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Mirah (born Mirah Yom Tov Zeitlyn) is an American musician and songwriter based in
Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
, New York. After getting her start in the music scene of
Olympia, Washington Olympia is the capital of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat and largest city of Thurston County. It is southwest of the state's most populous city, Seattle, and is a cultural center of the southern Puget Sound region. European ...
in the late 1990s, she released a number of well-received solo albums on
K Records K Records is an independent record label in Olympia, Washington founded in 1982. Artists on the label included early releases by Beck, Modest Mouse and Built to Spill. The record label has been called "key to the development of independent mu ...
, including ''
You Think It's Like This but Really It's Like This ''You Think It's Like This but Really It's Like This'' is Mirah's debut album, released in 2000 on K Records. In July 2020, Mirah released a 20th anniversary reissue of the album via Double Double Whammy. The double LP reissue includes a remastere ...
'' (2000) and ''
Advisory Committee An advisory board is a body that provides non-binding strategic advice to the management of a corporation, organization, or foundation. The informal nature of an advisory board gives greater flexibility in structure and management compared to th ...
'' (2002). Her 2009 album ''
(a)spera ''(a)spera'' is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mirah, released on March 10, 2009. Produced by Phil Elverum, it met with a largely positive reception from music critics. According to ''PopMatters'' about the album, "The music ...
'' peaked on the ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
''
Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers are "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. The Heatseekers Albums and the Heatseekers Songs charts were introduced by ''Billboard'' in 1991 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new an ...
chart at #46, while her 2011 collaborative album ''
Thao + Mirah ''Thao & Mirah'' is a collaborative studio album by Thao Nguyen & Mirah, released in 2011 on Kill Rock Stars. In support of the album Thao and Mirah toured with indie music artists such as BOBBY. It was well received by music critics; according t ...
'' peaked at #7. She has released eleven full-length solo and collaborative recordings, numerous EP's and 7" vinyl records, and has contributed tracks to a wide variety of compilations. Mirah has collaborated with artists such as
Phil Elvrum Philip Whitman Elverum (; born May 23, 1978) is an American musician, songwriter, record producer and visual artist, best known for his musical projects The Microphones and Mount Eerie. Based in Anacortes, Washington, in the mid-2000s he began ...
of
The Microphones The Microphones are an American indie folk, indie rock, and experimental project from Olympia, Washington. The project was founded in 1996 and ended in 2003, with a short reunion following in 2007 and revivals in 2019 and 2020. Across every it ...
,
Tune-Yards Tune-Yards (stylized as tUnE-yArDs) is the American, Oakland, California–based music project of Merrill Garbus and Nate Brenner. Garbus's music draws from an eclectic variety of sources and utilizes elements such as loop pedals, ukulele, voca ...
,
Susie Ibarra Susie Ibarra (born Anaheim, November 15, 1970) is a contemporary composer and percussionist who has worked and recorded with jazz, classical, world, and indigenous musicians. One of SPIN's "100 Greatest Drummers of Alternative Music," she is kno ...
,
Jherek Bischoff Jherek Brandon Bischoff (born September 11, 1979) is an American composer, arranger, producer, and multi-instrumental performer. He has released over a dozen studio albums as a solo artist and band member and has credits as a musician, arranger, p ...
and Thao Nguyen. Her style encompasses
indie pop Indie pop (also typeset as indie-pop or indiepop) is a music genre and subculture that combines guitar pop with DIY ethic in opposition to the style and tone of mainstream pop music. It originated from British post-punk in the late 1970s and sub ...
, acoustic, and
experimental pop Experimental pop is pop music that cannot be categorized within traditional musical boundaries or which attempts to push elements of existing popular forms into new areas. It may incorporate experimental techniques such as musique concrète, al ...
. According to ''
The Rumpus ''The Rumpus'' is an online literary magazine launched on January 20, 2009. The site features interviews, book reviews, essays, comics, and critiques of creative culture as well as original fiction and poetry. The site runs two subscription-base ...
'' in 2011, "Mirah's early records...are
DIY "Do it yourself" ("DIY") is the method of building, modifying, or repairing things by oneself without the direct aid of professionals or certified experts. Academic research has described DIY as behaviors where "individuals use raw and semi ...
mini-masterpieces that express a
punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
sensibility through broken drum machines, reverb-drenched guitars and
ukulele The ukulele ( ; from haw, ukulele , approximately ), also called Uke, is a member of the lute family of instruments of Portuguese origin and popularized in Hawaii. It generally employs four nylon strings. The tone and volume of the instrumen ...
. Her more recent albums...are mature, complex and immaculately-produced." On July 31, 2020, Mirah released a 20 Year Anniversary Reissue of her germinal album, ''
You Think It's Like This But Really It's Like This ''You Think It's Like This but Really It's Like This'' is Mirah's debut album, released in 2000 on K Records. In July 2020, Mirah released a 20th anniversary reissue of the album via Double Double Whammy. The double LP reissue includes a remastere ...
