This article was originally published in the summer 2012 Harker Quarterly.

She may be known as Tara Priya to her fans, but to her fellow Harker alumni she’ll always be Tara Chandra ’06. Already a rising star in Japan, Chandra is now poised to make a name for herself in the United States as well.

She has reached second place on the Japanese McDonalds Zip Hot 100 Chart and released a new music video. Most recently, she performed locally to an appreciative audience at The Hotel Utah Saloon, a historic San Francisco institution.

Chandra graduated from Columbia University in economics, political science and music performance in 2008. After spending a brief time working in the financial sector, she returned to her true passion, music, moving from the Bay Area to Los Angeles, where she is pursuing a career as a singer and songwriter.

In a previous interview with Harker Quarterly Chandra had said that she believes individuals create their own luck, and that she doesn’t believe in being “discovered” as an overnight success. Rather, she pointed to hard work and determination as skills required to make it in today’s fiercely competitive music industry.

“At Harker … I was supported and encouraged by the faculty, challenged and inspired by my peers,” she had said when giving advice. “No matter where you go to college, find a community for yourself and try to keep in touch with all your Harker friends! They’re some of the best people you’ll ever know.”