This year’s Big Day Out in Harmony in Mparntwe Alice Springs is bigger than ever with over 230 performers and the headline act is Australian-Iranian musician Tara Tiba. Now based in Perth, Tara released two studio albums: A Persian Dream (2014) and OMID (2019) (which means Hope), which she dedicated to all the people dealing with mental health issues. is a playful exploration of the musical traditions shared by Iran and Cuba after the Spanish took Middle Eastern soul to Latin America.
Tara spoke with 8CCC’s Kate Lyons-Dawson about the many years, having contracted a virus which developed into the debilitating ME/CFS Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), that kept her house bound and unable to perform. It’s only this year Tara has been able to perform once more, including at WOMADelaide, unfortunately at a time that the conflict in Iran, which began in January, brought more distress and worry for family and friends back in Iran.
