Tara De Santis: Consciousness in music

After graduating from MIU in 2017, Tara De Santis returned to Canada — and took the Quebec music scene by storm. 

Under the artist name Véda, she has released over 15 songs and will be debuting her first studio album later this year. 

Her songs have garnered several hundred thousand plays, enabling her to secure three artists’ grants and a nomination at the Canadian Independent Music Video Awards for her song “Quiet.” She recently signed with the label Musicor and has been featured in many press articles, including one in the magazine Elle Quebec.  

Tara’s feature story in Elle Quebec

As her artist name suggests, development of consciousness is foundational to Tara’s music. As a musician, he aims to create lyrics that foster unity and peace. She credits much of her spontaneous creativity to her TM practice. Tara learned to meditate at a young age and comes from a family of TM practitioners.

Tara at the “Gala ADISQ” and at the “Gala SOCAN”

Tara came to MIU straight out of high school, enrolling in the Media and Communications degree program (now Cinematic Arts and New Media) and studying filmmaking and graphic design.

But she was most inspired by the digital music and sound design classes. They helped to give her the tools to make her music.


MIU alumna Tara De Santis’s album cover for her song “Mon Boy.” “The music I make is rooted in integrating silence and dynamism as a meditator and MIU alumna”

In fact, Tara wrote and recorded many songs in the recording studio on the MIU campus. Enlisting her professors’ help, she learned about mixing and mastering, enabling her to optimize the sound quality of her tracks to industry standards. 

She also volunteered at the local Fairfield radio station and frequently DJ’d in town. 

Last June, as part of the “Awards Night” event the evening before graduation that celebrates outstanding graduating students, the Alumni Office presented the Alumni Distinction and Service Award — given to MIU alumni who have distinguished themselves professionally or through community service — to Tara De Santis. 

If Tara’s dynamism as a student was any indication of her career path, it’s no surprise to see her making waves in the music scene. We’re excited to watch as Tara continues to infuse positivity and consciousness into the world through her music.  

Tara accepting the Alumni Distinction and Service Award in Dalby Hall, June 23, 2023.

Click here to visit Tara’s YouTube channel with its 191 videos.

Click here to see Tara on Facebook.

This article comes from the MIU Alumni Office. Subscribe to the alumni newsletter and visit MIU Connections to stay up to date with MIU Alumni News.