Everyone has dreams, and Miist is no different. When she was young, she dreamed of meeting someone to share her life with, to be a wife, mother, and a source of inspiration to those around her. She has always believed, “Each new day brings new challenges and opportunities; however, it is up to us to decide which one of those each day will become.”
At 33 years old, having achieved all those, Miist was enjoying the day with a friend when a question about dreams turned into a dare – her friend challenged her to write a song. ‘Oh no, I couldn’t do that!’ she exclaimed, but her friend pressed. She knew Miist had stories in her that needed to be told and that music would be the path to sharing them with the world.
With a bit of coaxing, Miist went along with her friend’s request, took the challenge, and gave in to the dare. To humour her would bring her joy, even if it meant failing dramatically.
A CHILDHOOD OF LONELINESS
Miist was not a child music prodigy nor a writer; in fact, she had been, before marriage, a bookkeeper for a clothing retailer. She did not live glamorously, nor did she want for much. But on the day of her friend’s dare, she felt emotion rise within her, and by the end of the day, she had composed three songs! It was like the door of her heart had opened, and the stories began spilling out.
“We all have room to grow. I feel there is a lot to learn about myself to understand why I am now and where I want to be,” shares Miist as she grows each day as a songwriter and singer. From a tender age, Miist had hardships and sometimes struggled to understand why some people in her life were happy, but others seemed to live under a cloud, unsure how to grow and thrive.
It is painful for her to share, but when asked for the story of ‘She,’ Miist says, “I’ve had a difficult relationship with my mother since I was five years old. It was then both my parents dropped me off at a boarding school. I was a teenager by the time my mom and I would again spend any significant time together, and I was in my 20s before the relationship started to mend. I went through a life-threatening health scare, and she was the only one who stood firmly by my side. We are now closer than we have ever been. I wrote the song ‘She’ for her and all mothers.”
AT TARPAN STUDIOS
With storytelling at the centre of her music and vocally talented in multiple genres, Miist has now written dozens of songs, including many with her producer, Narada Michael Walden. At Tarpan Studios in Marin County, California, where Miist and her family have a home, the sessions are about two creatives bonding and blending styles.
Known as ‘Narada,’ he is not only producing Miist’s upcoming ‘The Songs From The Living Room’ album but has also actively co-written with her.
Narada shares, when asked why he took on producing Miist with a completely unknown singer/songwriter, “Miist is really special in that she prepares beautifully for the sessions. She will learn her music, note for note, what she wants to record. Of course, we can always be spontaneous when we want to make the actual recordings.
“The fact that she comes prepared reminds me of Aretha Franklin. Aretha was really professional, so much so that there wasn’t even a lyric on the music stand – it was all memorized – what she wanted to give. Miist is the same kind of feeling. Everything she knows, everything is prepared, so we can just have fun with recording it, trying a few things that we want to do, and what she knows in her heart. This is what I am most appreciative about Miist.”
Narada comes with a pedigree that includes being named one of Billboard Magazine’s Top 10 All-Time Producers in 2023 and is a Grammy & Emmy Winning Producer, Musician, and Recording Artist producing hits for artists as diverse as Mariah Carey, Barbara Streisand, George Michael, Lionel Ritchie, Stevie Wonder, and Tom Jones, and has a hit music career that spans decades.
The abundance of her songwriting paired with Narada’s trademark foot-thumping rhythms—found in his 57 #1 Hits—is a potent mix that is pushing Miist’s songs higher on the FM and College radio charts and climbing over 2M streams on the world’s top platforms in early 2024.
“Miist has in her songwriting a kind of classic approach which I appreciate. She uses a lot of classic chord changes, melody, and not having to be too limited, so I like that we can kind of stretch out and use the colours of our palettes in Miist’s music. Not saying that we can’t be super current because we are but we can also do beautiful things that we don’t often hear or feel. She is not afraid to expose her vulnerability and innocence in her music. We use the word ‘purity’ as she is not afraid to use the things that we spoke about and sing about in the 1960s, for example. This is what is beautiful about Miist’s music,” expressed Narada.
DESERVING OF LOVE
Miist writes and performs her songs and music videos in English and Mandarin to add to her international appeal. Miist is reaching an audience of all ages through her music, Clean-Pop. From the young girl trying to connect with her mother, the young woman seeking love in times of uncertainty, and all those struggling with finding their voice, confidence, and who they are deep inside.
Her lyrics are expressive, genuine, and full of emotion. The theme of love is a common thread that ties the songs together. Whether it is seeking love, losing love, or sharing love, Miist says, “Understanding we all deserve love is the key to making true connections. I didn’t use to believe I deserved to be loved, so I found myself subconsciously engaging in so many destructive actions to prove to myself that I actually deserved love.
But now I finally feel I deserve to be loved, and I want to be loved. This journey has also resulted in me finally loving myself as well. Something I have never felt before.” Narada has expressed that Miist is one of the rarest gems in the industry, a singer and songwriter who is a beautiful soul who lights up the world around her. “When creating beauty in your life, remember that true beauty comes from inside. I know we hear that so many times. But a beautiful life is based on happiness – which comes from inside. It is not what it just looks like to other people. The external things that people like to show on Social Media are often not so beautiful for those that are actually living it,” explains Miist. As a mother to a young daughter, she knows she must be vigilant and protective of her and all children.
THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT
With a personal philosophy of living life with thankfulness, Miist shares, “View the world with open eyes, and you will see there is a lot more to love and enjoy from people, places, culture and food. I truly believe that one day all people can and will learn to live in peace. I know that sounds like a dream and hope that pushes us to change ourselves and the world around us.” During a private and intimate performance at Vancouver’s Stefano Ricci, Miist brought guests to tears as she performed ‘She’ on the gorgeous California Walnut Fazioli F212 in Pyramid Mahogany provided by Manuel Bernaschek and Showcase Pianos.
Afterwards, Miist shared, “When I dream of my life, I feel I’m unsure how to say this because it sounds funny, but I love my life. I’m living a life that I never thought I would. And I don’t mean just the music. I’m surrounded by a wonderful family who support and love this new part of me. It is the everyday life that I live that brings me the most joy.”
Miist promises to continue to create and inspire those who take solace in her words, are inspired by her music, and find happiness in the positive universality of her message.
Author Profile
- Helen Siwak is the founder of EcoLuxLuv Marketing & Communications Inc and publisher of Folio.YVR Luxury Lifestyle Magazine, PORTFOLIOY.YVR Business & Entrepreneurs Magazine, and digital women's lifestyle magazine EcoLuxLifestyle.co. She is a prolific content creator, consultant, and marketing and media strategist within the ecoluxury lifestyle niche. Post-pandemic, she has worked with many small to mid-sized plant-based/vegan brands to build their digital foundations and strategize content creation and business development. Helen is the west coast correspondent to Canada’s top-read industry magazine Retail-Insider, holds a vast freelance portfolio, and consults with many of the world’s luxury heritage brands. Always seeking new opportunities and challenges, you can email her at helen@ecoluxluv.com.
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