Writers on Track features Mia Kelly with CYMBA Music Publishing, a bilingual singer-songwriter from Gatineau, Quebec blending Folk, Rock, and Blues. Known for her poetic lyricism and powerful, versatile voice, Mia is quickly making her mark on the global folk music scene with emotionally honest storytelling and expertly crafted songs.
What’s your favorite part of the songwriting process?
My favourite part of the songwriting process is by far the starting of a song, when you catch the magic and the idea is just born. It all feels so new and exciting, like a first date, just testing the waters and flirting with a song idea.
What’s your biggest session highlight so far?
So far my biggest session highlight has been songwriting in the car on the way to a show with Blair Dunlop. We wrote lines back and forth and singing them out loud with no backing music to wrap our head around the idea, and we laughed a lot. It was a great way to write a song.
How much do current market and track trends impact your creative process?
I don’t think I am often aware of current market and track trends, which allows me to create freely from them. Obviously, inspiration pulls from all sorts of places, including artists I love who are putting out new music, but I never think about those trends while I write. I write what needs to come out emotionally, what feels good to me, telling the stories I feel need telling. After that, the way the songs are produced definitely gets sonically inspired by my favourite albums, some of which are current, and some of which are decades old. Of course, nothing is created in a vacuum, but trends aren’t really on my mind when I am creating music.
Listen to Mia Kelly on Amazon Music, Apple Music, or Spotify. Visit her website at miakellymusic.com.
