Miya Folick’s Lion-Hearted Pop Draws Wonder and Awe at SXSW 2019
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Miya Folick’s operatic synth-pop is something to be cherished in this cold, dark world. Her 2018 debut album Premonitions displayed her otherworldly vocal talent, emotionally nuanced songwriting and contagious compassion. The Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter made the trip over to Austin, Texas for SXSW 2019, where she played a number of shows including a Saturday afternoon set at Cheer Up Charlies and a stripped down session for Paste at the Riverview Bungalow.
With her music, Folick doesn’t just want us to feel better, she wants us to be better. Adorned with hauntingly beautiful vocal loops and majestic keyboards, “Thingamajig” was one of the most impactful moments of her Cheer Up Charlies set. In an impromptu spoken word interlude, she expressed having a type of impostor syndrome—that she wasn’t good enough, that she didn’t deserve to be there and that she doesn’t know what she’s doing. The song encourages us to stop pointing the finger at ourselves when we should blame power structures instead for their perpetuation of personal inadequacy. Lyrically, Folick rarely stays on the same talking point. Though there are undeniable moments of poignancy and catharsis, they’re often squished between spunkier, light-hearted numbers like “Cost Your Love,” which sparked a joyous sway from the Cheer Up audience.