FEATURE: Spotlight: Mica Millar — Music Musings & Such

FEATURE:

Spotlight

Mica Millar

__________

I have surprised myself that I have not…

included the wonderful and staggering Mica Millar in Spotlight! Her voice is so beautiful, captivating, powerful and soulful that it can buckle the knees, make the heart stop, the jaw drop and, well…it makes you fall in love with her! A modern artist who I think can match R&B and Soul greats of the past, Millar is Manchester-based artist whose new album, Heaven Knows, is one of the finest of this year. Such a young and already-brilliant and professional artist, I know 2023 is going to be immense for her. She recently won the Jazz FM Soul Act of the Year (and quite right!). I can picture Millar touring around the U.S. and doing some wonderful gigs around New York and the East Coast. Maybe I am getting ahead of myself, but I can picture this big American audience opening up. I will end with a couple of reviews for the unbelievable Heaven Knows. I am going to come to some interviews too. Before that, and a bit of a cheat, here is the bio of Mica Millar from her official website:

“Releasing her debut album 'Heaven Knows' to critical review earlier this year, Mica Millar has quickly become one of the UK brightest new Soul stars, picking up Jazz FM's prestigious 'Soul Act of The Year 2022' award alongside a nomination for 'Breakthrough Act of The Year' and featuring on the front cover of the iconic Blues & Soul Magazine amidst an array of five star album and live reviews and national radio support.
Following two monumental album launch shows in September including a sold out show at the capital’s prestigious Jazz Café and a special hometown performance filling out the iconic Albert Hall, Manchester, Mica is due to announce her UK and European 2023 tour very soon but in the meantime she’ll be performing at Jazz Voice, the opening gala of the EFG London Jazz Festival on November 11th at Royal Festival Hall with the backing of esteemed arranger and conductor Guy Barker (MBE) and the 42-piece Festival Orchestra, broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 and screening on BBC 4.

Self-written, arranged and produced, Mica's debut album ‘Heaven Knows’ explores themes of human nature, spirituality, love, oppression, inequality and empowerment, drawing inspiration from a plethora of vintage soundscapes, most notably, soul, blues, gospel and jazz.

The album’s initial recording sessions took place at Middle Farm Studios, in Devon with a tight-knit team who laid the foundations for this courageous debut. Alongside guitarist Miles James (Michael Kiwanuka, Tom Misch, Cleo Soul) were Jonathan Tuitt (Drums), Arran Powell (Bass), Marc Morrison (Piano) [members of Emile Sande’s live band], lead engineer Lewis Hopkins (who Mica cites as a mentor who was instrumental in teaching her about live sound recording and sonics in the early stages of the albums production) and assistant engineer and photographer Andrew Thomas (who Mica later captured the album's sleeve photograph taken in Manchesters Albert Hall).

Against all odds, ‘Heaven Knows’ was completed during a tumultuous time in Mica’s life. Not only having to adapt to the effects of COVID on the industry - shifting from studio sessions to remote recording under lock down restriction, a big enough feat in itself, but in 2020 Mica’s broke her back, narrowly escaping permanent paralysis from the waist down. In extreme pain and having to learn to walk again, all recording came to a halt and nine months on Mica found herself still recovering from her injuries, amongst which, her core muscles, formerly powering her ever present, soaring vocals, had deteriorated. But instead of giving up, Mica pushed through these challenges with determination, taking on rigorous rehabilitation and never losing sight of her vision for the album.

“I didn't want Covid or my accident to impact my vision for the record. In fact, the time in recovery and lock down allowed me to think bigger and better in the end and ultimately become a much more experienced producer. Working one on one with musicians remotely opened up new possibilities for collaborating with other musicians on the record - people I had always wanted to work with (particularly musicians in the US) and this was so important for being able to achieve both the performances and sonics I wanted for each song on the record".

