This week Di and Nicola speak to the talented Tracey Yarad. Tracey is a singer and musician from country Taree. She’s had an incredible and eclectic music career, touring all over the world with many Aussie and international rock bands. She also spent 7 years performing in Japan and China, and saving money to fund her dream, which was to open her own music school. These days Tracey lives in New York, but she’s currently in Australia touring her one woman show, All These Pretty Things.

In this episode we hear about Tracey’s lifelong passion for music, and the twists and turns that her path has taken along the way, to where she now finds herself living and performing in New York. Tracey grew up in Taree, where it was expected that she would step into the family retail business, but her dedication to music led to her getting a scholarship to study opera at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. 

Tracey shares the dream she had to open her own music school, which she was able to achieve in the Blue Mountains with her husband at the time. From a small music school, they built it into a beautiful and thriving business with over 200 students. Tracey is still in touch with many of her students today, who are performing in bands all over the country. 

We hear the heartbreaking tale of the breakdown of Tracey’s marriage and how she was left picking up the pieces and deciding what to do next. With a supportive group of friends around her, encouraging her to travel to New York and perform on her own again, Tracey found herself falling in love with the Big Apple, healing and re-inventing herself in her 50s. In 2017, Tracey was able to secure an artist's visa to move permanently to New York, where she now lives and breathes music. 

Tracey’s story is a beautiful one, full of ups and downs, but above all, it’s the story of a woman who restored her heart through music, supportive friends, and the courage to go after her dreams, no matter how big. We hope you enjoy this inspiring episode. 

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