We had the good fortune of connecting with Mia Dre and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mia, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
It might sound weird for the people who are not in the creative industry, but it’s like it’s choosing you, not you choosing to be creative. It all goes down to waking up every day and being excited about creating a music video, or when you are sad at night, instead of watching Netflix, you feel like writing a song. The other factor is the people who you look up to. Billie Eilish, Tove Lo, Masego and LP were the people that inspired me with their music and their unconventional way of living life. I probably watched all the interviews there haha. I thought to myself, “I love what those people are doing” I want to do the same. I think my personality also fits the music path. I easily connect with people, and I like sharing my experiences.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
What are you most proud of or excited about?

I’m very proud of how many people my music reached in a relatively short time. My single “Lucifer” gained thousands of streams on Spotify and quite an interest on YouTube and Tiktok.
I even met someone at a recent Miami Bitcoin Conference 2022 who knew my song before meeting me! Hearing that gives me so much wheel to keep going!
I’m also proud of how I improved over the years. I’ve practised and experimented a lot and just love seeing how my visions come to life. It’s a feeling you cannot describe. When people ask about music nowadays, they want to know your number of streams, which is cool, but music is not only about the numbers. If one person can feel better or emotionally relieved after listening to my music, I feel like I succeed. It’s worth more than a million views.

What sets you apart from others?

When I write my songs, I don’t only think about the sound but also the visuals. Drawings and visual art were always integral to creating art for me. I studied Media Production at my University and directed some documentaries and music videos. Every photo you will find on my social media or a video was directed by me, like my newest single, Harley Queen. I shoot the video in Birmingham, UK and found an actor one day before! I knew that I wanted the video to be disturbing, showing the emotions of being trapped in a toxic relationship by your own mind. Many girls wrote to me after watching this video, saying they relate. My other interest is psychology, so I want my music to be almost like a shocking therapy.

What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way?

The lesson I’ve learned is to give zero F***s!
Okay, I’m joking, but the point is we all ask too many questions about whether we are capable or not. Am I good enough? Is it going to work out? What if it doesn’t? We ask other people and waste energy on pointless arguments. If you are an artist, you know what I’m talking about! But the answer is nobody knows. Only you have your gut feeling you are, so keep going. Listen to your heart <3
Billie Eilish once said, “Everyone is gonna die, and no one is gonna remember you, so F**k it”.

Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges?

For me making music wasn’t always easy. It wasn’t easy at all, if I’m honest.
For around 8 years, I lived in England, but as a child, I lived in Poland. I was bullied in school for posting stuff on YouTube. Kids said, ” Oh, you want to be a star that’s funny”.
I’ve always believed in myself as an artist and told people I would one day go to New York, Miami, and Hollywood. All that was always perceived as delusional, and people called me childish. They said it was a “childish dream”. “You will never make it. Your English isn’t good enough. You not talented enough”.
I read all these interviews where artists say how much they were supported by their parents or school friends, and sometimes I’m jealous. So, I guess the most significant challenge was simply not giving up.
No matter what someone says, keep doing what you love. The energy returns energy. And that’s what I want to teach others too.

How did you get to where you are today professionally?

How I started writing my songs, it’s quite an exciting story. I always knew I wanted to sing, but most pop songs wouldn’t fit my voice range. I have a pretty low voice for a woman, and I couldn’t hit the note with my chest voice, and for most pop songs written for a woman, it’s a must.
So, at 13, I decided to write myself a song that would fit me perfectly; then, I got help from a producer, and we recorded a song. Then the other one, and I slowly realised I had a talent for writing songs.
It wasn’t always easy.
My dad is General Secretary of the Kyokushin World Federation and always wanted me to do Karate, but I felt like I had my own path. I once decided to write a Karate “anthem” called “Mocuso Yame”, and it kicked in. I got invited to many Karate Championships to perform the song, one in the biggest Arena in Poland” “Tauron Arena.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I think I’m the right person to ask! My favourite spot in Miami is South Miami Beach, haha. I know it sounds simple but coming from rainy and moody London, sitting on the beach is all we want to do! I think Miami locals don’t appreciate the weather and beach itself enough.
And the water is so clear and warm. My perfect day would be having a picnic on the beach without spending too much money.
I typically cook myself when it comes to food, but I couldn’t resist my friends showing me around a few places!
First, a coffee pizza at Mister 01 Extraordinary Pizza at Coconut Grove. What an idea, spicy pizza with coffee on top – I loved it!
Secondly, I’m a fan of Chinese cuisine, so a “Cook Cook Hotpot Buffet” in South Miami is a place to go. You can eat how much you want, and it has a variety of foods. If you are vegan, vegetarian, or pescatarian, it’s a place for you.
Have you heard of those alcoholic cute ice creams called Maker’s Mark ice cream? They sell them in the Design District. Such an excellent idea for a hot day. It’s also all I can afford there (laughing). You can also find some incredibly talented street musicians there. I think we should pay more attention to them!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to my brother Oskar Drewniak aka Dose, who’s a DJ, for constantly pushing me harder. My friend Faizal Baluchi for being the most supportive fan ever, Jourdan Chinn, aka JarodtheSixth, for always being there for me and understanding how it is being an independent musician and Justin Hassani for all the help in Miami. They are my biggest supporters and stay with me for better or worse, understanding my wild artistic nature. There is the type of people you can call any time, and they are willing to help you. It’s rare <3

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mia.dre.musicinsta/?hl=en

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MiaDrewniak

Other: Spotify: https://soundcloud.com/mia-drewniak-295795253 Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/mia-drewniak-295795253 Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mia.dre.musicinst Youtube Music ; https://music.youtube.com/channel/UC2ktbKQSB3P-7BfCloWMqCA?feature=share

Image Credits
Daria Loch – all the beach pictures Kamila Dzaman – studio pics

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutMiami is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.