Described as a fierce, truth-seeking powerhouse, the Grand Rapids singer-songwriter hosts an album-release show Thursday at Wealthy Theatre. The Local Spins interview.
SCROLL DOWN FOR AN ALBUM TRACK, VIDEO
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Rin Tarsy is perched at a picnic table outside Grand Rapids’ Long Road Distillery on a picturesque October evening.
A river of traffic ambles by on Leonard Street a few feet away. There’s the distant call of an ice cream truck hoping to capitalize on the waning fair weather.
But Tarsy is lost in thought as the universe swirls around her. She shuts her eyes and wrinkles her nose before poetically extending a hand like a wand to express a thought.
“I think I used to be better at trusting myself and now I think with deep questioning of my entire belief structure, it’s kind of hard to trust myself, because I’m realizing how much of my trust was based on very specific religious beliefs,” Tarsy says contemplatively.
“I think I’m kind of trying to rediscover what trust even looks like. It’s becoming a deeper kind of topic.”
Tarsy returns to the present and sweeps a gentle hand through a sea of hair before taking a sip of a salted rim concoction.
The Grand Rapids songwriter performs at Wealthy Theatre at 8 p.m. Thursday (Nov. 4) in celebration of her debut record, “Paradox.” Scroll down to listen to a track from the album.
Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $17 in advance, available here, and $20 at the door. Ypsilanti songwriter Chris DuPont and Grand Rapids’ Colin Tobin will open the show.
“Rin is one of the most intense and unstoppable people I know. She goes hard at everything. She’s fierce in every way: as a loyal friend, a powerhouse musician, and a truth-seeking thinker,” says DuPont, who collaborated with Tarsy to co-produce and perform on the record.
“When you hear her sing, it’s easy to get arrested by the abundance of raw talent and ability she embodies, but what’s equally impressive to me is how intentional and hard-working she is. If a performance in the studio isn’t quite right, she gets this intense, pointed look, says ‘I’ll do it again, right now,’ and nails it to the wall.”
Tarsy, 31, has traversed the landscapes of “heartache” and healing over the last year. As well as the country. Amid the pandemic, she set off on a road trip with a friend across the United States. As she traced the contours of the American interstate, she kept a small, blank map that she shaded in as she visited each state.
“Ever since I was in high school I always wanted to busk. I did it a few times over the past couple years, and this year I decided I wanted to try it in every state,” Tarsy says of the trip.
“I’ve made it through 19 states now, met some awesome folks and sang on lots of streets, and I’ll probably continue with the endeavor next year.”
THEMES OF GROWTH, HOPE AND RESILIENCE DELIVERED WITH AN ELEGANT VOICE
Tarsy grew up in Portland, graduated from St. Patrick High School, attended Aquinas College in 2009, then moved to Ann Arbor to work as a worship leader for a high school girls ministry. In 2020, Tarsy moved back to Grand Rapids
With the deterioration of a relationship last year, Tarsy began questioning the mainstays of her life. Love. Religion. Art.
“This past year I’ve been feeling lower than I had ever felt in my whole life and so it’s just a weird place to be putting out any album while in that kind of emotional space, but especially a debut album,” Tarsy says.
LISTEN: “Free” (from “Paradox”)
She adds: “The heartache has to do with a relationship that just affected me in some really horrifying ways, and so even though all the songs were actually written before this relationship, it was really hard to be in the studio and work on them.
“It was hard to focus on it and at the same time when I was able to get lost in it, it was the most beautiful thing that I could ever … “
Her eyes begin to well up at the table. She takes a sharp breath and shuts her eyes.
“I’m just very grateful for it. I kind of had to find meaning in music over and over again when I was having a really hard time finding meaning.”
An order of fries arrives at the table, accompanied by garlic aioli, the unspoken culinary balm of the millennial palate. The surrounding ambience re-enters the sonic picture. This time it’s a symphony of car horns.
“Paradox,” which was written by Tarsy and co-produced by DuPont, encapsulates a journey through the terrain of the human spirit. Themes include growth, hope and resilience. The instrumentation is delicate and nuanced. Pianos dance and cellos weep. Tarsy’s voice is elegant.
On songs like “94,” Tarsy grapples with dreams and personal evolution through the metaphor of Interstate 94.
A few months ahead of our interview, I found myself driving along the I-94 corridor between Ann Arbor and Jackson with a collection of Tarsy’s demos downloaded on my phone. I spun “94” while watching the sunset disappear behind billboards and cell towers. The chorus floats on the wings of Tarsy’s nuanced voice:
“I keep on driving down this stretch of 94. And I keep on digging, hoping I’ll find more.”
Tarsy plans to debut her record this week with a striking live band in an aesthetically pleasing theater. Looking ahead to the show, Tarsy is poised to deliver a gorgeous set, spanning the record.
“I have a great band with some really lovely, talented, incredible musicians. I think it’s my job to show up and give energy and intimacy and authenticity,” Tarsy says.
“I think that’s what people can expect. I never want to leave people feeling shaken. I always want to leave people with a sense of peace and hope. I’m just someone who wants to give them all she can.”
VIDEO: Rin Tarsy, “Paw Paw River” (Live at The Ark)
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