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Artist Interview: Mieka Pauley
February 16, 2007
Mieka Pauley is a folk songstress with a touch of soul. Drawing influences from the days of Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald, having played with everyone from Eric Clapton to the Black Eyed Peas, her music brings forth the folk sensibility of today with the raw passion of her soulful predecessors. Few musicians have the lyrical eloquence and emotional superiority of her songwriting. It’s a balance that is conscious and in control, but no less moving to the soul. Her music has been reputed from the folk community and continues to gain praise from local radio stations, XM Radio, a variety of online outlets, and of course, WERS.
WERS: So you’ve been getting a lot of support from the radio stations
around here, your first radio single was released and the Studio 7 Live from the
Archives Vol. IV album was released as well. How did that come
together?
MP: That was fun. I mean, I just went in and recorded that
song, the "single," "Stronger," I recorded live in acoustics. I think it’s kind
of cool for people in that station to hear the studio version, the full band
version, but also get to hear what it’s like when there’s nothing else on the
track. The uncut, unplugged kind of thing.
WERS: And you also had performances on XM Radio?
MP: Yeah! That was kind of cool. I wasn’t actually in the studio for XM. There’s a venue in New York called the Living Room and they record their shows and then rebroadcast it on XM. I’m blanking on who I was actually performing with, but when they put it on XM, they billed me with Ron Sexsmith, so I was psyched. That was awesome.
WERS: They just threw you in the mix?
MP: Yeah, so they had my show first and then they had Ron Sexsmith afterwards. I opened for him even though I didn’t.
WERS: And you’re also a part of Rock for a Remedy. What exactly is that?
MP: I think Jason Mraz’s fans actually started this, because at his shows I think he leaned towards charity. His fans would always bring stuff and try to help out, so they sort of expanded and started supporting other peoples’ shows as well. We got them involved and so if people bring food donations to the shows, it goes towards the Boston community. No matter where the show is, it goes towards the community.
WERS: It’s a good cause. You’re also working with your friend from a local band?
MP: Yeah, well local is selling them a little short. They’re definitely doing their own thing, they were out recording their own stuff in L.A. and a friend of mine from that band is producing my new record. It’s not going to be as pop as my last effort, it’s going to be more stripped down rock.
WERS: And you’ll be working with a full band this time around?
MP: Oh yeah, well my last EP was a full band as well. This will be a full band, but it will be more live sounding.
WERS: And all of this music is available on awarestore and iTunes?
MP: Yeah, awarestore.com, iTunes, you can buy tracks off MySpace as well now, so that’s just www.myspace.com/mieka.
- Will Selfridge