Four-piece band MIYA MIYA are quickly emerging as front-runners on the British pop music scene. Having co-written for artists that include Jonas Blue and RetroVision, the band have already amassed over one hundred million streams on Spotify. They have recently released their new single 'Without Me,' which has been branded as being 'their strongest single to date.' With punchy, high-drama beats, gleaming synths and an eighties sound, 'Without Me' is a very emotive single, from the viewpoint of someone who is heartbroken at the end of a relationship, while also providing the feeling that both partners are equally as saddened by the split.
Here at The Lowdown, we had the opportunity to speak with MIYA MIYA about their new single, how the band formed, their plans for 2023 and more. Keep reading to check out what they had to say!
You guys have recently released your single 'Without Me.' What is it like for you to have new music released?
"It feels really great! We had a bit of a gap whilst we were focusing on the live side. It's always an amazing feeling to release music, to say it's finally done, and to see people connecting with it makes it all the better!"
Your previous single 'H8 Me 2' was extremely well received, racking up over fifty-five million views on TikTok. Did that add an element of pressure when it came to the release of the single?
"It was amazing to see 'H8 Me 2' receive so much love. It's always scary releasing a song out into the world, so we're really happy with how it went, but to be honest, we try not to think about pressure too much, as you can get bogged down in the numbers and it can be a bit paralysing. Each song has its own special place, and so you have to trust in the story you're trying to tell and let the listener find their own way to fall in love with it."
'Without Me' draws on the subject of heartbreak and moving on. Did you find that writing about something so personal and relatable to everyone in one way or another made this track take on a new dimension almost?
"Definitely! In many ways, we're all just a bunch of heartbroken kids running around trying to figure it out, so it felt really natural to write a song about it. We wanted 'Without Me' to sound and feel like those moments of passion and pain. We really hope you can all hear that in the song when you listen."
Creatively, when you get in the studio, do you have the same musical vision, or do you have different sounds that contribute to the overall sound of MIYA MIYA?
"We don't really have a particular process we follow when in the studio, but we'll all often bring in different elements when building the production. It's lucky that the majority of the time we do have a similar musical vision. We've been working with each other for so long that we feel we know what a particular track needs to give it that MIYA MIYA feeling. We don't always get it right the first time and sometimes get carried away and add too much, but making music is like fashion - always take off the last accessory you put on!"
Can you sum up your sound in a couple of words?
"That's a tricky one, but if we had to use just a couple of words, they would be hope and heartbreak."
How was MIYA MIYA formed?
"We all met at university (over a few drinks, no doubt!). We quickly realised we all had the same feeling towards music and quickly formed a song-writing team to make music for other artists. We grew really close during that period and started making music for ourselves and eventually realised that we all wanted to talk about the same things in our songs. The next day we formed our band and we have not looked back!"
As a band, who would you say are your musical influences?
"We have so many influences, as we listen to so many genres through writing for ourselves and for other artists, so it can be hard to pinpoint. We also all grew up listening to very different music (Gio/James - more rock and Gini/Jordan - more pop music). However, if we had to nail down three, it would probably be: Fleetwood Mac, The Chainsmokers and Charlie Puth, to name a few!"
What is one thing that you would most like to achieve throughout your music career?
"We would love to tour the world and share our music with as many people as possible. Getting on the road has always been a huge goal of ours. We can't wait to do it!"
With 2022 coming to a close, we are inevitably thinking ahead to next year. Do you have anything in store that you can tell us about?
"I think what's next for us is to continue creating music that represents who we truly are - best friends that write songs about their lives. We have a few shows coming up in the new year. We are dying to get the music ready in time for you guys to hear it live!"
Finally, do you have a message for all those who support you?
"Honestly, we can't express how heartfelt and sincere we are when we say that our M&M's are the reason we do this. We love every single one of you. It feels like a small family. From people travelling three hours to watch us play a thirty-five minute set to the ones that spend time creating art and drawing pictures of us is just the best feeling for us! We appreciate you so much for dedicating your time to us and for showing us kindness and believing in what we do! We wouldn't be able to do what we do without you. We won't stop until you do!"
MIYA MIYA's current single 'Without Me' is out now and is available to purchase and stream through all major music purchasing and streaming outlets.
By Rachel Dempster