'' via
Double Double Whammy Double Double Whammy is an independent record label founded by Dave Benton and Mike Caridi in October 2011 whilst studying at SUNY Purchase, a liberal arts college in New York state. History Double Double Whammy was founded by Dave Benton and Mi ...
. The double LP reissue includes a remastered version of the record as well as a tribute to the album that features covers by
Mount Eerie Mount Eerie is the musical project of American songwriter and producer Phil Elverum. Elverum (also of The Microphones) is the principal member of the band, but has collaborated with many other musicians on his records and in live performances. ...
, Half Waif,
Palehound Palehound is an American band fronted by Ellen Kempner who have released three albums, ''Dry Food'' (2015), ''A Place I'll Always Go'' (2017) and ''Black Friday'' (2019); as well as the ''Bent Nail'' EP (2013) and a number of 7" singles. Initially ...
, Shamir, Sad13 (
Sadie Dupuis Sadie Dupuis (born Sarah Dupuis; July 8, 1988) is an American musician who is the guitarist, lead vocalist and lyricist for the band Speedy Ortiz and formerly for the band Quilty. She has also released two solo albums, ''Slugger'' and ''Haunted P ...
), Allison Crutchfield (of
Swearin' Swearin' is a Philadelphia-based musical group made up of singer/guitarist Allison Crutchfield, singer/guitarist Kyle Gilbride, bassist Keith Spencer and drummer Jeff Bolt. They released two albums and an EP. The band split in 2015 and Crutchfield ...
) and more.
The Fader ''The Fader'' (stylized as ''FADER'') is a magazine based in New York City that was launched in 1999 by Rob Stone and Jon Cohen. The magazine covers music, style and culture. It was the first print publication to be released on iTunes. It is o ...
premiered the reissue record and wrote, "the LP established Mirah as one of the smartest and most exciting young artists in America. It also went on to inspire a new generation of indie musicians, drawn in by Mirah’s deft and introspective songwriting..."


Early life, education

Mirah Yom Tov Zeitlyn was born on September 17, 1974, in
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
, Pennsylvania, the youngest of three children. Her mother is a painter and massage therapist and together with her father ran a small natural foods bakery throughout Mirah's childhood and adolescence. Her father worked delivering ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' magazine for several years in the late 1970s. Her parents raised the family on
macrobiotic food A macrobiotic diet (or macrobiotics) is a fad diet based on ideas about types of food drawn from Zen Buddhism. The diet tries to balance the supposed yin and yang elements of food and cookware. Major principles of macrobiotic diets are to reduce ...
s. Her father was an avid music lover with a large record collection and Mirah developed an early interest in music. As a child, she listened heavily to
Motown Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''moto ...
, 1960s R&B,
soul music Soul music is a popular music genre that originated in the African American community throughout the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It has its roots in African-American gospel music and rhythm and blues. Soul music became po ...
, and
folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...
. Mirah's family moved a number of times between 1974 and 1979, including a stint on a
hippie A hippie, also spelled hippy, especially in British English, is someone associated with the counterculture of the 1960s, originally a youth movement that began in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to different countries around ...
commune A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...
near
Spencer, West Virginia Spencer is a city in and the county seat of Roane County, West Virginia, United States. Originally known as "California," Spencer was chartered in 1858, and named after Spencer Roane (1762–1822), a distinguished jurist from Virginia, who served ...
and several years in a rural Pennsylvania farmhouse adjacent to the farm owned by her extended family. The family moved to
Bala Cynwyd Bala Cynwyd ( ) is a community in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania. It is located on the Philadelphia Main Line in Southeastern Pennsylvania, bordering the western edge of Philadelphia at U.S. Route 1 (City Avenue). It was originally two separa ...
, a suburb of
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
, in 1979. Her mother's family identifies as
Protestant Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
and her father is Jewish. Mirah was raised observing Shabbat and identifies as Jewish. Mirah took part in a number of anti-nuclear walks during her middle school and high school years, including a 6-week stretch of the 9-month cross country
Great Peace March for Global Nuclear Disarmament The Great Peace March for Global Nuclear Disarmament, Inc. (also referred to as The Great Peace March, GPM, and the March) was a cross-country event in 1986 aimed at raising awareness to the growing danger of nuclear proliferation and to advocate fo ...
in 1986 when she was 12. In middle school she developed a love of 1980s pop music and female artists such as
Sinéad O'Connor Shuhada Sadaqat (born Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor on 8 December 1966; ) is an Irish singer-songwriter. Her debut album, ''The Lion and the Cobra'', was released in 1987 and charted internationally. Her second album, ''I Do Not Want What ...
and
Cyndi Lauper Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper Thornton (born June 22, 1953) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and activist. Her career has spanned over 40 years. Her album ''She's So Unusual'' (1983) was the first debut album by a female artist to achi ...
. By the time she got to college, her music collection had expanded to include a diverse range of artists (
Huggy Bear Huggy may refer to: * Huggy (Pillow Pal) *Huggy Boy * Huggy Face *Huggy Leaver *Huggy Ragnarsson *Huggy Wuggy, an antagonist in the horror video game ''Poppy Playtime ''Poppy Playtime'' is an episodic horror video game developed and publishe ...
