If Fiona Apple and Cat Power had a music love child, Miya Folick would be the result. Raised in Santa Ana, CA, Miya grew up in a Buddhist family. She picked up the guitar, taking occasional lessons, but mostly teaching herself how to play. She compares songwriting to short stories, in that both mediums allow her to experiment with themes and styles in short form.

When she moved to LA, she spent most of her time in her apartment writing songs. Miya sees her songs as an opportunity to explore different aspects of her life. In her latest EP “Strange Darling,” she combines her myriad of artistic influences with her unique experiences to create her music. With a series of singles planned for release in the coming months, Miya Folick is definitely a new artist to watch in 2016.

You have a very interesting upbringing, growing up in a Buddhist household. Did that background influence you at all musically?

Probably. I grew up in a Buddhist church and I was always chanting. I’m like a sponge, so I can’t help but be influenced by those sounds. Chanting is a very cyclical, natural form of communal noise. Those droning tones feel good—they feel cathartic. I’m definitely drawn to those tones.

When did you begin actually writing songs?

I guess I started writing songs seriously when I was playing guitar at twenty years old. This might sound weird, but I don’t really like the idea of songwriting. Songwriting doesn’t resonate. I like to make songs. Making songs is different than writing. Song-“writing” feels sterile. This idea of churning out songs is unappealing. I think about songs as objects. They have form, shape, feeling, and magic. They capture a feeling and a place in time. Songs exist outside of yourself and you’re discovering them. Great songs are magical and there’s an element of chant that makes that song appealing. I don’t think you can formulaically make a great song. You can have all these geniuses constantly creating art, but there are still many other factors that go into making something that appeals.

What’s on your bucket list in terms of musical achievement?

I want to make interesting, challenging music. I’d like to have a great, live show that makes people feel different when they leave. To touch people and also to feel happy within myself that I’m making music that’s different and thought-provoking.

Text by Zee Chang
Photograph by Darian Zahedi

Rbender top
Vintage Moschino skirt
Stylist’s own belt
Styling by Giorgia Tramontano
Makeup by Heather Cvar
Hair by Michael Quinn
Photography Assistant Eduardo Whaite