After spending the last few years establishing her sound with a breadth of warm and enigmatic offerings, emerging artist Mira Sthira returns once again to offer up her warm and enticing new delight 'Let The Armor Go'.
Capturing more of that rich and diverse aesthetic she has built for herself, 'Let The Armor Go' makes for a wonderfully vibrant listen. Brimming with sweet and alluring textures, matched effortlessly against her own ethereal vocals, she is cementing herself as a true visionary on the new music scene right now.
So with the new single available now, we sat down with her to find out more about her origins and influences over the years.
What was the first band or artist you fell in love with?
The very first artist that I was enamored with as a child was Michael Jackson. I loved his albums “Thriller” and “Dangerous” and I listened to them on a tape recorder in my room on repeat beginning in 3rd grade, while drawing little hearts over Michael’s face on the Thriller album. My mother actually later told me that she would often play “Thriller” while she was pregnant, and that I’d dance around to it inside her womb! Everything makes sense now! After Michael Jackson, my love for music continued with a simultaneous obsession with Ace of Base, Mariah Carey and Boys II Men when I was in 4th grade. I often sang along in my room and fantasized about being a pop singer myself.
Did you ever form a band when you were younger and if so, what did they sound like?
Does an imaginary band count? When I was in middle school I formed an imaginary band with people I knew and drafted out a proposal of band roles. Needless to say, this did not pan out. So no, I’ve never had a band. I have always dabbled with playing and writing songs with other people but usually nothing formally that was promoted as a band. I began writing music on the guitar over 15 years ago and wrote a number of songs under the name “Ema Mae” and thereafter “Violet Mae” but eventually came more into my style when I began working with pop productions. I also can no longer play the guitar because I have autoimmune arthritis that causes me pain in my wrist.
What has been your primary inspiration for music?
My biggest inspiration is simply the peace and healing that it brings me. I feel like I have always processed feelings and life’s challenges through writing, poetry, music or yoga and when I am in a certain mindset, music is always there for me as a soft comfort. If I am feeling down, some energetic, loud, stimulating music with lots of bass and interesting dynamics seems to work just like an antidepressant for me. If I am feeling happy, writing a happy song to match my feelings or to call in happy feelings into my mind also shows great benefit to me. Music is ultimately for me and I believe in authenticity and freedom in my music for this reason. I have written about heartbreak (don’t we all), the autoimmune disease I have, self-reflection, manifestation, my love for nature and the woods, my experiences in middle school feeling weird, and various themes related to “shadow work” or exploring the depths of the psyche.
What is a song you wish you had written yourself?
Can I include a video in this response? By far the song “La Vita Nuova” by Christine and the Queens. This human being really has something special he infuses into his musical and video craft that tells a story with rich sounds, feelings and imagery. I wish I had the budget to make a production like this that ties together songs with a video that tell a story.
If there was any moment in your career you could relive, what would it be?
I loved making a music video for this release! Making the video and seeing the results gave me so much inspiration to make more! It was fun including some friends and a local videographer, Violette Media, and integrating my local community into my craft. It was magical and not super planned, and it reminded me that music is something deep, transformative and communal for me. And the video was actually for me, a marriage ceremony to the local river here.
Which artist would you most love to share a stage with?
I mean, can I also answer this with Christine and The Queens? What stage presence! How about Christine and Queens and Charli XCX, since they also seem to have a great dynamic going.
And is there an artist you would love to collaborate with as well?
Actually I’d really like to collaborate with a local artist that can help me recreate some of my older songs on the guitar, send to my pop producer Mikheil Music and make it an interesting acoustic meets alt pop song. I am open to what local artist I work with on this. But some that I am interested in are band members from the Seepeoples, Sparxsea, and The Worst. I am all into finding some more local collaboration.
Where do you see yourself in five years time?
Um, I tend to never exactly be where I envision myself from 5 years prior. But musically I see myself having released an album for sure and to continue to explore my new interest in making more music videos! I would also like to really find a way to make art in an affordable way for me and to continue to find the right people to support one another along this journey. I am considering developing a support group for indie artists where everyone takes up equal space and one’s participation is not contingent on stream, sync or award numbers, but one’s compassion, respect, talent and hard work. Or maybe such a group exists that I can participate in.
-
Mira Sthira's new single 'Let The Armor Go' is available to stream now. Check it out below.