Mia Aja - Smoke w/Interview
Mia Aja is a musician from Sacramento, California. Combining elements of classic soul and R&B while utilizing a late 90’s to early 00’s musical aesthetic, Mia is able to create richly textured music with stunning vocal performances; her musical style often reflects what she is feeling while she’s writing her songs which helps her style brim with variety. Today we check out Mia Aja’s 90’s vibe-filled single, “Smoke”.
“Smoke” is a beautiful song that gives us a great look at Mia Aja’s silky smooth vocals. The track also puts Mia’s melodic skills on display, keeping a consistent but smooth feel throughout much of the song but truly expanding to something special at around the two-minute forty-five second mark. “Smoke” is exceptionally soulful, with the lyrics seemingly having a personal meaning to them. Mia’s trademark late 90’s and early 00’s R&B vibe is on full display throughout the track, making me feel nostalgic for the songs on the radio from my younger days while listening; Mia does an excellent job of creating an atmospheric vibe that makes “Smoke” truly enjoyable and impactful.
Now I’m pleased to share our interview!
Thanks for being with Which Coast today!
How did you get your start in music?
It all started in church when I was a kid. My mom would take me every Sunday. She sang in the church choir and I loved the energy of the music and the singing. It gave me chills and that’s when I knew I had to be a part of it.
You make excellent R&B/Soul music. Who are some of your influences/favorite artists? Do you feel like you share musical elements with any of them?
My influences in music are gospel singers like Kim Burrel, KeKe Sheird, The Clark Sister and Yolanda Adams. Soul singers like Aretha Franklin, Jazmin Sullivan, Anita Baker, Brandy and Jill Scott, pop singers like Usher, Chris Brown, Michael Jackson and Beyoncé just to name a few. I’ve taken certain techniques from all of them and used them in my own way. I don’t think I sound like anyone and I try hard not to. There is a lot of mimicking going on today which kinda floods the airwaves with duplicates who are not very creative. Oh I forgot to mention Layla Hathoway and Whitney Houston are also 2 of my biggest inspirations as well.
What kinds of things do you do in your spare time?
Things I do in my spare time are watch movies with my daughter who is 9 years old. Or just hang out with her and she usually picks what we will do for the day. She also has a musical streak in her. She raps and make up her own beats as well with a program on her tablet.
Can you take me through some of your songwriting and recording process?
My song writing process usually starts with me listening to songs from one of my producers. Depending on how I’m feeling I will pick something to fit that moment. I will select a song and figure out a catchy melody first. Then the lyrics come next. I usually record myself on several takes where I just kinda freestyle and then go back through what I’ve done. I pick the take or choose pieces from all the takes I’ve done and put it all together to make sense. That’s basically my technique.
Your song "Smoke" does a great job of showing off your sound. What kind of vibe were you going for when writing and recording it? What is it about?
When I wrote Smoke I wasn’t going for particular vibe. I had something happen to me where I had to make a choice to stay in a situation that I didn’t like opposed to leaving the situation unbeknownst to what lied ahead. I chose to leave the situation and called it Victory since I am the author of my destiny. It allowed me to put my best foot forward and to rise to my fullest potential. This song was motivation i gave myself. This song really mean a lot to me and i hope to brighten someone else day or moment with the lyrics. The song is basically about pushing through circumstances no matter how difficult it may seem. Always look or make yourself see the good in every situation regardless of the challenge. Speak your outcome into existence and watch the Universe bring it to pass.
Is there anything else you'd like our readers to know?
Check out my new single Smoke and please pass it on to your friends and family.
Thanks so much to Mia Aja for taking the time to interview with us!
After getting to know Mia Aja better through her interview, it is nice to understand who her influences are and what drives her as a musician. Crafting songs for over fifteen years, Mia has truly honed her skills and she creates excellent music with a distinctive style. Although much of her sound is a callback to music from the late 90’s to early 00’s, it is easy to get a sense that Mia’s music is entirely her own; she owns it and creates some truly great tunes. Take a look at her Spotify for more of Mia’s music and as always we have “Smoke” embedded below!