Notably, the fourteen track debut has been mixed by multi-platinum Producer/Engineer Brian Malouf, known for engineering Michael Jackson’s Bad album and working with Motown legend Stevie Wonder amongst many other Grammy award-winning works. Completing mixing sessions with Mica via Zoom from his state of the art studio facility in LA, Malouf credits Mica as a talent that is “every engineer’s dream” with a clear vision and outstanding songs, likening her production approach on single "Flashlights" to that of the legendary Quincey Jones.

Amongst those also credited on ‘Heaven Knows’ are esteemed bassist, Jerry Barnes (Whitney Houston, Nile Rodgers, Chic) who adds his signature bass sound to single ‘Preacher Man’, pianist/organist Bobby Sparks (Snarky Puppy, Kirk Franklin) who performed on single 'Will I See You Again', bassist and engineer Vince Chiarato (Black Pumas), bassist Brandon Rose (Marcus Miller), and Ricky Peterson and David Z Rivkin (long standing collaborators of Price and Etta James). Rivkin contributed to the album as a second arranger on "Fools Fate" and also linked Mica up with Prince/Fleetwood Mac organist Rickey Peterson to perform on the same track.

“It has been really amazing to work with people who have played on some of my favourite records of all time. Doing that from my home studio in Manchester was incredibly surreal”. says Mica.

Recorded between Manchester, Devon, New York, Minneapolis, Nashville, LA and other locations across the US and Mastered at the iconic Abbey Road Studios, Mastering Engineer, Geoff Pesche (Adele, Ed Sheeran), cited 'Heaven Knows' as his "favourite album project at Abbey Road Studios in 2021" and predicted Mica would be “the most exciting new artist releasing music in 2022”. Continuing, “I work on around 50 albums a year at Abbey Road, very few make it onto my iPod. This went straight on”.

Amassing over a million streams since it's release in June, ‘Heaven Knows’ has achieved widespread acclaim this summer, including a host of national radio support from the likes of Trevor Nelson at BBC Radio 2 and a slot on Clive Anderson’s ‘Loose Ends’ on BBC Radio 4. Championed by Craig Charles & Tom Robinson on 6 Music and by BBC Radio 1’s Victoria Jane and BBC Radio 2’s Good Morning Sunday, Jazz FM also cite her as one of their most played artists, A listing her most recent singles alongside 'Heaven Knows' receiving 'Album of The Week' and singles 'Girl', 'More Than You Give Me', 'Heaven Knows' and 'Will I See You Again' all being featured as 'Track of The Week'. Mica will also be Guest Head of Music across Jazz FM on Friday 4th November taking over the Jazz FM playlist all day and presenting her own one hour show featuring music that has inspired her.

Mica has also appeared on ITV Introducing with radio interviews and live sessions across a host of both BBC regional and specialist stations across the UK, Europe, Mexico and the US including A list support on Amazing Radio USA, The Face Radio, Brooklyn, Radio 24, Italy and many more as well as gaining support form Spotify, Apple Music, Vevo UK and Vevo USA featuring on highly sought after editorial playlists.

'Heaven Knows' has also picked up five star reviews from the likes of Daily Express and Daily Mirror who called it "a classy debut" and had acclaim everywhere from Wordplay, Music Week, Fred Perry, 1883 Magazine, The Official Charts, God is in the TV, Backseat Mafia, Soul Jazz and Funk, Soul Tracks, Noctis Magazine, Louder Than War and many more. Mica also landed front cover features at Blues & Soul Magazine who credited her as “a star with intense emotional sincerity” and Echoes Magazine who championed ‘Heaven Knows’ as their ‘soul album of the month’ and one of 'The Best Soul albums of 2022’.

Mastered at the iconic Abbey Road Studios in late 2021 by Geoff Peshe who cited 'Heaven Knows' as "his favourite Abbey Road album project of 2021" and mixed by Brian Malouf (best knows for engineering Michael Jackson's Bad Album), other credits including organist Rickey Peterson and producer David Z (both long term collaborators of Prince), guitarist Miles James (Michael Kiwanuka, Cleo Sol, Tom Misch) and bassist Jerry Barnes (Whitney Huston).

