Miiesha releases outstanding new EP 'Mirrors' & launches national tour
Image: Georgia Wallace
Anangu/Torres Strait Islander artist Miiesha has been one of Australia’s musical revelations since the release of her debut album Nyaaringu in 2020 which was nominated for five ARIA Awards, winning Best Soul/R&B Release. An artist of incredible warmth and versatility, her R&B base has morphed in the past 12 months as she introduced elements of electronic pop and synth to her music. Her music is rich in storytelling and heartache as she examines the fractious relationships within families and her own personal struggles.
Today she releases her new EP Mirrors which combined with her 2021 EP Smoke creates the double EP Smoke & Mirrors. On Mirrors Miiesha confronts her struggles with mental health, broken relationships and the experience of being an indigenous person in Australia.
The EP kicks off with second single ‘Everything’ which starts with the classic sound of the Australian bush, the call of a kookaburra. Acoustic verses trade place with a chorus full of steady beats and an almost ethereal backdrop. Lyrically the song sees Miiesha struggling with self-doubt: ‘this is me just giving up’. “‘Everything’ was written at a point in my life when I wanted to give up on music; when singing felt hurtful because it was the only way I expressed myself,” she said on the song’s release. “I was in a dark headspace, and I felt like everything was out of reach and the pain was endless. So the song is me, reminding myself, that we could have everything. I know it’s hard right now but keep going.”
‘War’ is probably the most surprising, and sonically experimental, track on the EP. A gentle opener soon transforms into vocal distortion, a visceral beat and a electronica trance soundscape. The distortion and otherworldliness feel of the track is the perfect match to the lyrics which sees Miiesha questioning a relationship which is falling apart. ‘Why am I still in it for when my love goes missing in your actions?’ she sings. It is an incredible track, arguably the highlight of the EP, that maintains the drama until the end, building up, slowing down before building up again before ending on chants mixed with gorgeous vocal runs.
‘Skin Deep’ is a powerful electro-R&B track which confronts the white invasion of Australia and the ongoing experience of being indigenous in the Australia of today. “Just how deep are these wounds? / More than all of my years / History will not move / When it’s trapped in your, when you’re trapped in it / Skin that’s far deeper than these wounds / More than 200 years.” It is a gorgeous and immensely moving track which is made all the powerful by Miiesha’s gentle, almost feather soft vocal. She projects an anger and a pain that is far more powerful delivered through measured quiet than through loud shouts.
The EP’s first single, ‘Still Dream’, came to Miiesha “in the form of a dreaming poem that I'd written for my Grandmother. I originally envisioned a bird coming as a messenger to let her know that everything would be ok.“ The song has a traditional pop feel mixed with R&B and sweeps you up with melodies and vocals that never fail to delight. The song continues the theme of self-exploration which sees Miiesha confront mistakes in her past while acknowledging the need to heal and move on. “I was playing my part / I wasn't tryna play you…now all I want is to heal these open wounds / But I live with the moments that I cannot undo”.
The EP closes with ‘Ready’, a 1 minute 36 second acoustic guitar track which is a pitch to a love interest - or perhaps to herself - to take the next step: ‘I just think we could get us everything’. It is a sweet way to end the EP and leaves you on a high.
Mirrors is outstanding from beginning to end and has a strong case to laying claim to the title of best EP of 2022. There is a depth, a warmth and an almost indescribable feel to this collection that just leaves you in awe of her talent. Miiesha is becoming a stronger, more assured artist with every release and has an uncanny expertise to create music that wraps tightly around your soul after just one listen. This is an EP to treasure and you will want to have on repeat. Press play now, and expect more incredible things from Miiesha as her career goes from strength to strength.
Mirrors is out now. You can download and stream here.
To keep up with all things Miiesha you can follow her on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Miiesha’s Smoke & Mirrors tour starts tonight. Tickets on sale here
3 June – VIVID @ Sydney Opera House, Sydney - SOLD OUT
10 June – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane
11 June – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
FESTIVALS
22-24 July - Splendour in the Grass, Byron Bay, NSW
23 September – Listen Out, Melbourne, VIC
25 September – Listen Out, Perth, WA
1 October – Listen Out, Sydney, NSW
2 October – Listen Out, Brisbane, QLD
