“People always ask me how do I do everything but I like doing them all and I think it“s preparing me …I think it“s going to be useful as my career goes on,” says the 21 year-old alluring all-rounder who writes her songs and designs her own clothes too!

Thara Born Thara Natalie Prashad, Thara (who goes by her first name) says music is the core of everything that she does, though it was very clear to her parents that she was suppose to be a doctor or lawyer. “I don“t come from a family that“s ever done this.”

Her mother, who is part black, part Irish, and father, who is from Guyana, had high expectations for Thara, however, a career in the music business was the last thing they had in mind.

“I literally wrote out four pages of like an outline for me to explain to my parents why I couldn“t do both – school and music – and then read it to them in tears,” she says.

“I just didn“t enjoy anything I was doing the way I enjoyed music. Everything I was doing was pulling me to singing … like I didn“t wake up to go to school, but I would always wake up to take voice lessons.”

A determined Thara left her scholarship at Fordham University a year after she started attending, to pursue a music career.

Since then, the savvy singer has done commercials for Verizon, Reebok, Finishline and American Eagle. Additionally, she took on minor roles in Guiding Light and One Life to Live - two daytime soaps - and has appeared in a recent Spike Lee special, Miracle“s Boys.

Musically, the sassy yet classy songster has recorded “You Want It” and “Shake It,” and has collaborated with John Legend, Fabolous, Joe Budden and Fat Man Scoop.

Thara can also be seen in music videos, from Jay-Z“s “Excuse Me Miss,” and Fabolous“s “Make You Mine,” to Sean Paul“s “Ever Blazin,” in which she plays the leading video vixen.

As Thara remembers, it was on a video shoot where she first met DJ Clue of Desert Storm. “The first time I saw Clue was at the “Excuse Me Miss” shoot. “Someone was like come take a picture and so I went, and Clue was right there. We didn“t speak or anything, but I had taken a picture with Clue, it was the funniest thing.”

Coincidently, Thara was introduced to DJ Clue by MTV“s La La, a few months later at an MTV Sucker Free commercial shoot.

“He asked me for a demo and I had something that I wasn“t really suppose to give out, but I knew that I wouldn“t have had an opportunity like that again, so I gave it to him and like ten minutes later he called me.”

Thara later signed with Desert Storm in 2004.

The Jersey girl“s anticipated debut album is near completion and is expected release in March.

Here“s what else Thara told MoraFire in our sit down interview:

MF: What“s your most memorable moment so far?

Thara: “When I recorded my first track … that was the most surreal moment for me. That“s when I felt like oh my god I am actually here doing this.”

MF: You recently performed at the Bollywood Awards? How was that?

Thara:“Yes. Oh my god, that was such a big deal, not so much for everyone else, but for my family! Cause it was the first time that they could get what I was doing. My grandma was able to come and my aunts and uncles and all my cousins. For them the Bollywood Awards were such a big deal because it was with all the stars they watch in their movies … and for me to perform on the stage with all of them was really big!”

MF: What are your goals?

Thara:“Well, I feel like their is nothing I cant do … the things that I am doing now the acting, the singing, the dancing, they are only going to get much bigger as far as I see. I“ve used Jennifer Lopez as a model … she does everything … she was the first woman to ever have a number one movie and a number one song out at the same time … that“s huge … and then her clothing line, perfume, jewelry, everything … people can say whatever they want to say but she has things on lock. I see myself being like that. I design all of my dancers clothes. The outfits are made from Indian saris and everything has a hint of Indian in it, that“s what separates me from the other girls - even if it“s only my jewelry.”

MF: You are all over the place. Do you have any free time?

Thara:“I don“t have a lot of free time … I am really, really focused to the point where my friends don“t like me very much …it“s hard for them to deal with me. But the gym is my favorite free time. I do make sure at least once a month though I hang out and go see my friends.”

MF: What do you normally do for Christmas? What“s on your wish list?

Thara:“I always share Christmas morning with my mom and dad and sister and then the whole family goes over by my aunt Betty. She makes all the traditional things and we open presents. I look forward to her custard … it“s my favorite and she only makes it on Christmas. Umm, what I want? A new bedazzled sidekick.”

MF: What“s your favorite song?

Thara:“Bad Habit by Destiny“s Child.”

MF: What“s your favorite television show?

Thara:“Gray“s Anatomy on Sunday nights.”

MF: What“s your favorite dish?

Thara:“Penne Pasta in vodka sauce.”

MF: Who is your idol?

Thara:“My mom.”

MF: Where do you like to shop?

Thara:“I shop in the city. I like shopping at Nordstrom. They have the most expensive to the cheapest stuff and I“m very much a girl who mixes everything together - like I“ll have on a really cheap t-shirt with a $300 pair of shoes.”

www.tharaonline.com

Thara music:

http://www.myspace.com/tharadesertstorm

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