Known for her distinctive soulful vocal tone, spiked with socially conscious lyrics and classic British songwriting, MIRI ‘ s brand of rebel music has won fans across the globe over the last few years. She is now set to drop her latest single, a version of Cyndi Lauper ‘ s classic Girls Just Want To Have Fun ‘ due out 14th February.
But this is more than just a cover, it represents an empowering feeling and emotion to MIRI as an artist but also to her fans on many levels. After becoming a live favourite on the road, the track has received lots of love around the UK and Europe and this love was the catalyst to release it fully as a single. MIRI explains further:
“Girls Just Want To Have Fun has become very personal to me. There’ s so much I’ m able to express beyond the song itself. One of the most emotional times performing it was when I was guest-hosting at Bar Wotever. I was asked to sing the song so that we could all pay tribute to the victims who lost their lives in the Manchester arena bombings.”
In 2019 MIRI released her EP Soundbites’, tracks from which garnered support from Gemma Cairney at BBC 6 Music, Clash Magazine and BBC Introducing. She also spoke to BBC Radio London and Fubar Radio about her music, mental health and LGBTQ+ issues. In May during Mental Health Awareness Week, London In Stereo featured a playlist curated by MIRI to highlight tracks which convey important messages about mental health and earlier last year she performed at 2 male prisons ( HM Prison The Mount and HMP Spring Hill ) to spread awareness for LGBTQ+ History Month. Later in 2019 MIRI performed four gigs in Kingston for CirKT in association with the Mayor of London (after being handpicked by Hyper Frank and Field Day Festival Founder Tom Baker ), as well as curating, compering and performing at the Soundbank Centre for Raze Collective’ s event Raze On The River as part of the Southbank Centre Summer Festival.
Listen to ‘Girls Just Want To Have Fun’ – BELOW:
As a champion of all things LGBTQ+, she has worked on the well being a team for the Girls Rock London, a summer camp which helps to empower girls (and applicants who self-identify as girls, women, trans* and/or gender non-conforming) aged 11-16 through music. She is the curator of Diversity Platform, a Q&A and panel discussions for young LGBTQ+ artists and allies offering support and guidance in the music industry and is on the BEAT Board (breakthrough emerging artist together), an advisory board for The Featured Artist Coalition.
Outside of music, MIRI works with mental health awareness charities and community projects. Her work with influential music charity Key Changes (a platform who deliver recovery programmes for musicians experiencing mental health problems) sees her run weekly open mic sessions in a mental health hospital in north London. She is also a music mentor for young people at the south London charity School Ground Sounds which has previously been funded by The Arts Council with showcases held at venues like POP Brixton.
Her previous music releases have gained spins from BBC 6 Music, Radio DIVA, Soho Radio, BBC London Introducing and Radio X. She has previously written and worked with artists including Estelle, Plan B, Anita Blay and Xylaroo (Sunday Best ). Live-wise MIRI has performed extensively across UK & Europe highlights include; Trafalgar Square for Million Women Rise (a rally and protest to end violence against women), shows at The 100 Club for The Official Bob Marley Birthday Celebration, Safe Gigs For Women, Sofar Sounds, the main stage at Manchester Pride supporting Rita Ora, and Bush Hall supporting Laura Veirs.
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