,
Cat Stevens Yusuf Islam (born Steven Demetre Georgiou; ), commonly known by his stage names Cat Stevens, Yusuf, and Yusuf / Cat Stevens, is a British singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. His musical style consists of folk, pop, rock, and, later in ...
,
The Pretenders Pretenders are an English–American rock band formed in March 1978. The original band consisted of founder and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), James Honeyman-Scott (lead guitar, backing vocals, keyboards), Pete Fa ...
,
Nina Simone Eunice Kathleen Waymon (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003), known professionally as Nina Simone (), was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and civil rights activist. Her music spanned styles including classical, folk, gospel, blues, ...
, etc.).


Music career


Start in Olympia (1990s)

After graduating high school early at 16, Mirah spent a year traveling before moving to
Olympia, Washington Olympia is the capital of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat and largest city of Thurston County. It is southwest of the state's most populous city, Seattle, and is a cultural center of the southern Puget Sound region. European ...
in 1992 to attend the
Evergreen State College The Evergreen State College is a public liberal arts college in Olympia, Washington. Founded in 1967, it offers a non-traditional undergraduate curriculum in which students have the option to design their own study towards a degree or follow a p ...
. She taught herself guitar and wrote her first song as an assignment for class. While in college she worked at a collectively run vegetarian campus café with
Kimya Dawson Kimya Dawson (born November 17, 1972) is an American folk singer-songwriter, one half of the anti-folk duo the Moldy Peaches. Dawson's work with the Moldy Peaches earned them a cult following and critical acclaim, with their 2001 song " Anyone E ...
, who later became her label-mate at K Records. She was a member of the short-lived all-female Olympia band The Drivers with Molly Burgdorf and Sarah Reed. For a short stint she sang with a swing band and occasionally contributed vocals to an early incarnation of
Old Time Relijun Old Time Relijun is a band founded in Olympia, Washington, United States and a longtime member of K Records. Current members consist of Germaine Baca on drums, Aaron Hartman on upright bass, Ben Hartman on saxophones, and Arrington de Dionyso o ...
. She was briefly the drummer for The Chosen, a Jewish heavy metal duo. In 1996 she began developing her own musical style, composing lo-fi indie pop with vocals and acoustic guitar. Her early style drew comparisons to
Liz Phair Elizabeth Clark Phair (born April 17, 1967) is an American singer-songwriter. Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Phair was raised primarily in the Chicago area. After graduating from Oberlin College in 1990, she attempted to start a musical career ...
, and she soon began performing around Olympia under the one-name moniker Mirah. Mirah was involved with a number of "secret cafes" in Olympia, including The Red Horse Cafe which she and her roommate Ariana Jacob ran out of their one bedroom apartment. The Red Horse Cafe served a different menu every Sunday for a year and a half in 1998/1999. The Red Horse Cafe appears in the documentary short ''9 Weeks''. She was also involved with several large scale theatrical productions including ''The Transfused'', a 2000
rock opera A rock opera is a collection of rock music songs with lyrics that relate to a common story. Rock operas are typically released as concept albums and are not scripted for acting, which distinguishes them from operas, although several have been ad ...
written by
Nomy Lamm Naomi Elizabeth "Nomy" Lamm (born September 1, 1975) is an American singer-songwriter and political activist. Lamm has described herself as a "bad ass, fat ass, Jew, dyke amputee." Her left foot was amputated at age three, to be fitted with a l ...
and
The Need The Need is an American queercore band formed by singer/drummer Rachel Carns and guitarist Radio Sloan in Portland, Oregon in the mid-1990s. After issuing a series of seven-inches on labels including Kill Rock Stars and Outpunk, The Need relo ...
. Though surrounded by the local
riot grrrl Riot grrrl is an underground feminist punk movement that began during the early 1990s within the United States in Olympia, Washington and the greater Pacific Northwest and has expanded to at least 26 other countries. Riot grrrl is a subcultur ...
movement of the 1990s, Mirah didn't explicitly associate herself with the genre. After graduating from the Evergreen State College in 1996, she began experimenting on her 4-track recorder with sounds that would be used on her debut album. Her first EP ''
Storageland ''Storageland'' is the first release by musician Mirah, released independently as a vinyl EP in 1997. The album received largely positive reviews, and listeners were "drawn to the unpolished sound...with its sometimes muffled vocals, raw guitars, ...
'' was released on Yoyo Recordings in 1997 and received a positive review in Allmusic. The 6 song one sided 12" featured an etching on the B side by artist
Nikki McClure Nikki McClure is a papercut artist based in Olympia, Washington. She is the author and illustrator of a number of children's books and produces an annual calendar. Biography McClure grew up in Kirkland, Washington. She moved to Olympia in 1986 ...
