Raised in Santa Ana, CA, Miya Folick grew up in a Buddhist family, her grandfather a minister. The ritualistic practices of the religion influenced her from a young age, the chants in particular finding their way into her songs. Studying classical music in high school and joining a few different choirs, she developed a love for choral music and its ethereal beauty.
While studying theatre in college, Miya found inspiration in the art of movement and dance. She picked up guitar, taking occasional lessons but mostly teaching herself how to play. After a brief stay in NYC, she moved to LA and, not knowing many people in her new city, spent most of her time in her apartment messing with her guitar and writing songs. She compares songwriting to short stories in that both mediums allow more freedom to experiment with themes and styles without being bound by the constraints of making them work over a longer timeframe.
Miya sees her songs as an opportunity to explore different aspects of her life, and combines her myriad of artistic influences with her unique experiences to create her music. Featured in NPR’s SXSW Austin 100, Spotify’s New Music Tuesday, The New York Times, Stereogum, Noisey and Pigeons & Planes, Miya is poised for a huge year in 2016.
http://www.ascap.com/eventsawards/events/sundance/2016/artists/miya-folick.aspx