Interview with Singer-Songwriter MIRI

                 Described as the love child of Sting and Edith Piaf, British singer-songwriter MIRI blends heart and grit, distilled through a smooth, melodic pop filter.  MIRI co-promotes and co-hosts highly acclaimed monthly live music night "Blue Monday" at The Boogaloo in London; collaborating in 2016 with award winning music venue Green Note on two sold out female artist focused events called "Girls To The Front”. Performing regularly around the UK & Europe MIRI has gained a reputation for her eclectic gigs and stage presence. Past live shows include 100 Club for The Official Bob Marley Birthday Celebration, alternative reggae artist Natty's Vibes & Pressure at Passing Clouds, and supporting American folk artist Laura Veirs at Bush Hall. Behind the scenes MIRI works with the charity School Ground Sounds which provide additional opportunities for young people to enhance their musical education. MIRI has been a guest mentor for Wired4Music's drop in for young people aspiring to have a career in music and is also on the FAC's BEAT Board.



AHC: What has this journey in music, so far, been like for you, the highs and the lows, and what sort of life lessons do you feel you've picked up along the way?

My journey in music has been a real trip. There have been some incredible moments and some real low ones. The whole process has at times challenged my self belief and life purpose. You can't hide from who you are which is actually a really beautiful thing. I've learned the importance of being myself as an artist which in some ways sounds quite straight forward but it can be easy to be influenced by the wrong people when you're still finding your way. In my early 20's I gained interest from a few A&R people at major labels and I am so thankful I never got signed back then. I hadn't dealt with my sexuality which kind of led me to not feel whole as a person. I felt a lot of pain back then because of this which I channeled into my songwriting. I needed to take that time to understand and accept who I was before I could represent myself fully as an artist.

AHC: What first drew you to music and what was your early musical environment like growing up? Were there pivotal songs for you then that just floored you the moment you heard them?

My musical environment was a real mix. I grew up listening to a lot of musicals before discovering pop music which is where my world changed and opened up. Songs like The Police - Every Breath You Take or Cyndi Lauper's - A Night To Remember album fired me up. I'd sit outside my brothers room with my ear to the door listening with complete wonder and delight. I developed a love for R&B & Motown from the age of 12. I had albums by En Vogue & SWV on cassette and would play them over and over whilst my sister had Dorothy Moore and Aretha Franklin CDs that I loved. I was never into just one type of genre. I was constantly discovering new music. I remember when I first heard Alanis Morrisette's - Hand In My Pocket. As soon as Jagged Little Pill was available I went out to buy it and couldn't get enough.

AHC: Do you remember the first song that you ever wrote? Or that first moment when you picked up a pen and realized that you could create whole worlds just by putting it to paper?

I started writing little poems before songs. Having said that the first song I wrote was when I was 8 and it was about the Garbage Pale Kids. I can't say I'll be revisiting that song any time soon! Can you remember them? Every pack of stickers came with free chewing gum. I was 12 when I first began to write properly though. I never saw myself as a singer-songwriter; writing was simply a natural way for me to be heard and express my feelings. Sometimes I wrote about things that I didn't quite know about or understand like love and romance but it was about having the freedom to write and put those words to music that I loved.  I use to perform my songs in school assemblies and get friends to sing them whilst I played the piano. It wasn't until I left school that I realised I had the potential to be a singer-songwriter professionally. My late singing teacher Howard passed on my tape to his A&R friend John Lloyd at Peer Music Publishing. John loved my songs and was excited about my development. He ended up moving to their LA branch and things kind of fizzled out but it was enough of an experience to set me on a path of music.

AHC: Which musicians have you learned the most from? Or writers, artists, filmmakers etc?

So many!! Tracy Chapman is an artist I've grown up with over the years. I learned from her the importance of stripping yourself raw emotionally when writing. Patti Smith is an artist I came to later in life. I've read both her memoirs and was drawn into her world. About 2 years ago after reading Just Kids I decided to live my next year in the spirit of Patti. I ended up gigging in Bergen and Berlin and having quite a few little adventures. I ceased the day and even managed to see her perform at Field Day Festival. My friends and I got right to the front. It was epic. The energy was unreal!

AHC: What do you think makes for a good song, as you're writing and composing, is there a sudden moment when you know you've found the right mix, that perfect angle of light, so to speak?

There's been times when I've been writing and I've had to stop and try something else. It has to excite me. The melody especially. If it's not doing anything for me it won't do anything for anyone else. I usually know when I've got something if it stays in my head the few days after or if I want to keep singing it. The best moments are when the song comes out so easily. You don't think about it. You just know you need to express yourself and it flows. The keys and vocals merge together and articulate what you are feeling emotionally. 

AHC: Do you consider music to be a type of healing art, the perfect vehicle through which to translate a feeling, a state of rupture, hope lost and regained? Does the writing and creating of the song save you in the kinds of ways that it saves us, the listener?

Yes definitely. That's the beauty about songwriting and performing. There's been times in my broken moments where writing a song was my only release. Sometimes the emotion had felt so raw I cried when writing. This year I've made a pact with myself to put more time aside for songwriting. I feel like I have so much to express but need to make the time to channel it. Music is so powerful and can raise our vibration. It can empower us and give us reassurance and healing when we have no other place to go.

AHC: Could you talk about the inspiration behind your monthly live music night Blue Monday, which was created for an audience of LBQT women? Who are some of the speakers you've had there so far?

The night was created 7 years ago by my friend Vans. Her inspiration at that time was to create a space in North London for Lesbian and Bisexual women to go and listen to live music. I performed at the very first night and then went on to co promote with Vans before she moved away and our friend Rosered came on board. For us now the inspiration is to keep providing a space for LBQT women to come and listen to quality live music and bring people of all communities together through a positive environment. We are inspired to give artists a platform to be heard. The audience are quiet and attentive and we have built up a following which means that the acts don't have the pressure of bringing people down. The guest speakers we've had so far are the charity Stonewall, Dana Jade who runs the events Clit Rock to help end female genitilia mutilation, film director Kate Lane and Tracey Wise from Safe Gigs For Women.

AHC: Girls to the front, is this inspired by the Kathleen Hanna movement in the 90's? Could you talk about the importance of keeping this cause and movement alive in today's culture?

Yes it is. Rosered came up with the name idea and It just felt right. We are bringing female musicians to the forefront. I compere the event and always make sure to talk about the Kathleen Hanna movement at the start. A year before we started collaborating with Green Note on these events we put on our first ever festival celebrating women in music after reading a blog by Roxanne de Bastion and an article in the Guardian newspaper about not enough women artists being chosen for festivals. Unfortunately sexism within the music industry and music world still exists. We need to keep coming together and working together to bring balance and make sure that all the crazy talented women in music get the recognition and respect they deserve instead of being dismissed and ignored.

AHC: You do a lot of mentoring work with young people, what has that experience been like and what have you learned or taken away from your time doing it?

I worked with the charity School Ground Sounds last year on a music industry crash course for young people called The Grit School which really opened my eyes. I'd worked with young people when I was a young person myself but being older and going back to this type of work was pretty remarkable. The students were so talented. It made me want to keep achieving my music career goals so I could go back with even more knowledge and experience to support and encourage them. I was also invited to be a guest mentor for Wired4Music. It just felt good being able to help. I remember thinking, I so know how to help here because I've been through the good times the knock backs, I get it, I know how to offer these kids the best guidance. I definitely hope to keep doing what I can to offer support to young people finding their way in music.

AHC: What are your fondest musical memories? In your house? In your neighborhood or town? On-tour, on-the-road?

Performing has given me some good memories. Supporting Laura Veirs at Bush Hall was incredible; her fans were so dedicated and attentive. Singing "Revolution" with the house band at 100 Club for The Official Bob Marley Birthday Celebration was a real honour too and gigging abroad in Berlin, Spain and Amsterdam just revs me up to keep travelling. I remember also supporting actress and musician Heather Peace in Newcastle. I was feeling a bit low and remember being in the hotel room wanting to curl up into a little ball. As soon as I got to the venue with my musicians and started soundcheck I felt better. I had 20 CDs to sell and was hoping to sell at least 2 or 3. After my performance there was a long line of people waiting to buy a CD. I sold 19! It just meant so much because in that moment all the tough times made sense and almost didn't matter. It was just so nice to have my music be received and valued.

AHC: When you set out to write a song, how much does 'where the world is' in its current moment, culturally, politically, otherwise, influence the kinds of stories you set out to tell?

I've written a lot over the years about what's going on in my life personally and finding my place in the world. I've always felt very effected by world issues and that naturally flows into my writing. I can't stand injustice in any shape or form. I wrote a song called "Good Ones" when I found out that the majority of the MP's in the UK had voted to bomb Syria again. I was devastated and felt powerless. I went to the piano and "Good Ones" just came out. I was going through some other personal challenges too and was able to release it all in that one song.

AHC: Do you have any words of advice for other musicians and singer-songwriters or anyone who is struggling to create something of value out there, who are just starting out and trying to find their voice and their way in this world? What are the kinds of things that you tell yourself when you begin to have doubts or are struggling with the creative process?

Most importantly always be you. Don't feel like you need to change who you are in order to fit into other people's ideas of you and your music. Surround yourself with people who get you and your artistry and want to help you expand your work not change it. I guess I tell myself to keep going, keep persevering...the only way I cannot reach my goals is if I give up. Also celebrate the moments. If you enjoy what you're doing and who you're working with now you will most probably keep enjoying the process and your career as it grows. The worse thing you can do is to think that when you have a deal or when you get "there" that everything will be ok and you will be happy. Tap into that joy now and don't be afraid to let go of people or situations that make you unhappy. Be honest with your intentions and just keep on going.

AHC: Do you have any new projects you'd like to mention?

I'll be recording new material this year and am looking forward to sharing a music video for a collaborative track I worked on with rapper Cheekie Bugga called Under My Skin produced by Swift Lee. My new EP Sound Vibrations is out now too. If people would like they can follow me on my social media to stay connected and updated with all my latest news.


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Keep up with MIRI here: www.miriofficial.com
www.twitter.com/miriofficialuk
www.soundcloud.com/miriofficialuk

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