. According to Laura Leebove in ''
Venus Zine ''Venus Zine'' was a quarterly internationally circulated magazine covering women in music, film, art, entertainment, literature, fashion, indie culture and DIY culture. It was published from 1995 through 2010. Venuszine.com was the daily update ...
'', listeners were "drawn to the unpolished sound...with its sometimes muffled vocals, raw guitars, and background-noise cracklings." In 1999 she self-released a second EP titled ''Parts of Human Desire.'' The bulk of her first records were recorded at the Dub Narcotic studio space in Olympia Washington. Olympia musician
Phil Elvrum Philip Whitman Elverum (; born May 23, 1978) is an American musician, songwriter, record producer and visual artist, best known for his musical projects The Microphones and Mount Eerie. Based in Anacortes, Washington, in the mid-2000s he began ...
soon invited her to contribute guitar and vocals to his psychedelic pop group
The Microphones The Microphones are an American indie folk, indie rock, and experimental project from Olympia, Washington. The project was founded in 1996 and ended in 2003, with a short reunion following in 2007 and revivals in 2019 and 2020. Across every it ...
, and she performs on many Microphones recordings including '' Don't Wake Me Up'' (1999) and ''
Window A window is an opening in a wall, door, roof, or vehicle that allows the exchange of light and may also allow the passage of sound and sometimes air. Modern windows are usually glazed or covered in some other transparent or translucent materia ...
'' (2000). She later toured extensively with The Microphones across the US and Canada. According to ''
The Rumpus ''The Rumpus'' is an online literary magazine launched on January 20, 2009. The site features interviews, book reviews, essays, comics, and critiques of creative culture as well as original fiction and poetry. The site runs two subscription-base ...
'', Mirah "was part of the K Records renaissance f the late '90salong with bands like The Microphones,
The Blow The Blow is an American electro pop band, comprising Khaela Maricich and Melissa Dyne. Maricich and Dyne write, compose, produce and perform all the music. It was formed as a solo project by Maricich in 2002, and she was joined by Jona Bechtolt ...
and
Old Time Relijun Old Time Relijun is a band founded in Olympia, Washington, United States and a longtime member of K Records. Current members consist of Germaine Baca on drums, Aaron Hartman on upright bass, Ben Hartman on saxophones, and Arrington de Dionyso o ...
– all highly distinct, idiosyncratic groups with
Calvin Johnson Calvin Johnson Jr., (born September 29, 1985) is an American former football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons with the Detroit Lions. He played college football at Georgia Tech, where he twice ...
's influence perhaps manifesting in the form of a primitivist or intentionally naïve approach."


Early albums (2000–2005)

;''
You Think It's Like This but Really It's Like This ''You Think It's Like This but Really It's Like This'' is Mirah's debut album, released in 2000 on K Records. In July 2020, Mirah released a 20th anniversary reissue of the album via Double Double Whammy. The double LP reissue includes a remastere ...
'' (2000) Mirah joined the Olympia-based label
K Records K Records is an independent record label in Olympia, Washington founded in 1982. Artists on the label included early releases by Beck, Modest Mouse and Built to Spill. The record label has been called "key to the development of independent mu ...
in 1999. Her full-length debut and first album on the label, ''
You Think It's Like This but Really It's Like This ''You Think It's Like This but Really It's Like This'' is Mirah's debut album, released in 2000 on K Records. In July 2020, Mirah released a 20th anniversary reissue of the album via Double Double Whammy. The double LP reissue includes a remastere ...
'', was released on June 6, 2000. Produced by Mirah and
Phil Elvrum Philip Whitman Elverum (; born May 23, 1978) is an American musician, songwriter, record producer and visual artist, best known for his musical projects The Microphones and Mount Eerie. Based in Anacortes, Washington, in the mid-2000s he began ...
, it scored 4/5 stars from
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
, who called it "a masterpiece of lo-fi beauty" and praised "Mirah's wistful voice and intimately personal lyrics." ;'' Small Sale EP'' (2001) ''Small Sale EP'' is a 2001 album by Mirah released on Modern Radio Records. Songs were recorded from 1999 to 2001 at Mirah's house and the recording studio Dub Narcotic, all while Mirah was still touring for her previous album. It was positively received by Allmusic, who compared Mirah's vocals to
Lucinda Williams Lucinda Gayle Williams (born January 26, 1953) is an American singer-songwriter and a solo guitarist. She recorded her first two albums: '' Ramblin' on My Mind'' (1979) and '' Happy Woman Blues'' (1980), in a traditional country and blues style ...
and called her voice "intoxicatingly endearing, as are the electronic beats and textures she uses as deftly as she does a ukulele or acoustic guitar." ;''
Advisory Committee An advisory board is a body that provides non-binding strategic advice to the management of a corporation, organization, or foundation. The informal nature of an advisory board gives greater flexibility in structure and management compared to th ...
'' (2002) Mirah's second full-length album was recorded over a one-year period, starting on September 17, 2000 and ending on July 4, 2001, and was produced by both Mirah and Phil Elvrum. ''
Advisory Committee An advisory board is a body that provides non-binding strategic advice to the management of a corporation, organization, or foundation. The informal nature of an advisory board gives greater flexibility in structure and management compared to th ...