“You need a lot of self-belief and a strong work ethic to complete a project of this scale independently. I never lost motivation but I certainly had periods of doubt about my capabilities and at times the challenges of this album were completely overwhelming. Finishing the record and overcoming these doubts has been a massively liberating experience. I’m really proud of what I've achieved. I'm very grateful to the many talented people who have put so much time and effort into 'Heaven Knows' as well as all of the amazing support I’ve received from fans and across the industry. I couldn't have done it without them.”

Mica’s distinct vision is one that’s earned her renowned credibility within the industry and it’s her creativity, drive and attention to detail that has made ‘Heaven Knows’ the album it is - a timeless collection of modern soul showcasing a confident new artist, quickly establishing herself as a new and unique voice in British Soul music.

A beautiful and assured debut album from one of this country’s finest young artists, it is a shame that larger magazines and newspapers did not review the album. Heaven Knows gained acclaim from a load of sources. But I wonder if it was on the radar of The Guardian, NME or MOJO? It warrants greater exposure! There has been a nice smattering of interviews through the year. It is great to know she is on a lot of people’s radars. The mesmerising Mica Millar was interviewed by Soul&Jazz&Funk earlier in the year. I was interested in the questions where Millar discussed her earlier days and how the pandemic affected her momentum and trajectory:

“What were your musical influences growing up and when did you decide to make a career out of music?

I always loved Soul music. My mum was really into Motown and collected a lot of vinyl records when I was a kid and my dad was into Folk, Blues, Prog Rock and a lot of more leftfield artists – there was always music blasting from our kitchen at night, someone would be cooking a meal with the stereo turned up full blast. My dad used to have evening rehearsals or song writing sessions at our house either in the kitchen or his studio in the basement. Between my parents, they introduced me to Stevie Wonder, Jackson 5, The Beatles and The Beach Boys when I was a kid and my auntie had given me a record player, they took a while to deliberate which records to give me …pretty solid choices!

I grew up in the 90’s and it was all about 90’s RnB, American Hip Hop, UK Garage at that time. I think all of these genres as well as more traditional Soul, Blues, Jazz and Gospel have had an influence on me.

I don’t think I ever really ‘made the decision’ to make a career in music, I was always writing songs from a very young age so my path has very naturally brought me to this point in my life.

I read that amongst your first steps in the business was with a band … Red Sky Noise. What can you tell us about that?

I was performing solo a little bit with a band before Red Sky Noise and then I was approached by an old friend who wanted to put a music project together. We released a song that I wrote called ‘Only You’ which won BBC 1Xtra single of the week and featured on EA Sports NHL back in 2015. We worked on that project for around a year but we found in the end that we all wanted to go in different directions musically. I love electronic music, but my passion is for Soul music and always has been.

… and what about your radio DJ work? What can you tell us about Reform Radio?

Reform Radio launched around eight or nine years ago and I was approached by the Directors and asked if I wanted to present a show. It was an amazing experience, we launched the station with three shows including mine, broadcasting from the basement of their house. Then we moved to Old Granada Studios and then later to a bonded warehouse. I presented on Reform for about five years, and it’s been amazing to watch the station grow from three shows to hundreds, winning awards along the way. I’m proud of what the team there has been able to achieve. I’m no longer involved due to time commitments but when I left, I was the longest standing presenter alongside my good friend Jenna G.

Would you like to talk about your first steps as a solo artist… the singles ‘My Lover’ and ‘Not The First’?

It was quite a big step for me releasing ‘My Lover’ after being involved with electronic music releases for a few years. I had always felt like I wasn’t really being my authentic self as an artist’s back then and ‘My Lover’ I suppose, was like the unveiling of that for me and it was very raw, stripped back and exposed. The song was so well received, and it really gave me a lot more confidence that doing what I love artistically would resonate with people. It’s for that reason that I decided to include it on the album and it was remastered at Abbey Road Studio along with the other thirteen tracks.

