Taryn Manning: I Follow My Heart
Taryn Manning first rose to prominence as an actor in films like 8 Mile, Hustle & Flow and Crossroads, but thanks to BoomKat and her skills behind the turntable, Taryn's musicianship is set to eclipse her acting prowess and the timing couldn't be better as her new song, Send Me Your Love, is blowing up the charts!
TheInsider.com caught up with Taryn in NYC to talk about the project, what fans can expect from her upcoming album and which industry is tougher: movies or music?
TheInsider.com: What was the inspiration behind Send Me Your Love?
Taryn Manning: Send Me Your Love is a about my love story with God or whatever source you find power through. It's not about a man and woman solely. It's about faith. Even though there is so much negativity in the world right now, there's so much love depending what you choose.
Insider.com: Sultan + Shepard remixed the track and the result is fantastic. What was your reaction to first hearing it?
Taryn: I loved it! They really took the song and the words and they made it their own. I believe it is a very loving, hopeful anthem for people. In a sense, it's a party track because the beat is banging, but then there's actually some meaningful lyrics there, which for me, means everything.
Insider.com: What is your goal as a musician?
Taryn: Interesting you asked that. People always ask where I see myself in five years, and that really perplexes me. I used to get frustrated like, do I not know what I want? I used to kind of beat myself up over not being able to answer that question. But I've recently come to this realization, and it might sound corny, but I really am somebody who lives life day to day. I think if you look at my career, and all my endeavors, some people laugh, some people snicker, some people think I'm pathetic, but others love it and are inspired by it. I literally do what my heart tells me to do.
Insider.com: Which side of the industry is it tougher to gain traction in: singing or acting?
Taryn: For me it's been singing. People really know that I've been at this for awhile, they know my roots, like with BoomKat, and they know that I grew up in a musical family. There was really no actor in sight. They know that my musicianship is the real deal. But it's been tough. I always say that I'm a working actress and struggling musician. I say that. I say it 'cause it's the truth. I struggle because I love it so much and as far as gaining traction: the most gratifying thing about music is that I can write a song today, complete it, put it up on the internet and bam! There it is for whoever wants to hear it. Sometimes with a film, I'll do a it and never hear about it again. So it can be almost a little depressing at times -- especially when you pour your heart and soul into a role. But you just have to check yourself and be like, "Look, if this movie comes out or not, you had a great time." It's just a big freakin' lesson.
Insider.com: For people who dig Send Me Your Love, what can you prepare them for with your upcoming EP, Freedom City?
Taryn: I realized recently that I had been a prisoner in my own mind. I had been stuck in my own head with the thoughts of regrets or choices I've made. I was almost living in the past a little bit. And recently, I've freed myself of that. The past is gone. So Freedom City is about being free, which is now a way of life. It's not like Freedom City is an irrational belligerent way of life. It's freedom of your mind. It's a dance album and I feel like dance music lends to freeing yourself -- whether it's a businessman or a housewife who's going out with her girlfriends, you get on a dance floor and you just kind of lose yourself. To me, that's freedom.
To buy Send Me Your Love, click here!
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