'' was released on K Records on March 19, 2002, and was well-received, earning an Allmusic score of 4.5/5 and a Pitchfork Media score of 8.3/10, who praised the maturity of her voice and lyrics. ;'' Cold Cold Water EP'' (2002) Mirah's '' Cold Cold Water EP'' was released on March 19, 2002 on K Records. It received a positive review in Pitchfork, who praised the title track, stating "the song is deadly serious, dark, and full of the kind of not-so vague sexual innuendos we've come to expect from Mirah. Then,
Phil Elvrum Philip Whitman Elverum (; born May 23, 1978) is an American musician, songwriter, record producer and visual artist, best known for his musical projects The Microphones and Mount Eerie. Based in Anacortes, Washington, in the mid-2000s he began ...
's panoramic, Morricone-esque production technique explodes onto the soundstage." Pitchfork called the other three tracks "admirable bedroom folk." ;'' Songs from the Black Mountain Music Project'' (2003) '' Songs from the Black Mountain Music Project'' is a collaboration between Mirah and Ginger Brooks Takahashi. It was written by Mirah and Takahashi in a secluded house in the
Blue Ridge Mountains The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. The mountain range is located in the Eastern United States, and extends 550 miles southwest from southern Pennsylvania through Maryland, West Virgin ...
in 2002, and recorded using a Tascam four-track and a mini-disc recorder. According to Allmusic, "the chirping birds, lonesome train whistles, and buzzing insects that pop up throughout
he album He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' in ...
make it feel like a collection of audio postcards from Takahashi and Mirah's vacation." K Records released the album on August 19, 2003. After living in Washington state for about ten years, Mirah moved to
Portland, Oregon Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County, the most populous co ...
around early 2004. ;''
To All We Stretch the Open Arm ''To All We Stretch the Open Arm'' is a collection of political songs by a variety of songwriters, performed by Mirah and the Black Cat Orchestra. It met with a positive review in Allmusic and mixed review from Pitchfork. Production The album wa ...
'' (2004) Performed by Mirah and the Black Cat Orchestra, ''
To All We Stretch the Open Arm ''To All We Stretch the Open Arm'' is a collection of political songs by a variety of songwriters, performed by Mirah and the Black Cat Orchestra. It met with a positive review in Allmusic and mixed review from Pitchfork. Production The album wa ...
'' is a collection of political songs by a variety of songwriters. Songs include covers of artists such as
Fausto Amodei Fausto Amodei (born 18 June 1935, in Turin) is an Italian folk singer-songwriter and musicologist. Biography Amodei began his musical career in 1958, founding the band Cantacronache. In his songs he uses irony and satire, a style inspired by th ...
,
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
,
Leonard Cohen Leonard Norman Cohen (September 21, 1934November 7, 2016) was a Canadian singer-songwriter, poet and novelist. His work explored religion, politics, isolation, depression, sexuality, loss, death, and romantic relationships. He was inducted in ...
,
Kurt Weill Kurt Julian Weill (March 2, 1900April 3, 1950) was a German-born American composer active from the 1920s in his native country, and in his later years in the United States. He was a leading composer for the stage who was best known for his fru ...
,
Bertholt Brecht Eugen Berthold Friedrich Brecht (10 February 1898 – 14 August 1956), known professionally as Bertolt Brecht, was a German theatre practitioner, playwright, and poet. Coming of age during the Weimar Republic, he had his first successes as a pl ...
,
Horacio Guarany Eraclio Catalin Rodríguez Cereijo, better known as Horacio Guarany (May 15, 1925 – January 13, 2017), was one of the main Argentine folklore Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that ...
, and
Stephen Foster Stephen Collins Foster (July 4, 1826January 13, 1864), known also as "the father of American music", was an American composer known primarily for his parlour music, parlour and Minstrel show, minstrel music during the Romantic music, Romantic ...
, and several original songs by Mirah as well. Recorded in
Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
in early 2003, it was released on Yoyo Records in 2004 to a positive review in Allmusic and a mixed review from Pitchfork. According to Allmusic, "While the album certainly addresses war and oppression with an appropriately somber tone, ''To All We Stretch the Open Arm'' doesn't lose sight of how important passion and wit are to any good protest." ;'' C'mon Miracle'' (2004) '' C'mon Miracle'' is Mirah's third full-length solo album. Several of the songs on ''C'mon Miracle'' reflect her experience visiting South America, specifically
Buenos Aires Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
, Argentina. The two songs recorded in Buenos Aires were co-produced with Mirah's long-time collaborator Bryce Kasson, also known as Bryce Panic. The rest of the tracks were co-produced with Phil Elvrum. The album was released on K Records on May 4, 2004 to a positive reception, earning "Best New Music" and a 8.5/10 rating from Pitchfork. She released a music video for the ''C'mon Miracle'' single "Don't Die in Me," which was created by
Tara Jane O'Neil Tara Jane O'Neil (born November 22, 1972) (surname sometimes written as "ONeil"; sometimes credited as TJO) is an American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, audio recording engineer, and visual artist based out of Los Angeles, California, Unite ...
and Kristina Davies and features animated drawings and paintings by O'Neil.


