A Chat with Anya Mia (16.07.2026)
Drawing on musical influences that have been collected along the journey of her musical calling, Anya Mia is showcasing them all in her EP Cold + Blue. We speak with the talented singer-songwriter to learn more about the EP, her journey to music, songwriting events, upcoming plans and much more.
OSR: Your journey as an artist wasn’t a straightforward one, but what made you want to start making and releasing your own music?
Mia: I was writing songs and trying to play the guitar as a teenager, and I studied classical flute, but I had no support at home. Like a lot of parents, mine didn’t see music as a serious career, or anything you should be spending a lot of time with. I also married very young, and my (now ex) husband (a musician!) was also very discouraging. I didn’t have enough confidence in it and my abilities to keep at it, so I dropped it.
Several years ago, I sang in a choir. It was a city public art project, and we sang at a few big events. I could hear myself against the other voices, and I thought, you know, maybe I’m not so bad. I hung out with a group of people who played music and jammed every Friday, and I’d been going there for years before I started joining in by singing. I surprised everyone, including myself! From there, it was a matter of building confidence along with skills.
I sang with a few local acoustic duos and trios before I realized that what I really wanted was to make my own music.
OSR: Do you feel that your work as a writer enhances your musical abilities?
Mia: Yes. I write about music, and have done so for several years. Being immersed in music all the time, and talking to many artists about what they do, really keeps my own creative spark going, I find.
OSR: Your EP Cold + Blue has 4 songs that cross various genres. Do you find it easy to create music across genres?
Mia: I do, and I think it’s just because I listen to a wide variety of music. It doesn’t actually feel like it’s all different genres, if that makes sense – it just feels like music.
OSR: What would you say is the biggest influence on the music you make?
Mia: Probably the classical training on flute, which included music theory and basic keyboard skills. (I actually started learning to play piano/keyboards more properly during the pandemic.) It helps to organize my musical thoughts, even if what comes out is more jazzy or pop rather than classical sounding.
OSR: With the different genres of the songs, what made you release them together?
Mia: It took me a couple of years to put the EP together, to get together with collaborators and so on, and I was writing new songs all the time. I ended up putting together the four I thought worked out the best – it just so happens that they’re all over the map in terms of genre.
OSR: The track ‘Lost In The Water’ was co-written with Louis Kirstein. How did you get together to create the song?
Mia: I co-host a monthly open mic for writers, and previously a songwriter’s circle. Louis came out to the songwriting circle about two years ago, and he played the music for the song. He said he didn’t sing himself, and didn’t have lyrics for it, but after he played, I told him I could hear a melody and lyrics. We started getting together to work on it, and it developed into what you hear on the EP.
OSR: What are you hoping people will take away from your music?
Mia: I think the four songs showcase my abilities as a vocalist, songwriter, and arranger, so I’m hoping that people enjoy all those aspects of my music. As a writer, I pay a lot of attention to the lyrics, and I do hope people get something out of listening to them.
OSR: Alongside creating and releasing your own music, you host songwriter circle events. How did these events start?
Mia: I’ve gone to several open mic events over the years, and they tend to focus on covers rather than original music. They also have a tendency to be on the clique-y side, where a small group takes up most of the time on stage. I started the kind of event I wanted to go to myself, and I managed to convince a bar owner that it was a good idea. After that venue closed down (they’re putting condos in that space!) I managed to persuade a church of the same idea, and this time, enlisted a friend who’s also a musician/writer to co-host. This church also serves as a music venue, so the acoustics and equipment setup is ideal.
OSR: As a solo artist, you’ve performed at clubs, in events and shows. What is your most memorable moment?
Mia: A couple of years ago, I put together a show with a friend of mine. For my part, I developed a kind of storytelling script that linked several of my songs. There were moments during my performance when you could have heard a pin drop in the audience – they were really silent, and really listening. I don’t care how big the audience is; what I really love as a performer is making that genuine connection with them.
OSR: To all the people who are experiencing your music for the first time, which song would you recommend for them to get a real feel for who you are as an artist?
Mia: I might start with ‘Corporate Jive’. It’s got lyrics with a perspective I think a lot of people can relate to (anyone who’s worked in a crappy office job!), and has a retro sound that seems to come to me really easily.
OSR: What does the future hold for you? Any new releases?
Mia: Louis and I have plans to write and record a few more songs together, and I’m also rewriting some artsy spoken word/music material I first worked on several years ago. My writer’s open mic co-host and I, and another artist who comes to it regularly, have also been talking about putting together a stage show later this year.
OSR: Do you have a message for our readers?
Mia: It’s never too late to start something you really love, and get in touch with your true passions.
Many thanks to Anya Mia for speaking with us. Find out more about Anya Mia on her official website, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, SoundCloud, Bandcamp, Tidal and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
