ended at the Bumbershoot Festival in Seattle, Naomi moved to Los Angeles to work with producer Paul Fox (XTC, 10,000 Maniacs, Sixpence None the Richer, Edwin McCain, Phish, The Sugarcubes).

Terra Naomi has come to prominence in the international YouTube community^[1] where she broadcast her own "virtual" summer tour during the summer of 2006. The program included live performances from her apartment in Hollywood and question-answer sessions entitled "Ask a Wanna-be Rockstar." Her song, "Say It's Possible" video directed by Jonathan Bird was featured on YouTube in December 2006, causing an instant explosion of interest. "Say It's Possible," has inspired adoring fans to post over a hundred personal "YouTube covers" in a wide range of styles. This includes versions from countries in South America, North America and Europe. Fans have also translated and performed the song into Spanish, Italian, and Mandarin Chinese and one used a sock puppet. In March 2007, she received one of the inaugural YouTube Video Awards in the music video category for "Say It's Possible", garnering her appearances on NBC's The Today Show and CBS' The Early Show, as well as coverage on several international news programs.^[2]

Naomi undertook national tours in the United States in 2003, 2004, and 2005, which included dates at the Chicago House of Blues, NYC's Irving Plaza, The Trocadero in Philadelphia, The Abbey in Chicago, The Gypsy Tea Room in Dallas and The Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles and has also performed shows in Canada and the United Kingdom.^[3] Shows in the United Kingdom included an appearance at the In The City festival in Manchester [7]. She has also been featured on CNBC in a story on the growing success of online artists. Naomi has also been featured in articles for Reuters, The Los Angeles Times, The LA Weekly, The Washington Post, Salon.com,^[4] and The Sunday Times (UK).^[5]

Naomi's song "Clean" is featured on the soundtrack^[6] for the new movie Sherrybaby starring Maggie Gyllenhaal. Her songs "Say It's Possible," "Flesh For Bones" and "Go Quietly" will be featured in NBC's new reality show, Junior Year Abroad.

In the fall of 2006, Terra Naomi was signed to a publishing deal with Universal Music Publishing Group. This was followed in December 2006 by the announcement that she had been also signed to the major record label, Island Records.

On 7 July, 2007 Naomi performed "Say it's Possible" at the UK leg of Live Earth at Wembley Stadium in London.

On 11/15/2007, Naomi's song "Say It's Possible" was featured on Private Practice.

In December 2007, YouTube Russia was launched and Terra was invited to help launch it.^[7]

Terra announced at a show at Hotel Cafe on November 6, 2008 that she will be returning to the studio in December 2008 to record a new, self-funded studio album.

In November of 2009 Terra began a two week tour of India playing shows in Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi culminating with a headlining performance at the Mercy Corps Say It's Possible Climate Change Concert in Srinagar, Kashmir. This tour is sponsored by American Center, Levi Strauss & Co. India, Fabindia and Mercy Corps.^[8]

Terra's Indian tour will be immediately followed by two weeks in Italy playing shows in Fabriano, Perugia, Rome, Imola, Bologna, Rimini, Monte Castello Di Vibio and Montesilvano.^[9]

Discography

Albums

Featured on

Singles

See also

• Notable YouTube users

Notes

References

• Heawood, S (2007-09-08). "The unlikely life of Terra Naomi". The Times. http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article2386647.ece. Retrieved 2007-09-08.  

Further reading

• Verrico, L (2007-09-25). "Terra Naomi". Live reviews (The Times). http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/live_reviews/article2522889.ece. Retrieved 2007-09-24.  

External links

• Official Website of Terra Naomi
• Terra Naomi's MySpace
• Official Blog of Terra Naomi
• Terra Naomi's YouTube Profile
• I Like Music interview with Terra Naomi 2007 - ilikemusic.com
• Terra Naomi winning an online video award
• Non-Official French Website of Terra Naomi
• Terra Naomi collection at the Internet Archive's live music archive
• Sunday Times Article
• First italian tour 2009