So, as your career was shaping up, we were all hit by Covid and you of, of course, suffered a horrendous back accident… are you prepared to tell us how you coped with that… what kept you going?

I had an accident in 2022 which resulted in me crushing one of my vertebrae and severely damaging my spinal cord. I was very nearly paralyzed so I’m incredibly lucky. It’s a long-term injury so it’s a lot to come to terms with but I’m definitely getting there.

Going through something so traumatic in the midst of recording the album was a real challenge but honestly, I just really didn’t want my injury to define me or impact what I had been working towards creatively. When Covid hit, it felt like one thing after another for me, I just thought, the universe is telling me to take some time out now. There were nine months where I was learning to walk so it wasn’t really feasible to work on the album, but I think that period of time did give me some perspective and when I was able to get back into my studio, I had a much clearer vision for how I’d finish the record.

Covid, in many ways, opened up a lot of opportunities for me to work with people I’d always wanted to work with in the US. Given everything was online at that time as we were in lockdown, recording remotely meant that could happen anywhere in the world. I’m glad I was able to take such a difficult situation and to make something really positive out of it”.

Someone who I already feel is iconic and will inspire so many other artists, you need to have Mica Millar in your life. Heaven Knows is an album that I first heard relatively recently but was stunned when it ended! A truly brilliant songwriter, a “Fifteen” Questions interview asked the Manchester-born artist how she gets in the mood to write and how her process works:

“Where does the impulse to create something come from for you? What role do often-quoted sources of inspiration like dreams, other forms of art, personal relationships, politics etc play?

For me it’s about a need to express myself and process my emotions in a way that can’t be done through other channels - language doesn’t always have the capacity to communicate all that can be communicated when you combine it poetically with music.

For this album (Heaven Knows), I used a ‘stream of consciousness’ approach to writing quite a lot, either over an instrumental I've created or starting with finding chords on the piano that resonate with me in the moment, and feeling out what kind of emotions and words they evoke. This approach involves basically singing whatever comes out and then you interpret it later.

A lot of what you express from a process like that I think comes from the subconscious mind so it’s difficult when people ask what inspires me or what songs are about. I always go into writing without an intention and use the process to identify things I probably need to process. But of course, the subconscious mind is made up of all of the memories from our day to day lives so relationships and human experience are the things that often surface and express themselves through the lens of my political spiritual and political beliefs.

Do you have certain rituals to get you into the right mindset for creating? What role do certain foods or stimulants like coffee, lighting, scents, exercise or reading poetry play?

I don’t really have any rituals for writing apart from that I always write at night, generally in low light and always alone.

I know a lot of other songwriters love to collaborate with other writers but that has never been something that has appealed to me. I think to get into that flow-state that I love so much and where I find my best work comes from, I need to be isolated. I don’t really like it if someone else is in the house when I’m writing, I think I have an awareness that someones listening to my process and it’s incredibly personal and not something I’ve ever really been able to or comfortable sharing with anyone else.

The writing process, for me, is something that is a means to process my own emotions I suppose and what comes out at the end of that process is the ‘creation’ which is what I feel comfortable sharing. Going through the process of writing an album, I think I realise that by the time I’ve taken a song to its conclusion, the emotion that was attached to it initially has also been fully processed and I think ‘releasing it’ is a bit like letting go of the emotion.

What do you start with? How difficult is that first line of text, the first note?

It depends on the day and how I’m feeling. Sometimes things just flow out with ease and other times I could be sitting for hours not really finding anything that resonates. I think it depends a lot on mood and mindset.

What makes lyrics good in your opinion? What are your own ambitions and challenges in this regard

I like to write lyrics with a layer of meaning.

I think if you can listen to a song and create your own interpretation of what it’s about - if it’s relatable, that’s really important but I also like to underlay that with more complex ideas that you might think are simple initially but when you know the song really well you could find other meanings in it. I love the fact that it’s about how the listener listens and thinks and what they want to hear or take from it in terms of meaning.
Sometimes there’s a really simple lyric in a song and it’s those which have really affected someone. Words and music are so beautiful in that way”.