Collaborations (2006–2008)

;'' Joyride: Remixes'', 2006 '' Joyride: Remixes'' is a double CD containing remixes of Mirah's material by K Records artists, such as
Guy Sigsworth Guy Sigsworth is an English record producer and songwriter. During his career, he has worked with many artists, including Seal, Björk, Goldie, Madonna, Britney Spears, Kate Havnevik, Imogen Heap, Bebel Gilberto, Mozez, David Sylvian, Alanis M ...
,
Anna Oxygen Anna Jordan Huff is an American multi-media artist, composer, producer and actress best known by her stage name Anna Oxygen. After starting her music career as a member of the Space Ballerinas, a synthpop group then based in Olympia, she reco ...
,
Tender Forever Tender Forever is the pop electronica project of Franco-American musician Vito Valera. Valera has released four albums with K Records and now works on multimedia projects where they reside in Olympia, Washington. Music Valera began creating music ...
,
Yacht A yacht is a sailing or power vessel used for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a , as opposed to a , such a pleasu ...
,
Mount Eerie Mount Eerie is the musical project of American songwriter and producer Phil Elverum. Elverum (also of The Microphones) is the principal member of the band, but has collaborated with many other musicians on his records and in live performances. ...
,
Khaela Maricich The Blow is an American electro pop band, comprising Khaela Maricich and Melissa Dyne. Maricich and Dyne write, compose, produce and perform all the music. It was formed as a solo project by Maricich in 2002, and she was joined by Jona Bechtolt ...
,
Lucky Dragons Lucky Dragons is an experimental music group consisting of Luke Fischbeck and Sarah Rara. Based in Los Angeles, California, the band are noted for their unusual sound, described as having the ability to make "'everyday sounds' become alluringly ...
and
Electrosexual Electrosexual is a French electronic musician, composer, performer, record producer and music video director living in Berlin. Career Electrosexual's passion for early electronic engines and primitive sounds from analog synthesizers inspired hi ...
. Released by K Records on November 21, 2006, the album was positively received, scoring 3.5/5 from Allmusic and 3/5 from ''
Tiny Mix Tapes ''Tiny Mix Tapes'' (also ''TMT'' or ''tinymixtapes'') is an online music and film webzine that focuses primarily on new music and related news. In addition to its reviews, it is noted for its subversive, political, and sometimes surreal news, a ...
''. Mirah's music is featured in the 2006 documentary, ''
Young, Jewish, and Left ''Young, Jewish, and Left'' is an American documentary that presents several US-based leftist Jews grappling with identity, politics, and culture. Synopsis ''Young, Jewish, and Left'' combines queer culture, Jewish-Arab history, secular ''Yiddi ...
''. Around 2006 she began working with Portland-based musician
Tara Jane O'Neil Tara Jane O'Neil (born November 22, 1972) (surname sometimes written as "ONeil"; sometimes credited as TJO) is an American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, audio recording engineer, and visual artist based out of Los Angeles, California, Unite ...
, with O'Neil joining Mirah's live band and co-headlining a tour to Europe. Mirah played at the
Sasquatch Festival Sasquatch! Music Festival was an annual music festival held at The Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Washington, United States. It took place on Memorial Day weekend, running for three to four days. In 2018, it was announced that the festival was c ...
in the summer of 2007. ;'' Share This Place: Stories and Observations'' Released on K Records on August 7, 2007, '' Share This Place: Stories and Observations'' is a collaborative album between Mirah and Spectratone International (
Lori Goldston Lori Goldston is an American cellist and composer. Accomplished in a wide variety of styles, including classical, world music, rock and free improvisation, she came to prominence as the touring cellist for Nirvana from 1993–1994 and appears on ...
and
Kyle Hanson ''Share This Place: Stories and Observations'' is a collaborative album between Mirah and Spectratone International (Lori Goldston and Kyle Hanson), released on K Records in 2007. The subject matter revolves around the lives of insects. Stop moti ...
, formerly of the Black Cat Orchestra). The subject matter revolves around the lives of insects, and the album was inspired by the writing of 19th century entomologist and poet J. Henri Fabre, as well as '' The Insect Play'' by
Karel Čapek Karel Čapek (; 9 January 1890 – 25 December 1938) was a Czech writer, playwright and critic. He has become best known for his science fiction, including his novel ''War with the Newts'' (1936) and play ''R.U.R.'' (''Rossum's Universal Ro ...
