We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mia Rago. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mia below.

Mia, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I grew up with my dad singing Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin around the house, while my mom shared her love for Elvis Presley. My parents were always playing music in the car and throughout the house. Being submerged in music this young led me to begin singing at a very young age. I started off singing Frank Sinatra, mostly, and then began singing my favorite Disney Princess songs from Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and The Little Mermaid. I sang at talent shows in elementary school and started playing guitar in middle school. Learning the guitar was a turning point for my musical journey as I started writing songs during this time. In high school I continued developing my craft through more songwriting, more guitar lessons, and joining choir. Once I graduated high school, I decided to study music in college. College really changed the trajectory of my vocal ability, I started classical voice lessons and a whole new singing world was presented to me. Learning classical technique and beginning to sing opera was not only a beautiful challenge, but also a wonderful way for me to strengthen my musicianship. I am proud to say I am now a classically trained vocalist, but I will never be done improving this skill. I still take voice lessons and I don’t think there is anything I could have done to speed up this learning process. Learning music takes time and I have been enjoying learning everything I can about the voice. Same thing goes for songwriting; though I did not study songwriting in school, I have done my best to listen to other songwriters and learn from them. My most essential skill has been learning the classical technique; this has strengthened my voice in all types of genres. I hope to continue learning to become the best musician, songwriter, and vocalist I can be.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Music has been a part of my life from a very young age and I started singing quite young as well. I grew up in the west suburbs of Chicago listening to my dad sing which really began to peak my interest in music. I started playing guitar and writing my own songs in middle school. I continued singing and writing all throughout high school and once I got to college I started studying classical voice and opera. I attended college in Nashville, TN and obviously fell in love with the music of this city. In 2018 I felt it was time to record some of the songs I wrote. So the following year, I met Megan McCormick and she produced five of my original songs recorded at the Bomb Shelter. I released my debut EP, A Sea of Darkness, in 2020. I worked with some truly incredible musicians who helped bring my songs to life. This project holds a special place in my heart and I am extremely proud of all the songs on the EP. A few weeks ago I stepped back into the studio to record my debut album. I am thrilled with the way these songs have grown into cultivating my indie/alternative sound.

My songwriting has grown and changed immensely over the the past few years. I tend to write based on observation and real life experience. A lot of the songs off my debut album are songs that tell my life story. We are all shaped by our experiences and I love to tap into the things that make each person unique. I write songs mostly about love and heartbreak, but I have had some other life experiences which have shaped the way I write. I was diagnosed with severe scoliosis at the age of nine and had to undergo a series of intensive surgeries to correct my spine. Songwriting is extremely vulnerable and I hope my songs can help heal.

There is a subtle darkness in my songwriting and in my sound which may stem from my family’s funeral home and cemetery business. I grew up working funerals with my dad. This business has really shaped my outlook on life and my songwriting. All of my experiences and my upbringing have shaped the type of person and musician I am today. I feel incredibly lucky to be able to pursue my passion of music. I hope my music can help others in the same way it has helped me. My ultimate goal is to continue writing music, singing, and performing. I love all types of music and hope to continue creating as long as I can. I look forward to releasing my debut album into the world and continuing to create music.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Once I began studying opera and classical voice, many people assumed I did not want to be a singer-songwriter anymore. There is a constant struggle in the music industry – or any industry for that matter – where people are pressured to stay in a box and are never encouraged to step away from that box. As I began to pursue my classical music, there was an assumption that all I would ever be is an opera singer. However, I want to be an opera singer and a singer-songwriter. I want to continue my classical training while stilling writing indie music. Being close minded is incredibly dangerous, especially when it comes to being creative. I will continue pursuing all avenues of music regardless of what people tell me about only being able to pursue one genre. I want to bridge the gap between opera and commercial music so that everyone can see the beauty in all genres. I hope to explore everything music has to offer.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

I hope as a society we can start exploring the arts a bit more. There is truly something for everyone! I bet most people have never seen an opera based on a stereotype that it is boring. I encourage people to step out of their comfort zone and go to a show they wouldn’t normally think about going to. Supporting the arts means going to shows, buying merchandise, and following an artists journey on social media. I think the world would be very dull if we all stopped supporting artists.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://miarago.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MIARAGOMUSIC/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/miaragomusic/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0qPjJewS6IkwKhD3oJAZKQ
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@miaragomusic

Image Credits
Lindsey Patkos Kathy Rago