Hard to miss! Miranda Joan, traveler of the world, is spreading her music with positivity everywhere in the western hemisphere. Despite her new recently-released single “Ruined”, the French-English neo-soul singer is unstoppable in spreading her musical talent, and we will even be seeing a new single in French later this year. She further shares her talent through Femme Jam, NYC's first all-female-led jam session which she co-founded. In our interview with Miranda, we talk about her sensational journey in spreading positivity through music. Keep reading!

Where are you based?
Hello Jejune readers! I’m based in Brooklyn, New York and I also spend time throughout the year where I’m from in Vancouver, Canada.

Why music? What inspired you towards that path?
Music was something that I was drawn to even as a child. I’m the only musician in my family but music was always playing in the house, and once I started performing in bands and writing songs in high school it was a pretty natural progression. I started and just never stopped.

You are a neo-soul singer and songwriter. Can you explain to our readers what neo-soul music is? How did you find your style of music?
I usually say my music falls somewhere within the greater soul-bowl, which is a delicious mix of soul, jazz, R&B, pop and singer-songwriter. I grew up listening to a lot of different kinds of music and still do, so I draw a lot of inspiration from a variety of genres. I think an artist’s style evolves the more they create, so I think by simply continue to write and record my style has come into greater focus over the years.

Songwriting can be strenuous. How was the process like for you? What do you do to get inspired?
There are many parts of being an artist that I find strenuous but songwriting usually is not one of them. Songwriting is a soft place to land for however I’m feeling or whatever I’m thinking and the process has really been about continuing to show up. Even on days when I’m not feeling inspired, I try to keep my ears open for stories and when I get that feeling I do my best to lean into it and create.

You were born in Montreal, raised in Vancouver, and brought up in French and English backgrounds. Did it influence how you write your song with such a multicultural upbringing? If so, how?
Growing up bilingual and bi-coastal definitely influenced the lens through which I understood myself and my connection to place. I never felt fully “from” somewhere. Parts of me were always here and there, and I think there’s something about having moved a lot that made it easier to connect with people. Home had a more fluid definition, which can feel uprooting at times but the flip-side is that and I’ve felt at home in a lot of different places. Also, I’ll be releasing a song in French this year!! Oui oui :)

Your new single, “Ruined” is out now! Can you tell us a little bit about this song and what inspired you to write it?
”Ruined” is about my first experience in a physical relationship. Every young person wonders what that first time is going to be like, and in this case, I got ahead of myself. I was naïve and unfortunately with someone who wasn’t safe for me so it was not in any way how I pictured it. It shattered the fantasy and I think with physical intimacy often being conflated with love, for a while it shattered love for me as well.

It is a hard song in some ways, but the music is uplifting. What made you decide to go this way with the song?
I decided to go in a more uplifting direction with the music because although the lyrics are heavy, my heart does not live in that place anymore. This happened when I was younger and I’ve worked through the trauma of that time. I still wanted to share the story, but it is told through the lens of where I’m at now.

Jejune loves your other new song “Home.” What prompted you to write this song? What would you like people to experience from listening to this song?
Thank you, I’m so glad to hear that! Home is really about finding that place inside yourself. Speaking on what I mentioned earlier about having moved around a lot, I’ve found home in many different geographical places. For me, home will always be where the love is. And love moves around, so even when I’m far from the people I love I know that I still carry that feeling of home within. My hope is for people to feel some comfort when they hear it; connection to the love that lives inside themselves.

Jejune likes the rhythm of the song. It's very soothing yet upbeat at the same time! The song started with “Where will I go and what will I see? Where will I find home and where will it find me?” Can you expand on the meaning behind these lyrics?
I wrote this song when I was 17 graduating high school and getting ready to leave home for the first time, so the questions I ask are what I was thinking about at the time. It’s funny to hear them now though and see how I still ask myself so many of these questions but through a slightly different lens; one that routed in more experience than the person I was when I first wrote it. I’m not sure there are answers to most of them and I think that’s part of what makes it beautiful.

