Mica Millar - 10 Questions

Cementing her position as one of the UK’s brightest new stars, Mica Millar receives two nominations at this year’s Jazz FM awards for Breakthrough Act of the Year and Soul Act of the Year.

“This year really has felt like a year of breaking through, it’s been incredible and I’m so grateful to everyone for all of the support I’ve received since releasing ‘Heaven Knows’ and particularly to Jazz FM who have been amazing at really getting behind me and the album. To have been nominated for two awards is a real achievement for me and to have been acknowledged for my work in a genre that I have so much respect and love for is a real honor”.

With her sights set firmly on breaking into the UK mainstream, Mica Millar’s debut album ‘Heaven Knows’ bursts with confidence, showcasing her immaculate, powerful vocal performance atop a bed of soul-infused musicianship. Becoming one of her biggest supporters this year, Jazz FM have sung Mica’s praises making ‘Girl’ their Track of the Week, playlisting title track ‘Heaven Knows’ with singles ‘Flashlights’ and ‘More Than You Give Me’ shooting onto the A List, all in addition to ‘Heaven Knows’ being featured as their Album of the Week.

Each year the noble Jazz FM Awards celebrate the utmost excellence of emerging soul and jazz musicians, they announced Mica will be in the running for two awards at the 2022 ceremony taking place on Thursday October 20th at Shoreditch Town Hall, for Breakthrough Act of the Year and Soul Act of the Year. Previous winners of the awards include Philip Bailey, Jon Batiste, Jill Scott, Moonchild and Poppy Ajudha.

The announcement lies ahead of Mica’s two massive live shows planned for September. Playing the biggest headline shows of her career she’ll be hitting the capital’s prestigious Jazz Cafe on Saturday 17th September and then the iconic Albert Hall in Manchester on Sunday 25th September to perform her new album in full. For London tickets visit here / Manchester tickets here.

Widespread acclaim for Mica’s debut album ‘Heaven Knows’ includes a plethora of national radio support from the likes of Trevor Nelson at BBC Radio 2, a slot on Clive Anderson’s ‘Loose Ends’ on BBC Radio 4, lead single ‘Preacher Man’ championed by Craig Charles & Tom Robinson on 6 Music, support for title track ‘Heaven Knows’ on BBC Radio 1 with Victoria Jane and Flashlights on BBC Radio 2’s Good Morning Sunday.

Mica sat down with Wordplay Magazine to answer our infamous 10 Questions:

1. So tell me, how did it all begin? What sparked your love for music?

I always loved Soul music. Both my parents have always been heavily into music. They both collected vinyl and had shelves of CD’s - between them they had everything from Stevie Wonder to Joni Mitchell and The Beach Boys as well as more leftfield records - particularly my dad who was really into prog rock too.

There was always music blasting from our kitchen at night, someone would be cooking a meal with the stereo turned up full blast.

My dad is a musician so there were always musicians at the house rehearsing or writing songs - they’ve be around the kitchen table with guitars or in what was, a bit of a makeshift studio in our basement.

When I was a kid and my auntie gave me her old record player, my parents selected a few vinyl that I could have in my bedroom from their collection - they took a while to deliberate between them which records I should have - it was Stevie Wonder, Jackson 5, The Beatles and The Beach Boys …pretty solid choices! I fell in love with Stevie then and it was really through songwriting which I started doing from a really young age that I discovered my love for creating music myself.

2. Who are some artists that influence you and that you want to work with in the future?

I’ve spent years exploring back catalogues of Soul artists like Stevie and Aretha. It’s music that just moves me. I listened to a lot of R&B in the 90s as a teenager, and later that led me to Gospel music and Jazz. But I also grew up on Folk artists like Joni Mitchell, Tracy Chapman and Joan Armatrading. All of this music has its place in my memory that I draw from when I’m writing.

3.  What projects do you have coming up and can you give us any info on them?

I’ll be playing a headline show at London’s iconic Jazz Café on 17th September. I am also playing my biggest hometown show to date at Manchester’s Albert Hall on 25th September. There I will perform my album in full. I’ve also just been nominated for two Jazz FM awards - ‘Soul Act of The Year’ and ‘Breakthrough Act of The Year’ so I’m really looking forward to the award ceremony in October - fingers crossed!

4. How would you describe your sound?

I’d say it is a sound that draws on classic soul - my intention with this record was to make something that was modern but couldn’t be easily defined as being from one specific era. I love timeless records so that was the approach when producing the record. My songs explore themes of human nature, spirituality, love, oppression, inequality and empowerment and I think they are really honest and hopefully uplifting or evoking of emotion.

5. What's your proudest moment to date so far as an artist?

I think finishing the album.

Having my debut album mixed by Brian Malouf and mastered by Geoff Peshe at Abbey Road Studios has definitely been a highlight  – Geoff called it his favourite project of 2021 and I hear he has since used tracks from the album as ‘mastering room references’ when working with other artists at Abbey Road Studios. Which is a real honour.

And of course the previously mentioned award nominations from Jazz FM - It really has felt like a year of breaking through and to be recognised for my work in a genre that I have so much love and respect for is a real achievement for me.

6. Do you have any advice for our readers who may be trying to play the mad game of music?

I think perseverance and self-belief are incredibly important – you can’t always maintain that consistently but if you can keep coming back to that place deep down in your core, knowing who you are and what you want and you can hold on to that throughout your journey, I think you can overcome any obstacle that the music industry presents.

For me, my journey has been about understanding that you need to know where you’re going and just head there. “If you build it, they will come.” There will always be people who tell you what you want to do is not possible or unlikely or challenging so I think half the battle is recognising when people are trying to project their own ideas and limitations on you and when people are offering solid advice. To succeed, I think firstly it’s really important to know what success means to you, then have faith that it’s possible but also balance that more spiritual notion with a practical plan.

With all that said, I am working my way towards my own definition of success which shifts and changes slightly with each foot forward – you get a view from a different vantage point at each stage. I don’t think as a creative you can ever really ‘make it’ as the goal post will always be moving quicker than you can reach it so I have to continually remind myself that it’s all about the journey, not the destination.

7. Are there any artists on your radar right now that we should check out?

Yes, I’d suggest checking out Pip Millet, Sophie Faith, FaceSoul, Tora, Children of Zeus.

8. What albums are on heavy rotation on your Spotify playlist currently?

I’ve not had a lot of time to listen to music of late which is challenging for me but Cleo Sol - Mother, Blue Lab Beats - Motherland and Robert Glasper - Black Radio III are all brilliant recently released albums.

9. What do you like to do when you're not making music?

As a musician there’s not a lot of time outside of music but when I’m not making it I’m working on releasing and marketing it or recently I’ve been preparing for the upcoming live shows with my band - music is my life really!

Outside of work, which really takes up the majority of my time, I just catch up with mates and family and go out for dinner and drinks - all the normal stuff! I love a long bike ride - I’m always out on my bike and do a bit of meditation and listen to podcasts - love a bit of Russell Brand ‘Under The Skin’.

10. Name Three things you can't live without when in the studio?

Vocal Zone, water and mood lighting.