American-Canadian singer-songwriter Tara Beier chatted about her new album “Mourning Doves of Joshua Tree.”
How did you approach the song selection process for the new album?
The Mourning Doves of Joshua Tree album began when I left Los Angeles and escaped to the desert with my family after the passing of my grandmother.
We moved into our place in Landers—where we still reside—and I went there to heal, reflect, and get away from the chaos, pollution, and stress of the city.
It was a deeply emotional and spiritual time for me. Shortly after her passing, I started seeing mourning doves everywhere—on fences, trees, outside the window—and I took them as a clear sign from her, a gentle message that everything was going to be okay.
That sense of peace and connection inspired the spirit of the album. I wrote the songs over a seven-month period, and the process unfolded organically.
I didn’t plan the tracklist from the start—each song followed the next depending on where I was emotionally, spiritually, or even physically at the time.
One example is Close the Door, which came to me while clearing out an old shed—immersed in the grit of everyday life, yet inspired by the haunting, cinematic tone of Chris Isaak’s Wicked Game.
I’ve always been attuned to mood and instrumentation, and working with Steve Stout in Nashville brought that vision to life. Our collaboration was effortless and full of joy.
Each track has its own origin story. Rainbow was born out of witnessing actual rainbows in the desert, but more deeply, it reflected a moment of setting boundaries with a friend. Shooting Star came from a real moment—watching stars fall from the sky with someone who couldn’t seem to appreciate the beauty right in front of them.
Lost Brother was rooted in the grief of my grandmother’s passing and the story of her losing her brother in the BC forests as a child. That song gave me peace, imagining them reunited in the afterlife.
The title track, Mourning Dove, was inspired by the presence of mourning doves around my home in Joshua Tree. I’ve always believed they’re messengers from the other side—particularly from my grandmother.
Desert Soul, the album’s centerpiece and lead single, channels the alchemy of the desert—how it strips you down and builds you back up. It speaks to human resilience, transformation, and the raw truth of who we are when everything else falls away.
The album closes with Wild Rejoice, which celebrates my marriage and the ride we’ve taken together—metaphorically and literally, like a motorcycle roaring through the desert. Nature, struggle, survival, and grace all come together there.
Ultimately, Mourning Doves of Joshua Tree is about grief, healing, resilience, spiritual transformation, motherhood, and the sacred power of place.
After a traumatic birth experience with my children, the desert became my refuge and my mirror—it gave me the strength to create this album.
What inspires your music and songwriting?
Writing for me is a conscious choice — a new cycle. Once I’ve completed a project and shared it with the world, I know when it’s time to begin again. What inspires the songs is deeply personal: whatever I’m going through emotionally, spiritually, or personally, and how I want to evolve as a person.
For example, with my latest album Mourning Doves of Joshua Tree, I was going through a period of healing after the passing of my grandmother. I was living in the desert, and I found myself deeply connecting with nature and the animals around me.
Mourning Doves began to appear frequently — and I later read they’re believed to be messengers from loved ones who’ve passed on. That felt really magical and comforting, like a sign. So the album became a reflection of that process — of grief, transformation, and healing.
I wrote the album over the course of seven months, so I lived through the changing desert seasons. In the summer, we’d occasionally get rare desert rains, and when they came, it felt like a miracle.
There are themes of God and divine timing woven into the album — moments that felt like spiritual awakenings.
The desert itself became a mirror for my soul. It’s a harsh, dry, but incredibly resilient landscape, and that energy gave me strength. It reminded me that even in tough conditions, beauty and growth can emerge.
My song Desert Soul, for instance, speaks directly to that — the chorus says, “Don’t give up, listen to your heart, listen to your soul.” That line came to me from the desert itself. To survive in that terrain takes depth, endurance, and surrender. That experience shaped me as both an artist and a person.
Nature, spiritual transformation, and personal growth are my greatest inspirations. Right now, I’m also exploring themes of alchemy, mysticism, and the unseen ways the universe communicates with us.
My work is always grounded in what’s real for me at the time — that’s where the songs come from.
How does it feel to be an artist in the digital age?
It’s all I’ve known. I wasn’t making records before the digital age, so I don’t have a personal reference point for what came before.
There are things I love — like being able to share my work globally through streaming platforms and social media. That reach wasn’t possible before.
At the same time, there are real challenges. The compensation model for artists through streaming platforms is disheartening — artists are paid cents per stream while large corporations profit.
Still, the digital age has given artists a direct platform to express themselves, visually and creatively. I don’t need a massive budget to make a music video — I can pair my songs with imagery I resonate with.
There’s more freedom to build your brand and connect with your audience directly. But ultimately, being an artist is a calling — it’s not about money, it’s about contributing something meaningful.
What do your plans for the future include?
Right now, I’m focused on promoting my new album Mourning Doves of Joshua Tree, which was released on April 13, 2025.
There are a lot of creative projects tied to this album that I’ll be rolling out over time — I’m excited to share more when the time is right. I’ll be touring in the U.S., Canada, and Europe, and doing a lot of press and performances.
This album feels like my best work yet, and I’m committed to giving it a long life — not just a moment. You’ll be hearing about Mourning Doves of Joshua Tree for a long time.
What is your advice for young and emerging artists?
First — you have to be willing to give up a lot. Being an artist means you’re living differently than most people. You’re not part of the mainstream path. So protect your space, find a place that brings you joy, and prioritize your creativity.
I always tell emerging artists: go to the big city, at least for a time. You need to be challenged and surrounded by others who are on the same path. I spent time in Toronto and Los Angeles — both were crucial to my growth.
Also, don’t get caught up in perfection. The most important thing is to finish your work. Finish your songs, your projects, your ideas — and then keep creating. Accept that you’ll have to wear many hats.
You’ll have to manage the creative side and the business side. I find inspiration in people like David Lynch who speak about the power of routine and protecting your creative space.
Lastly, focus on what you want to say. Don’t compare yourself to others or try to follow what they’re doing. What’s relevant to your life right now? That’s where the truth lies.
Which artists would you like to do a dream collab with someday?
Honestly, I don’t really have a dream collaborator. I deeply respect so many musicians and producers, but I tend to let those connections happen organically.
I trust that whoever I’m meant to work with will come into my life at the right time. I feel really grateful for the people I already work with — like Steve Stout, my producer, who really understood my sound.
I’m also thankful for the musicians in my band. I’m not chasing anyone — I’m focused on the work and the people who naturally come into the process.
What does the word “success” mean to you?
Success, for me, means being respected by your peers — the people in your own field who truly understand your craft. It’s not about fame or numbers, but about building something meaningful and lasting.
Success also means growth: evolving within your work and staying focused on what you’re best at. It’s about finishing things, staying disciplined, and creating a strong body of work.
On a personal level, success means balance. I have twin boys, and being able to have a family while also maintaining a creative career — that’s success to me. I go back and forth between Laguna Beach and Joshua Tree, and I’ve built a life where both worlds exist: the artistic and the personal.
Understanding duality has been a big part of that — being both a mother and an artist, being grounded while also reaching for something higher. Staying connected to God and a greater purpose is the foundation of it all.
Success, ultimately, is about living with intention and contributing something good to the world.
Her album “Mourning Doves of Joshua Tree” is available on Spotify by clicking here.
To learn more about singer-songwriter Tara Beier, follow her on Instagram and visit her website.
