Miiesha chats her new single, 'Price I Paid', dealing with trauma and her impact and career so far.

Miiesha is one of our favourite names in Australian Music. From the small, remote Aboriginal community of Woorabinda, Australia, Miiesha demanded attention from the moment that she stepped onto the Australian R&B landscape. She's a strong proud Anangu/Torres Strait Islander woman with her distinct sound and story at the forefront of her creativity. Her debut album, Nyaaringu which means 'what happened' in Pitjantjatjara language, went on to be nominated for 5 ARIA awards, and received 2020 ARIA for Best Soul/RnB Release, as well as winning 4 x QLD Music Awards and also a NIMA.

Since then she's released three singles taken from her forthcoming, double EP project, entitled 'Smoke & Mirrors', 'Damaged', 'Made For Silence' and most recently, 'Price I Paid'. The EP's are set to showcase Miiesha's life to this point in an honest, brutal and deep fashion, as she explores broken family dynamics and searching and healing from love from two distinct perspectives. The first perspective sees her in a slightly irrational, fight or flight grapple with survival, while the second EP is a more reflecting, introspective look at trauma, not just individually but generationally.

We were lucky enough to chat to Miiesha about her most recent single, dealing with trauma through music, and being an inspiration to her next generation.

Trauma, pain and broken family dynamics are influences that many of us may carry on our shoulders for life; things we may never fully heal from. Do you think people can ever be healed, or are we always and forever healing?

I think that we’re always gonna be healing, because once you heal from something and forgive them, that doesn’t mean you’re not gonna be hurt tomorrow. But listen I think healing starts with ourselves and learning how to really love and understand and forgive ourselves, you can only love someone else as much as you love yourself.

And It’s not easy learning to love yourself, actually it’s quite painful and it don’t happen overnight. It’s not easy to forgive yourself for things that you’ve done, and things you put yourself through but Learn to Love. And forgive yourself so that you can heal and break cycles, because you’re the only one that holds that power.

In the chorus you sing, “Price I paid, for the love I’ve thrown away, betting on you, knowing I’d lose”. It’s such a heartfelt line that hits home. What have you lost and/or gained from being vulnerable in giving love but being returned with more hurt?

I don’t ever regret the way I love! I’m actually proud of the way I love and care for others.

“Knowing I’d lose” yeah I love, even when I know I’m gonna get hurt. But I love unconditionally. I’m proud to say that that’s something my grandmother taught me. I looked up to the way she loved, and always knew I wanted to love like her. Out of my hurt I’ve gained the power to forgive and let go. Nobody will ever determine my happiness unless I give them that power. And I’ve learned that lesson before.

Price I Paid is an emotionally rich song that ​​continues your journey of healing from past trauma. How does the story of Price I Paid connect and build on your previous two singles; ‘Made for Silence’ and ‘Damaged’?

Because they all have 3 things in common that they battle with; love, forgiveness and understanding.

What did collaborating with producer, ​​​​LUCIANBLOMKAMP, bring out of you from a songwriting perspective?

I’d say this collab gave my words a higher emotion and bought back memories. It feels like a movie when I listen to my upcoming EPs, it feels like I’m reliving moments in my life. I could write anything with just four words and Lucian would be able to make you feel those four words!

You’re making a huge mark on the Australian R&B landscape; which has always needed more diverse representation. How important is the impact you're making on your community in relation to your overall goals as Miiesha?

I just wanna leave a mark, a message, give someone that little bit of hope, that faith that they need to push through and keep going. That daily reminder that you can do whatever you wanna do…that reminder that your life is precious!

Image via Madeline Randall

Words by Parry Tritsiniotis, Interview via Chloe Hayman

LISTEN TO NEW MUSIC HERE

SEE ALSO

DESPITE THE NEW RESTRICTIONS, YOUR FAVOURITE CLUBS PROBABLY WON’T REOPEN ON DECEMBER 1ST