Abi Mia "Shadow" Interview
Abi Mia returns with a fresh single that showcases a major cinematic power complete with gorgeous string complimented piano and a theatrical undertone that floats just beneath the surface.
"Shadow" certainly comes from someplace real and this is a huge part of why Abi Mia releases songs that are so infectious.
Her songs are emotionally forward and she uses those emotions to create songs that can make the hair on your arms stand up.
"Shadow" is a song of loss and the feelings you go through when dealing with it. When things change and people change, you sometimes have to cope with it and this is an expressive form of doing just that.
The song is very relatable and as usual, Mia's vocals are naturally fierce, wonderfully impactful, and her songwriting is vast and with a wide range of color and passion.
This artist writes songs that evolve as she does. As a person you go through changes that help you evolve and grow. Mia puts that aspect into her songwriting and brings things to a place where the music affects you.
You can feel that lump in your throat because of the heart that comes through in the song itself.
You know it's not made up. You know it's real and you attach to that.
Abi Mia never ceases to impress or amaze us. Just when you think to yourself "hey I bet she is working on another song soon", there she is.
And the song she has for you to hear is intense and leaves you feeling it after it's over.
With "Shadow" out now, we had some new questions for Mia and she shed some light on a few things for us.
TSWS: We have to start with "Shadow". This one has a ton of passion and comes through as a pop power ballad. What's this song about?
Firstly thank you for having me back! I always enjoy our interviews and yes there is a ton of passion in this track! I wrote 'Shadow' to emphasise the importance of setting boundaries and putting yourself first whilst living and doing things for others! Of course it is important to help others but not to the detriment to yourself or your health. You are no use to anyone burnt out! I wrote this song as a reminder to all of us that we need to take the time to keep discovering who we are as individuals, not just who we are to other people. We are more than just someones sister, friend, cousin, partner etc... Looking after yourself isn't selfish, it is self care and this song is a reminder of that.
TSWS: You often use your music to let it all out as they say. Do you find it easier to write songs about real life situations?
I do often use music to express myself , experiences and emotions that I have had but not everything I write has been emotionally charged by something that has personally effected me. I also enjoy writing about topics that just seem interesting or that I have been inspired to write by things going on around me and other peoples experiences. My overall style of writing is generally more authentically emotional so it may come across that all of my music is based on my own emotions when it is not. I do however find it easier to write about topics I can relate to which are usually real life situations and a broad spectrum of emotions that we can all connect to and I feel this is more in line with my style of music and how I want to connect with my audience as an artist.
TSWS: What is the most rewarding part of doing what you do?
There are so many rewarding aspects of being an artist but I would have to say it is making those real connections with fans from all over the world that without the music (and the internet) would not have been possible.. It is also such a fantastic feeling for someone to tell you that your song really uplifted them and made them feel less isolated because it made them realise that most people have similar experiences and emotions. I have had fans cover my songs and this really is the icing on the cake!
TSWS: When you write a song about someone in particular, do you show it to them?
To be honest unless I have been inspired by my own experiences and write about myself I don't write my songs about a particular person. It is usually a combination of different inspirations, so no! If I ever do it would probably depend on whether or not it was a positive song or not!
TSWS: Your songs always have this professional sheen to them. Would you consider yourself a perfectionist when it comes to recording songs?
Thank you I appreciate that! I wouldn't say I am a complete perfectionist because I feel that music should have some humanity to it so it comes across as authentic but I do have very high standards and very specific ideas of how I want each track to turn out! In today's industry there is an expected level of professionalism for your tracks to be taken seriously so i want to make sure each track is as good as it can be! There is usually a lot of back and forth between myself and the producer making tweaks and finetuning until it is ready for release but it is certainly worth it and I want to be proud of everything I put out there! Any artist that has pride in their work and wants to be taken seriously will probably have the same approach to their songs!
TSWS: Is songwriting a planned out thing for you?
Or do you think of a hook or a melody randomly and go record a scratch track? For me there is no consistent process. Sometimes I will schedule in a time to do some songwriting especially if I haven't written anything in a while. Other times I just get inspired, run over the to piano and start writing! Apart from usually knowing the topic first there is no order for me. Sometimes I think of the lyrics first, other times the chord progression and other times the melody! Each song is quite a different experience for me and I like to keep my creativity free like this. I feel my songs will come more naturally and be better songs for it! It is a forever changing process and perhaps once I have been in the industry for longer I will develop more of a system.
TSWS: Is music a full time gig for you?
Whilst I certainly treat it like it is with the amount of time and work I put in, it is not yet! Having started at the beginning of the pandemic I haven't had so many opportunities to become full time especially from the live music side of things. I am also a personal trainer and nutrition coach but I would definitely like music to take the front seat in my career, it is something I am so passionate about, it is so part of my identity now and I can't wait to keep working hard to get there!
TSWS: Are there any artists that you really look up to?
Like, you see their career and go "that's how to do it". I don't think there is one artist I would mould my career around specifically but there are definitely parts of different artist careers that I feel would be how I would want to approach it. I generally admire artists that are hard working, authentic and don't try to change their music to suit the masses necessarily. I also appreciate artists who encourage other artists and don't criticise others. Each artist comes from a different context - location, financial, connections etc- so I feel we all need to carve out the right path for us according to what works within our circumstances.
TSWS: What are your biggest fears as a person and as an artist?
I feel that my fears as a person and artist are one and the same for me. I fear not reaching my potential or making the most of my skills and circumstances. I fear life passing me by and regretting that I haven't done more. This is one of the main reasons I am throwing myself in to my music now!
TSWS: Do you have a bucket list as a musician?
I definitely have certain things I would like to achieve over my music career, both shorter and longer term! For live performances I would love to do a UK Tour and then longer term do a world tour! I would love to write songs for big artists and to have my songs on film and TV,. It would be a dream collaborate and perform with at least one of my musical inspirations and overall to long term be able to make a living from my music and to connect with people through its amazing power! I am sure I will think of more things as my career progresses but I do also try to live in the moment and focus on what I can do now to make the next steps!
TSWS: You're very steady with releasing singles! Any plans for the next?
Yes the next one is in the process or being produced and I can't wait to share this one too! It is always amazing to share new songs with the world!
TSWS: If you were about to win a major music award. Who would you thank?
I would thank my fans who without I wouldn't have an audience to share my music with! I would thank my supportive friends and daily and importantly I would thank myself for allowing myself to pursue music and to take that chance! I am also sure at this point I would have a wonderful entourage who I would of course thank as well!