LIVE-MANCHESTER spoke with Mica Millar about the hotly-anticipated Heaven Knows. One of the most revelatory and memorable debut albums of this year, it is fascinating reading interviews where Millar talks about the album and what it means to her. After such a busy year, I hope that she has a relaxing Christmas planned:

“You recently released your debut album Heaven Knows. What are your thoughts now that it’s out there?”

It’s been a long journey creating the album and getting everything ready to finally release it so it’s been really amazing to finally put it out and get such an amazing response and so much support.

Can you tell us a bit about the writing and recording process for the album?

I was in recovery from a spinal injury, and it was lock down when I was writing and recording this record which came with it’s challenges. But looking back this actually allowed me to think bigger and better in the end and ultimately become a much more experienced producer. Working one on one with musicians remotely really opened up the possibilities for collaborating with people I had always wanted to work with (particularly people in the US) and this was so important for being able to achieve both the performances and sonics I wanted for each song on the record.

What was the biggest challenge you faced whilst writing and recording it?

… creating music during Covid lockdowns was challenging, having to adapt to remote recording sessions for example. But I feel this ultimately made me a much better and more experienced producer as I was able to collaborate with lots of musicians from across the UK and US which wouldn’t necessarily have been possible under other circumstances.

That first time that you listened back to the final recorded version album in full, what were your immediate thoughts?

Because I wrote, arranged and self-produced the album, I had worked on the songs, instrumentation, recordings and sat in on the mastering sessions and then put together the running order and this was a process that lasted over three years so when I’d finished it, it took some time before I could listen to it again with any real perspective. I think the first time I listened to it like that was when I got the vinyl test pressings and played all four sides back to back in my mum’s kitchen and it just felt very triumphant to finally have a finished body of work that I was very proud of.

The first time we saw you live we were completely blown away. For those who haven’t seen you perform live before, how would you describe your live shows?

I love to evoke emotions through my performances. I once had a lady come up to me after my show and she said “I’ve been married for forty years and I’ve never seen my husband cry until tonight” I’m always really humbled by those sorts of comments – I think it is really beautiful when music brings emotions out of you that you didn’t know were there. But there is definitely a hopefulness to my songs as opposed to them just being sombre so I like to think there are tears of joy and tears of connectedness.

How do you prepare for live shows?

We’ve been rehearsing the live show over a number of months and for a big production like this there are lots of moving parts, not just in terms of the musical performance but also things like lighting design, sound production, stage direction and choreography, styling etc there are lots of amazingly creative people in Manchester right now, working behind the scenes to make this show an incredibly special one”.

I am going to end with a couple of reviews for the faultless Heaven Knows. Fortitude Magazine were impressed and seduced by the magical and moving music of the divine Mica Millar. She is someone who is going to go a very long way:

“Soul singer Mica Millar has released her debut album Heaven Knows. Soulful and uplifting right from the start, it’s a showcase of Millar’s incredible vocal talent and explores themes of love, spirituality and empowerment.

The album opens with Girl, a vibrant, peppy offering which introduces us to Millar’s gloriously smooth and soulful vocal. You can’t help but vibe and side-step along to the infectious bassline that’s peppered with twinkling chimes, retro keys and choral-sounding harmonies. It sets the tone of the album brilliantly before we’re swooped up in the whirlwind of Preacher Man. There’s a distinctly gospel vibe both in the lyrics and composition: we’re talking roaring, hearty high notes, soulful backing harmonies and a clapping backdrop akin to that of a congregation. Millar commands her place as a frontwoman, giving her all to every verse when she sings passionately in lines such as “Oh this preacher man, he said there’ll be no soul without a risk. Oh this preacher man, he did ask are you gonna fold, stick or twist?”