. Stop motion films by Britta Johnson were also a part of the project. According to Allmusic, "
he songs He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...
are intricate and beautifully made, giving a larger scale to the big events in these tiny lives – birth, death, mating, eating, sacrifice, survival – while keeping the details that make them fascinating." As of September 2008 she was touring and performing with Spectratone International, playing a string of gigs on the west coast. In 2008, she had an essay published in the book ''Rock 'n' Roll Camp for Girls.'' ;'' The Old Days Feeling'', singles '' The Old Days Feeling'' is a collection of out-of-print, reissued, and unreleased songs by Mirah, featuring collaborative work by Phil Elvrum and
Calvin Johnson Calvin Johnson Jr., (born September 29, 1985) is an American former football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons with the Detroit Lions. He played college football at Georgia Tech, where he twice ...
of K Records. In the genre of
indie rock Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the mu ...
and recorded in a
lo-fi Lo-fi (also typeset as lofi or low-fi; short for low fidelity) is a music or production quality in which elements usually regarded as imperfections in the context of a recording or performance are present, sometimes as a deliberate choice. The ...
style, it was released on Modern Radio Records on July 15, 2008, to a positive reception. Pitchfork Media gave it a score of 7.5/10, while
Tiny Mix Tapes ''Tiny Mix Tapes'' (also ''TMT'' or ''tinymixtapes'') is an online music and film webzine that focuses primarily on new music and related news. In addition to its reviews, it is noted for its subversive, political, and sometimes surreal news, a ...
gave it 3.5/5. In July 2008 her song "The Garden" was featured in the TV show ''
So You Think You Can Dance ''So You Think You Can Dance'' is a franchise of reality television shows in which contestants compete in dance. The first series of the franchise, created by '' Idols'' producers Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe, premiered in July 2005 and has ...
''. The song, which had been previously released on her 2002 album ''Advisory Committee,'' also charted at #45 on the US
Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers are "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. The Heatseekers Albums and the Heatseekers Songs charts were introduced by ''Billboard'' in 1991 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new an ...
song chart, reaching #31 on the same chart in Canada.


Live performances, touring

Between 1998 and 2009 she toured extensively, mostly in the US and Canada with smaller stints in Europe and Japan, all within a network of underground and DIY spaces and promoters. These shows would happen at house parties, all-ages spaces and small clubs. She performed at
Ladyfest Ladyfest is a community-based, not-for-profit global music and arts festival for feminist and women artists. Individual Ladyfests differ, but usually feature a combination of bands, musical groups, performance artists, authors, spoken word an ...
in Seattle, Philadelphia, London, and Amsterdam, as well as at several
Yoyo A Go Go Yoyo A Go Go, usually abbreviated to Yoyo and often typeset in various ways, was an independent music festival in Olympia, Washington, first held in 1994 and followed by successor festivals in 1997, 1999, and 2001. Five- and six-day concert marat ...
festivals. In 2009 she started working with the Billions booking agency.


Recent releases (2009–present)

;''
(a)spera ''(a)spera'' is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mirah, released on March 10, 2009. Produced by Phil Elverum, it met with a largely positive reception from music critics. According to ''PopMatters'' about the album, "The music ...
'', touring (2009) ''
(a)spera ''(a)spera'' is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mirah, released on March 10, 2009. Produced by Phil Elverum, it met with a largely positive reception from music critics. According to ''PopMatters'' about the album, "The music ...
'', the title of Mirah's fourth full-length studio album, released on March 10, 2009, is a play on the
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
words for hope and difficulty. It was her first solo album after a four-year hiatus spent working on collaborations and remixes of previous albums. As with many of her previous releases it was co-produced by Phil Elverum and released on K Records. She also worked with
Grammy The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...
-nominated producer
Tucker Martine Tucker Martine (born January 14, 1972) is an American record producer, musician and composer. In 2010, ''Paste'' Magazine included Martine in their list of the 10 Best Producers of the Decade. Early life Tucker Martine, the son of singer and son ...
on 4 of the tracks. The album peaked on the ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
''
Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers are "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. The Heatseekers Albums and the Heatseekers Songs charts were introduced by ''Billboard'' in 1991 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new an ...
chart at #46, and received largely positive reviews.
PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...
praised Elverum's production, stating, "The musical marriage of Mirah and Elverum is one of those rare perfect meeting of the minds—
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
and
Kanye Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ear ...
,
Butch Vig Bryan David "Butch" Vig (born August 2, 1955) is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, best known as the drummer and co-producer of the alternative rock band Garbage and the producer of the diamond-selling Nirvana album ''Neve ...
and
Kurt Cobain Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20, 1967 – April 5, 1994) was an American musician who served as the lead vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter of the rock band Nirvana. Through his angst-fueled songwriting and anti-establishment persona ...
...through the intelligent production of Elvrum...she is able to set her thoughts upon soaring mountains of musical genius." As of May 2009 she had toured both the US and Europe in support of the album, and she moved to San Francisco in November of that year. Her 2010 music video for "The Forest" (from ''(a)spera'') was directed by Lauryn Siegel and has choreography by Faye Driscoll and photographed by
Ava Berkofsky Ava Berkofsky is an American cinematographer and director. They are best known for their work on '' Insecure'', for which they were nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards. Berkofsky has been noted for their skill in lighting brown skin on camer ...
