Tanaya Harper

Emerging from beloved indie-rock band Bells Rapids, Tanaya Harper’s solo project solidifies her as a leading lady of Perth’s original music scene. Her insightful lyricism resonates with audiences as she weaves silken melodies with her experiences of depression, anxiety and living with bipolar disorder. Harper’s debut EP Some Kinds was released through Melbourne label Healthy Tapes in June 2018. Featuring former bandmate Stella Donnelly, the first run of cassettes sold out almost instantaneously. Some Kinds was the Local Feature release at RTRFM 92.1, with all tracks being played extensively on community radio across the country. Singles ‘Graceless’ and ‘The Well’ were featured in ABC television drama The Heights and played on triple j’s Home and Hosed and TOPS programs. Some Kinds finished off 2018 with a WAM nomination for ‘Best EP’ and ‘Graceless’ was the second-most played song of the year on RTRFM 92.1. In 2020, Harper released her sophomore EP, Slow Motion Breakup, and in 2021, her third EP ‘Montreal’. Harper has received multiple WAMAward Nominations for ‘Best Vocalist’, ‘Best EP’, ‘Best Folk Act’ and ‘Best Alternative Act’. Since 2017, Harper has supported the likes of Jen Cloher, Body Type, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, Stella Donnelly, Steve Kilbey, The Preachers, and Alex The Astronaut. Harper also plays bass in local Perth band, Ghost Care, who showcased at Bigsound in 2022 and toured with Spacey Jane in both 2020 and 2023. Tanaya also plays bass in Paige Valentine, appearing on the 2023 Out of the Woods line-up. Tanaya has featured multiple times in Tender is the Night (TITN) performances, whereby her songs are performed live with a string quartet. Her highly anticipated debut album is due for release mid-2024, featuring classical compositions by Jared Yapp inspired by her TITN experiences, recorded and mixed by Andrew Lawson of Debaser Studio.