Miranda Journey is an indie-rock folk singer/songwriter based out of Collingwood, Canada. Growing up in a musical family, Miranda had been inspired to pursue the arts her entire life. Singing, songwriting and performing since she was 8 years old, this powerhouse artist was also self-taught with her ukulele playing. Her first acoustic EP was released early 2019 and Miranda will be following up with a full-length, full-production album in the fall! With major influences like Florence Welch, Angel Olsen, Courtney Barnett, and Liza Anne, Miranda’s signature vocals and heartfelt, lyrically-driven songs leave the audience captivated and wanting more.
The self-proclaimed “New Retro” songstress, Miranda released her fresh new single “Oh My!” late August 2019. “Oh My!” works on the strength of its melody and lyrical ideas. There’s a definite layer of folk to the writing with the images, the scene-setting, and the reflections on life. Everything feels emotional yet vague enough to appeal to a wider audience. “Oh My!” focuses on an issue of communication and passive-aggression. Whether it’s a romantic relationship of a platonic one, Miranda wants to stress that communication is key in order for any relationship to work. The song’s melody is a definite strength, the hook has a certain brightness to it that’s easily memorable but not an intrusive, ear-worm kind of way. The song’s title is well suited to the experience it offers, and the lyrics paint some quietly thoughtful, inspiring images that build further on the optimism at its core.
Listen to “Oh My!” here and read more with Miranda Journey in our interview below!
Who or what inspired you to first begin making music?
My entire family is very musical, so music had always been a major part of my life. My mom was a vocal and performance coach for many years, my dad is a multi-instrumentalist, and my older sister and I have been singing since we could talk. Music and poetry were always an outlet for me to let my emotions and feelings out. At 15-years-old, I began to really take music seriously. I got my first ukulele and the songwriting started pouring out of me. By 16, I had joined a band and started playing gigs and getting paid through music. From that point on, I was committed to making a career out of the thing I loved and resonated with most.
Can you dive into the lyrics in “Oh My!”? Is this song based on real-life experience?
“Oh My!” is definitely based on real-life experience. For myself, the lyrics have very personal, specific experiences attached to them, but they are also open to interpretation from the listener. I would love for everyone who listens to my music, to pull different meanings from it. Something that holds meaning for them personally. For myself, Oh My!" came about through being involved in a relationship with a passive-aggressive musician. This was someone who was a slave to their past trust issues, and had a difficult time acknowledging their emotions or letting themselves be vulnerable. Instead they built up walls and pushed me out. I later heard their true feelings through lyrics of songs they wrote. It didn't make sense to me, because everything they said to my face contradicted their lyrics about their feelings towards me. I wrote this song to capture the frustration of being mislead and held at a distance. Feeling confused and being unable to find closure after discovering that there were more layers than I was lead to believe. I, myself, am not always the best communicator in the moments when it really counts. I find I choke on my words and get scatter-brained. It's funny, as I read over the lyrics that I wrote about someone else, I feel like in many ways it's calling myself out. I think we can all be guilty of miscommunication. It's hard to let your walls down, especially when you've been burned in the past.
What can listeners expect from your much-anticipated album!? Do you have an official release date?
They can definitely expect more experimental sounds, merging of genres, and introspective, reflective lyrics. The theme of the album is learning how to cope while facing tough challenges in life. It covers everything from depression, suicidal thoughts, heartbreak, anxiety, self-destructive behaviour, sadness, and uncontrollable change. Letting yourself do what you need to in order to pull through to find the light on the other side. There is no official release date at this point, but listeners can anticipate to see the album released by mid-late fall 2019.
How long has this project been in the making?
This project has been in the works for approximately a year. The production and recording have taken place within the last 5 months and majority of the songs were all written within the last year, with a few exceptions that were written within the last two years ago.
How does the songwriting and recording process compare to live performance for you?
I find that I approach each of these things fairly naturally. I don't force anything for songwriting and recording, but I can feel a little pressured while performing. I try to put very little stress or pressure on all of these things to keep it organic and authentic. For songwriting and recording, I feel it out. I try my best not to mimic others. I lose myself to whatever emotions I am feeling, and let them carry me to create the words and sounds that best capture those feelings on paper and in the studio.
When I song-write, there's usually a nature flow, and I can complete a song within 15 minutes to a few hours. After I've written a song, I usually I feel a huge weight lifted off of my shoulders. The downside to songwriting if definitely writers block. It is very real and sometimes it can last for months. When it comes to the studio, I am pretty easy-going and get giddy out of sheer excitement. I love the process of watching a song come from nothing to an entirely painted canvas, filled with texture and dynamics. Sometimes it can get stressful when you've been going for hours and get tired, everything can start sounding loopy and it can get discouraging. For live performances, I love feeding off the energy of a great crowd. I love getting feedback and watching people reactions. Sometimes I find I can get a little lost in my head, and end up over thinking while I'm performing. I go into autopilot and completely zone out. Before I know it, the song is over and I can't remember even singing or playing, almost as if I've blacked out. I don't necessarily think that it's a bad thing, I just wish sometimes I was a little bit more present.
I think there are ups and downs to songwriting, recording, and performing. They are all very different, but I definitely have some similar approaches to each of them. They all have a special place in my heart.
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