. ;''
Thao + Mirah ''Thao & Mirah'' is a collaborative studio album by Thao Nguyen & Mirah, released in 2011 on Kill Rock Stars. In support of the album Thao and Mirah toured with indie music artists such as BOBBY. It was well received by music critics; according t ...
'' (2010) In early 2010, after performing with singer-songwriter Thao Nguyen at the
Noise Pop Festival Noise Pop Festival is an annual week-long music and arts festival that takes place throughout the San Francisco Bay Area produced by Noise Pop. From 1993 to 2020, and then resuming in 2022, Noise Pop Festival has provided exposure to some emer ...
in San Francisco, the two announced a 2010 North American tour, billed under the name Thao and Mirah with the Most of All. They performed a collaborative set and shared vocal duties on each artist's respective songs. They subsequently recorded a full-length album of original material called ''
Thao + Mirah ''Thao & Mirah'' is a collaborative studio album by Thao Nguyen & Mirah, released in 2011 on Kill Rock Stars. In support of the album Thao and Mirah toured with indie music artists such as BOBBY. It was well received by music critics; according t ...
''. Produced by musician
Merrill Garbus Tune-Yards (stylized as tUnE-yArDs) is the American, Oakland, California–based music project of Merrill Garbus and Nate Brenner. Garbus's music draws from an eclectic variety of sources and utilizes elements such as loop pedals, ukulele, voca ...
of the band
Tune-Yards Tune-Yards (stylized as tUnE-yArDs) is the American, Oakland, California–based music project of Merrill Garbus and Nate Brenner. Garbus's music draws from an eclectic variety of sources and utilizes elements such as loop pedals, ukulele, voca ...
, the album was released by
Kill Rock Stars Kill Rock Stars is an independent record label founded in 1991 by Slim Moon and Tinuviel Sampson, and based in both Olympia, Washington, and Portland, Oregon. The label has released a variety of work in different genres, but was originally known ...
on . It was well received by music critics; according to Pitchfork, "everything on ''Thao & Mirah'' feels of a cohesive collaborative piece, separate from either artist's solo work, a combination that synthesizes their individual strengths to outstanding effect." The two toured in support of the album while working with Air Traffic Control, an organization that provides artists a platform for social activism. ;2010–present She released a solo EP ''Don't/The Tears That Fall EP'' in 2010 as a vinyl single on
Mississippi Records Mississippi Records is a record store and label. It was founded by Eric Isaacson in 2003 in Portland, Oregon. It also houses a café, equipment repair shop, and the Portland Museum of Modern Art. The Mississippi Records motto is: "Love over gold. ...
. Also in 2010 her track "Engine Heart" off ''
You Think It's Like This but Really It's Like This ''You Think It's Like This but Really It's Like This'' is Mirah's debut album, released in 2000 on K Records. In July 2020, Mirah released a 20th anniversary reissue of the album via Double Double Whammy. The double LP reissue includes a remastere ...
'' was used in the soundtrack for the romantic comedy ''
Love & Other Drugs ''Love & Other Drugs'' is a 2010 American romantic comedy-drama film directed, produced and co-written by Edward Zwick and based on Jamie Reidy's 2005 non-fiction book ''Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman''. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, ...
''. In October 2011 her song "Special Death" was featured in the TV show ''
American Horror Story ''American Horror Story'' is an American anthology horror television series created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk for the cable network FX. The first installment in the '' American Story'' media franchise, each season is conceived as a ...
''. Her 2011 release of the digital single "Low Self Control" was produced by Christopher Doulgeris and the accompanying video was by Doulgeris and Aubree Bernier-Clarke. She began living part-time in Brooklyn in October 2012, moving there full-time in the fall of 2013. Mirah co-wrote a song called "The Nest" which appeared on
Jherek Bischoff Jherek Brandon Bischoff (born September 11, 1979) is an American composer, arranger, producer, and multi-instrumental performer. He has released over a dozen studio albums as a solo artist and band member and has credits as a musician, arranger, p ...
's 2012 album ''Composed'', and she has performed that song and others with various ensembles in Seattle and New York City, including The Wordless Music Orchestra and Contemporaneous. Mirah and Bischoff first performed "The Nest" (and several of Mirah's songs which Bischoff arranged for orchestra) live at the 2012 Ecstatic Music Festival in NYC with notable vocalists including
David Byrne David Byrne (; born 14 May 1952) is a Scottish-American singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, writer, music theorist, visual artist and filmmaker. He was a founding member and the principal songwriter, lead singer, and guitarist of ...
, and again at
St. Ann's Warehouse St. Ann's Warehouse is a performing arts institution in Brooklyn, New York City. Formerly the Church of St. Ann and the Holy Trinity on Montague Street, in 1980 the site was converted into a venue for classical music. Initially known as ''Arts a ...
in Brooklyn in 2014. As part of the "Portland's Indies" series, she had a 2013 performance with the
Oregon Symphony The Oregon Symphony is an American symphony orchestra based in Portland, