Today we’d like to introduce you to Mira Blues.
Mira, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started singing as I was learning how to speak. I loved big voices like Judy Garland, Patsy Cline, Freddie Mercury, Whitney Houston, and Janice Joplin. I began musical theater when I was 6 years old, and quickly took a liking to the environment. Once I started learning Christina Aguilera and Lauryn Hill songs, I was intent on pursuing my dream to be a professional singer. I began piano lessons, later joined the school choir, and trained classically with a private voice coach in high school. My musical journey has not been a simple path, of course. There have been many detours, but eventually, I began writing my own music on the piano when I was in university. Once I started, I couldn’t stop. I dropped out, and I began working on my craft and posting cover videos on the internet. A good friend pretty much forced me to post my first video (shoutout to Ty Simpson), and I’m forever grateful. Much of my early years of sharing my voice with the public wouldn’t be possible without the help and encouragement of my friends (another shoutout to Braden Silverman). The internet always felt like home to me. I enjoyed sharing videos, getting feedback, studying myself to improve, and of course, engaging with fans/meeting people. I began to really build a presence on Instagram once the video feature became available. I always say I “spawned from the internet’. I started taking “cover requests” and it really challenged me to learn new music, practice self-discipline, and follow through. Over time, producers started reaching out to me, and I was able to record my first EP in 2015. Producer, Haruna (Dualism Studios in MD), has taught me so much about production and the creative process behind the scenes. The internet and the stage are both wonderful, but I’m happiest when I’m in the studio. Most of the network I have today is directly from posting videos on Instagram, and again, I’m truly grateful for that.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It’s been a gravel road with cones knocked over and scattered everywhere, and I’ve certainly made some unfortunate turns. I love creating music and sharing it, but there is no certainty in life… especially in the music industry. My biggest obstacle has definitely been myself. Fear has almost always been the culprit. Fear of failure, fear of success, fear of the clock/running out of time, but mainly the fear of letting people see me try. I write music directly from my personal experience, yet vulnerability terrified me. I also struggled with stage fright. As I said, I still prefer the recording studio to the stage, but it’s something I will forever be working through. In any industry, there are other people with their own motives, and those motives don’t always benefit you or align with your vision. However, it’s a waste of energy to blame others for mishaps or roadblocks. The most important part of something going “wrong” is finding the lesson. Once you find the lesson, you can take actions that lead to change and growth. We usually just need to get out of our own way.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I’m a singer and a songwriter. I can’t engineer anything beyond vocals and piano, but I consider myself a producer as well. I call my musical style “soul-pop” because… it’s soulful pop music. I wear a blue wig when I sing/perform, and my social media aesthetic is just various shades of blue. My fans definitely know me for my singing videos, my blue wig named “Brandi” (cuz we branding), and my weekly Instagram series called “Monday Blues”. The series began as 1 min blooper compilations, but it has evolved into more of a mini vlog. I include video diary clips, bloopers, footage of my creative process, and satirical humor. While the #MondayMotivation population is alive and well, there are plenty of other people that don’t like Mondays. I like to make people laugh, share my journey/show the behind-the-scenes, and uplift those around me. I wanted to give my audience something to look forward to, despite the fresh work week being upon us. It’s also something that I enjoy seeing from artists. HD photos in vague appealing environments or curated performance and studio pictures are great, but I want to see HOW they got there.
Much of my brand and name is based on satire. I always write sad music (because it makes me happy- duh), and I’ll even turn hip hop covers into soulful ballads. I’m “Mira Blues” because I’ve got the blues: “Mira” ones. The wig, blue makeup, and blue nails are my choices for a couple of reasons. One, I enjoy taking a joke too far. Two, I feel most comfortable and confident when I’m performing/creating while wearing my wig. It’s not an alter ego, it’s just my most effective form; it’s my armor. I want to inspire people to find their own “Mira Blues” however that manifests itself…for me, it just happens to be blue.
To be honest, I never know what to say when I’m asked “WHAT MAKES YOU DIFFERENT?” because there are so many people working hard and creating art (and probably with blue hair). I guess I’m different because I’m me, and no one else is. I’m certainly not the only artist who does this, but it’s safe to say that one of my greatest qualities is my ability to communicate with my fans. I love them, and I talk to them every day. I’ve traveled across the country to meet a lot of them as well. Without my fans, this pursuit wouldn’t have as much purpose.
What was you like growing up?
I was kind of a rebel with absolutely no cause. Definitely a troublemaker in high school (sorry Mom and Dad). The school environment definitely bored me, and I didn’t really experience any type of passion or ambition until I finally let myself pursue my love for music.
As a young kid, I played sports, went to theater camp, and had music lessons. I also would record talk shows on my Fisher Price Recorder alone in my room. I was the host, the guest, the performer, the various commercials I would make up, and I would report news (also made up). I guess nowadays, you’d just call that a podcast. I was so private about it though! I would sit in my room recording these shows for hours by myself and never told my family about them until recently.
While I was creative, talkative and mischievous, I was also always in my own head. I always had a longing to be somewhere else. I always wanted to know “how?” and “why?” I was that “why?” kid. From a young age, I felt things so deeply. I was an emotional kid that grew up into an emotional adult, and here we are.
Contact Info:
- Email: mirabluesmgmt@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirablues/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MiraBluesMusic/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/mirabluesmusic
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/mirablues
Image Credit:
Marvin Joseph, Dirkje Ooms
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