Mieke Miami was a student of the jazz saxophone in Berlin and started her song-writing journey in 2014. Those talents have continued to evolve over the last decade. Her new single The Light is guided by producer Benjamin Spitzmüller and he has brought his influence from playing in Afrobeat and highlife bands – the track is centred around a deep Afro groove which he recorded in the studio himself and switched from a 7/4 to 4/4 tempo.

Following on from her critically acclaimed first single, Whispering Pines, new single The Light – ahead of new album Birdland – showcases the multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and production skills of Miami, who is originally from Hamburg and now living in the working class, “artistic” enclave of Luckenwalde, Brandenburg, to the south-west of Berlin.

Miami’s flute, saxes and bass clarinet create wonderfully woven patterns over Spitzmüller’s skillfully arranged beats, underpinned by Miami’s guitar and keys, as well as Alex Binder’s bassline. This tropical treat is for fans of Mulatu Astatke, Rah & The Ruffcats and Philophon Records alike.

The Light will be closely followed by the release of the Birdland album this summer, with live performances by Miami’s band across Germany and beyond in the coming months. Both the shows and the forthcoming album will exhibit a united band at the peak of their powers.

Miami released her folk-influenced first album, In The Old Forest, on Sonar Kollektiv in 2015. She moved to Brandenburg in 2019 to bring up her family and released her second LP – the darker Montecarlo Magic in 2021 – on Berlin imprint Fun In The Church.

The album Birdland is out September 27th, 2024.