More Than You Give Me is a more subtle, pared-back affair where groovy bass flows effortlessly with the dreamy keys and subtle guitar flourishes. Millar’s vocal takes on a gentler tone and I love the retro lounge vibes. Title track Heaven Knows is a guitar solo dream. Keys set the pace while the guitar ebbs and flows as much as Millar’s vocal undulates. The gospel influence is strong once again with the heartfelt harmonies and organ and the contrast with the electronic guitar solos is quite breath-taking. Flashlights is another groovy number, all choppy bassline, atmospheric keys and angelic harmonies before we move onto Trouble: retro keys, trumpets and plenty of bass and brass.

The pace may be taken down a notch on Fool’s Fate but the soul is higher than ever. Millar digs from deep within when she sings heartfelt verses such as “Too late, I could write a record on my heartache. You ain’t gonna make it better, it’s a fool’s fate.” Proceedings are stripped right back on Will I See You Again where Millar demonstrates some impressive vocal gymnastics over a backdrop of gospel-esque organs and grooving guitars.

No Money, Nor Faith is all deep, moody bass, hard-hitting vocals and thumps and claps which sound akin to a protest march. The mantra of “Oh freedom, oh freedom!” is sung with conviction, coming across almost like a chant. Stay is a gentle, loving ode where Millar offers a home for a loved one. Her emotion is palpable in the heartfelt lyrics such as “Why don’t you stay, stay with me? Cos I can feel it in my bones, and it feels like I’m home when you say you’ll stay here with me.”

The unmistakable lounge vibes return on Down River with its off-kilter beat, choppy keys and the honey tones of Millar’s vocal as she and the electric guitar solo vie for centre stage. We then move onto the delicate My Lover where once again Millar shows the softness of her heart against a minimal piano accompaniment. Nothing’s For Keeps follows in a similar vein where Millar strips her heart bare, her vocal naked but only for keys and a slow beat like a heart. The mantra of “We could rise, we could rise, until we fall” gains power and strength as the guitars and keys reach a mesmerizing crescendo.

Heaven Knows comes to a close with Give View My Prayer, an achingly cool retro-infused track that’s peppered with funky guitar solos and the deepest bassline we’ve heard on the album. Millar experiments with manipulated vocals, resulting in an addictive, very different take on soul which I hope to hear more of. It’s a spellbinding close to an album that is guaranteed to add a pep to your step and ignite a fire in your soul.

When speaking of Heaven Knows, Millar said “You need a lot of self-belief and a strong work ethic to complete a project of this scale independently. I never lost motivation but I certainly had periods of doubt about my capabilities and at times the challenges of this album were completely overwhelming. Finishing the record and overcoming these doubts has been a massively liberating experience. I’m really proud of what has been achieved.”

The fourteen-track record was mastered at the iconic Abbey Road Studios and was mixed by Brian Malouf, who’s known for engineering Michael Jackson’s Bad album and has worked with Stevie Wonder. The first single from the album, Preacher Man, was released in January and Millar has been amassing a steady following ever since and received radio support from BBC Radio 2’s Trevor Nelson, BBC 6 Music’s Tom Robinson and Craig Charles. She has also received the prestigious BBC Introducing Single of the Week award and filmed a live session with BBC Introducing”.

Even though Millar has been recorded music for a few years now, I do consider her to be a rising artist. In the sense she has just released her debut album and definitely has many years ahead of her. I hope that national publications and websites get behind her more and review her albums and gigs. I have never seen her live but, by all accounts, she is one of the very best in the country. I am not surprised! Music Is My Radar had this to say about Heaven Knows:

“I’ve got nothing but praise for this dazzling debut, comprising of 14 tracks the impeccable Heaven Knows was a slice of soulful bliss. Featured you had title track Heaven Knows, Girl and Preacher Man, all of which were exceptional gems. Also you had the 2017 debut single My Lover added in for good measure. Kicking off proceedings you had Girl and this was an uplifting tune which Mica released on International Womens Day. Basically Millar’s tantalising tones sent shivers down my spine, the lyrics resulted in an empowering anthem whist the whole soulful delivery resonated a Motown vibe. Following on it was gospel tinged Preacher Man and this being Mica’s first single of 2022. This being a sleek/ upbeat jam which left me utterly transfixed, everything about it was simply spot on, Millar’s powerhouse vocals oozed a smokiness, you had a toe tapping melody whilst those whimsical words were well and truly captivating. More Than You Give Me literally knocked me for six, it was literally sheer perfection that’s been sublimely crafted.