Previously, you were living in NYC, from performing on national tours and played sold-out shows to becoming a headliner at well-known venues such as Rockwood Music Hall, Rough Trade, and National Sawdust as well as performing at Montreal Jazz Festival in a tribute to Dr. Dre. Covid must have been a huge change for you. How did the lockdown impact you?
I think most of us really suffered from a lack of connection over the course of lockdown and the impact of that was significant. Like most artists and live performers, this year was rough and of course our livelihoods took a big hit but so did our hearts. I wrote a lot in this time and I’m grateful for that but I missed the stage. Sharing music through your phone versus sharing music with a live audience is a very different experience. What makes performing magical is that the audience is a part of it; that singular moment is an exchange of energy and there is no substitute for it.

You had your first live show on June 9th. How did it feel to be back?
The first live show back felt incredible! From my bandmates on stage, to the crowd, to the venue (Cmon Everybody in Brooklyn), it felt like a real reunion and celebration. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect re-entry to live performance.

Jejune greatly admires that you co-founded and co-host Femme Jam ( NYC's first all-female-led jam session). Can you share with Jejune what Femme Jam is? What led you to start this?
Femme Jam is a monthly female-led jam session that was co-founded by myself, Melissa McMillan, Camille Trust and Alita Moses. The catalyst for the evening was a conversation about how seldom jam session house bands included females, never mind female leaders. We saw a gap and decided to try and fill it and what came from it was a welcoming, safe space for musicians to gather, play, network, and connect. We are an eleven-piece house band and have an incredible DJ (DJ Luna Rosa) and every other month we split the door with a local organization doing important work in the community. It is an evening I look forward to every month at Cmon Everybody in Bed-Stuy Brooklyn and I can’t wait to get back at it!

What do you hope people get out of Femme Jam? How can we join?
There are a lot of people who come out to play but we get an equal amount of people come out to support. I think the evening has fostered a sense of community that extends beyond just musicians, which is something I think we’re all particularly proud of. It’s a good vibes kind of night and I think overall that’s what we aim to create: a place for people to gather, feel good, and have fun. Anyone and everyone are welcome to come to play or hang out, so all you have to do to join is show up!

When is Femme Jam starting up again?
We’re aiming to start the session back up in October, but we will keep you all posted on our Instagram @femmejamsession .

With so many creative endeavors under your belt, do you face any challenges in your journey as a young woman artist in the competitive entertainment industry? Have you ever experienced gender discrimination?
This could be a very long-winded answer, ha! But the short of it is - yes. As a woman in the industry, I need to keep my guard up. I’m conscientious about who I’m meeting to work with, where we’ll be, and what the expectations are. Safety is always a consideration for women in this world unfortunately and that certainly plays a role in the music industry as well. Creatively, I’ve also wrestled with gender discrimination and have been on a continued journey to stay grounded in my own creative and self-worth.

You are a big advocate for feminism. It has been reported that the music industry is still male dominant and there is a certain stereotyping that’s happening with women. Can you please let us know your thoughts on this? Where do you think the music industry goes from here?
I think it behooves the industry to continue to make a concerted effort to include women in leadership roles. I believe our systems as a whole function better when those leading them better reflect the people that they are actually serving. Women need to be equally represented in the workplace, regardless of the industry, and we deserve to feel safe in our work. As we continue to have more women in positions of power, my hope is that some of that the stereotyping you mentioned will diminish, but I think that’s an ongoing process that will take time.

Are there any upcoming projects installed for the rest of 2021? Should we be on the lookout for anything new from you?
Yes!!! I am very excited to say that I will be continuing to release music this year. My next single is in French and it will be off of an album that I’ll be releasing in the fall which includes the music I’ve been releasing over this past year. I also have some fun shows lined up for the summer; July 22nd at Rockwood Music Hall and September 3rd at Mercury Lounge!

How have you been staying positive during this pandemic?
Creating. Creating and trying to stay connected with my friends and family; to that core of love. I don’t think I would have had the strength to continue to show up for myself if it weren’t for the people who love and support me. That was made evermore clear over this past year and I am eternally grateful for that. Creativity was my lifeline to self and spirit, and family, both chosen and not, were my lifeline to love and connection.

Lastly, what is your motto in life?
Keep what’s true in front of you - Richard Wagamese

To find more about Mayda, please follow her via the below platforms:
https://mirandajoan.com/
Instagram - @mirandajoanmusic
TikTok - @mirandajoanmusic

Miranda Joan: Home Is Where Your Heart Is