T.Ana Cole is a fighter.  Whether you’re a no good man, hater, or the music industry at large, the west-end based singer has definitely set out to kick some ass.  Since entering Seneca’s Independent Music Production program in 2006, this Honey Jam alum has turned her gift for singing and songwriting into a hustle, taking her music from a form of therapy and self expression, to a serious business that she’s taking across Canada to Montreal and Ottawa, and back to Buffalo, NY.  Working with the some of Toronto’s hypest producers including Rich Kidd and the infamous 2Rude, winning a factor demo grant, and opening for Mariah Carey at the ACC, are just a few notches on her belt.  This gorgeous, and totally down to earth singer with the mega heart, and 90’s rnb voice took a minute from promoting her new single ‘Individual’ to talk about her music, and putting up a fight to make it as an up and comer in Toronto’s music scene.

Photos: Scott Christie, www.christiephotography.ca, with special thanks to photo assistant: Joe Kar and stylist: Julie Desrocher

Space: Bloor Street Boxing and Fitness, 2295 Dundas St. west @ Dundas West station

What do you find to be the biggest obstacle or challenge you’ve faced in your career thus far?

The biggest obstacle is the lack of industry support in my city. Ironically, I get more support outside of Toronto and from fellow musicians who are also my competition. I learned quickly in my 4 years as an independent artist in Toronto that our industry does not nurture new talent. I know many musicians with the coveted ‘Full Package’ (talent, marketability, business sense, drive), ready to be shipped into stardom. They do many shows and have many fans, but lack the industry support they need to make it to the next career level. This city seems to put a cap on how successful you can be to keep everyone on the same level, stifling creative growth. Despite this, I dare to stand up and stand out, to break the crippling mold.

Do you find other women in the music industry to be supportive of your career?

Honestly, I’ve come across some female musicians who do support my music, but they are rare.  Majority of my musician friends/supporters are male. I find that as female musicians, there’s this invisible separation wall up between us where we all just don’t associate with each other, and I think its so ridiculous! Sometimes, I’ll go to a music event and see my competition there and we all know and see each other but don’t say a thing! The tunnel vision is turned on and we walk around trying to avoid an inevitable awkward meeting of eyes. It’s not funny but I laugh because I’m guilty of it too. However, I think we should all just swallow our pride and pre-conceptions about each other, and just come together to help each other out in this male dominated industry.

Do you feel that artists are role models, and should they be held accountable for their actions?

I believe no matter how you slice it, that if you want to be in the public eye, you are a role model. Whether you like it or not, you will be held accountable. When I started doing music, I made sure I knew what I was signing up for, which included people of all ages watching my every move and hanging on my every word. Because of this, I try to always have a positive message in my songs for young and old. I don’t try to be a role model but I do want to make sure that people walk away with something positive after listening to my music, viewing my pictures and watching my videos. I stand by what I do, and welcome others to share in my experiences through my music.

How has your music and career helped you grow?

Music is my therapy, period. When I first started writing, I felt like I was finally finding myself and who I wanted to be. I used to be a shy and quiet girl, but music has forced me to be more confident, sociable and brave enough to speak my mind. Sometimes, I learn things about myself after writing songs because thats how my mind makes sense of the experiences I’ve gone through in life.

What word of advice would you give young female artists on the come up?

I think you should ask yourself a few questions before you go full force into this industry:

Do I absolutely LOVE and ENJOY what I am doing/ want to do with my music?  Why do I want to work in the music industry? (Is it for superficial reasons?) Is this something I see myself doing for a long time?  Am I prepared to face rejection, criticism in a known-to-be harsh industry throughout my career?  Will I be able to preserve my morals in such a superficial industry?  Am I prepared to never give up no matter what?

What’s next?

What’s next is another hot single! This song is called ‘Individual’. This one’s different from most of my other songs because I speak directly about myself and experiences in the industry. I wanted my fans to know a little bit about my personality and what I go through sometimes as an artist.

Last words?

Thank you Moni and cityonmyback.com, for your support of local talent and taking an interest in my music!  Thanks to all my fans who continue to show me support through purchasing, downloading and voting for my music.  Shout out to all of my fellow musicians on the grind who also show me love…You know who you are…too many to name! Shout out to my team RefleLife Brand! Thanks for always having my back. Watch out for music by Cori Green & Tredelle McLennon! For dates and info on my upcoming shows/events, make sure to check out my fan page!

Find more T.Ana @

http://www.facebook.com/pages/T-Ana-Cole/50943691510
http://www.myspace.com/tanacole
http://twitter.com/T_Ana_Cole
http://www.youtube.com/tanacoletv
http://www.vimeo.com/tanacole