This was a fresh and funky delight which enchanted me on the very first listen. More Than You Give Me was jazz meets soul which worked wonders, that marvelous meody was rather upbeat, Millar’s powerful tones were sumptuously sweet whilst those groovy lyrics resulted in an addictive anthem. Title track Heaven Knows was a gospel tinged ballad which resulted in something that was pleasent on my ear. Mica’s tasty tones packed a punch, the majestic melody was rather sleek whilst the lyrical content was beautifully uplifting. Everything about Flashlights was spot on, those sultry soulful vocals were buttery smooth, that gorgeous melody was a majestic slice of sheer perfection whilst those whimsical words were so heart warming. Trouble was different when compared to the opening 5 tracks, for starters it was a mixture of soul meets jazz accompanied by an edgy toe tapping melody. Mica’s vibrant vocals were a force of nature whist the lyrical content oozed plenty of attitude. Here Millar sang about how you should embrace your fate/ face your fears because you don’t know when trouble will come knocking at your door. Fool’s Fate was a personal favourite of mine and this being the fact it’s a slick lounge version which created something rather mesmeric. Just listening to this tempting treat always brings goosebumps to the skin. Millar’s tantalising tones screamed out soul whilst you also had dashes of jazz added into the mix. Will I Ever See You Again was an emotive ballad which oozed plenty of blues vibes.

Mica Millar delivered this with plenty of gusto and you can feel the emotion within the vocal delivery. The compelling content focused on saying good bye to a loved one and wondering whether you will ever see them again. The space apart then makes you realise how you feel for that person. When I close my eyes I picture someone going to fight in a war which then has the other half thinking if he’ll return to her. No Money, Nor Faith (Freedom) was an anthem in the making which hit me like a ton of bricks when I heard this for the very first time. Mica’s dazzling delivery was a force to be reckoned with whist the content resulted in a call to arms. Stay was a stripped back ballad which resulted in something rather hypnotic. Millar’s tones were richly crisp and at the same time you could pick up on the emotion oozing from the lyrics. Down River was drenched in plenty of jazz goodness which captivated me from beginning to end. Mica Millar powered through this number at ease and the thought of witnessing this at the Jazz Cafe this September sends chills down the spine. Next up was the first single from Mica Millar and this being My Lover. Listening to this never fails to stun me, My Lover was a piano led soulful ballad, Milar’s powerhouse vocals were heavenly whilst those lyrics were rather hypnotic. Nothing’s For Keeps was yet another stripped back ballad which Mica delivered with bundles of emotion. Heaven Knows then concluded with Give View My Prayer and this being blues rock which resulted in something rather edgy.

All in all this was a confident debut which left me with the urge to hear more. Mica’s heavenly vocal tones were a distinctive delight which left me compelled from beginning to the very end. Each tune featured was a well written piece of perfection and if you are a fan of the soulful genre then Heaven Knows is right up your street. Actually when I was listening to More Than You Give Me, the first song that sprung to my mind was Jocelyn Brown’s Somebody Else’s Guy. Anyhow if was to sum up this amazing album in one word it would have to be magical”.

An artist that I can heartedly and confidently recommend to everyone, Mica Millar should prepare to take her music around the world. I have talked about America, but I can also see Australia falling for her! She has this confidence and huge range of emotions that I can also see translating to acting. I know it is a diversion and I have said this about a lot of artists, but I can imagine Mica Millar being a very natural and astonishing actor. She probably hasn’t given it too much thought – maybe she should for the future. I shall wrap things up. An artist that I adore and feel is among the best we have, go and follow Mica Millar. Someone whose soul comes through her voice with every line she delivers, this is someone who, once heard, is…