From Unsigned to Signed: Mia Brown's Record Label Journey (Part 2)
Was there ever a time when you thought about quitting music altogether?
Yes, which is unbelievable to say now, but yes, it was during a relationship with a person who I knew wouldn't be able to handle the music industry. I wrote a song about it, and even though he was super supportive and came to every one of my shows, it was just a completely different lifestyle than he would have wanted. I was willing to give it up for him, which is crazy. Now I give a PSA to any guy that I date. I'm like, this is it. If you want it, cool if you don't see ya.
How do you deal with creative blocks or performance anxiety?
I haven't gotten performance anxiety in years since I was in dance. I'm very lucky with that because the stage is desert. You have creative blocks, though. Sometimes you just need to know when to take a step back. If you sit and stare at your piano or stare down at the lyrics that you have for too long, that's when you get frustrated, and you cry. You don't want to do that. Then self-doubt creeps in. I haven't had a major creative block for a long period of time, like weeks or months or anything like that, in a very, very long time. It's just knowing when to take a step back and take a breath and realize it's going to happen when it's meant to be.
What can fans expect from your live shows?
A lot of energy and a lot of emotion. Every song I sing is with emotion. I feel what I'm singing. If you look at me on the stage, you'll see what the song means to me.
What do you do in your free time outside of your music career?
What free time?
What do listeners take away from your songs?
Listeners take different things away from your songs than you intended sometimes, but it's never in a bad way which is very nice. People ask, “So, are you OK?” I'm like, “Yeah, I'm fine. I wrote this as a release.” I also write something for other people to relate to and know that it'll be OK. It’s never been in a bad way by any means. It's always been in a good way. People also relate my songs to a story or experience that they had, which is amazing. Like Arizona, there was a bartender who heard it, and he had moved here to Wisconsin from Arizona, and he tells me that is so accurate. It was so amazing that he said that my lyrics were accurate to what Arizona is.
Where do you draw inspiration from your lyrics?
Daily life, man, daily life. I mean good days, bad days, anything. Anything that I've experienced, it all comes out in my lyrics. My inspiration is life itself.
When you perform, and the audience sings along to your original songs, how does that energy make you feel?
Not just friends when you see people in the crowd singing along to your original songs and the fact that they know the lyrics is a warming thing. Knowing that you're inspiring people and making them happy with your music that’s what makes this worthwhile.
Mia, you are known as a singer, but you play instruments, is that correct?
I play piano and guitar. Sometimes I dabble a teeny bit with a ukulele; that's it.
Do you have any advice for aspiring musicians?
Never give up. If you get negative or constructive criticism that you don't like or someone says you’re not good enough, don't believe them. Use it as your motivation and a building block for who you are and who you are going to become.
You have an album out now. How do you manage to maintain musical integrity while being successful?
I have always and will always strive to be better. I'm constantly working on my range and songwriting. I mean, there's so much more I could do, and I want to do so I will never think that I'm the best because I know I'm not. There’s always going to be someone out there who is better than you; all you can do is work harder.
What is the best thing about being a musician?
Being able to inspire others to follow their dreams and live their life vulnerably. Not in the sense that I'm telling people too much about myself but just knowing that you have feelings. Whether that's in a song or however you may do so. Just being able to inspire others to be themselves and live their life is an amazing part of my vision.
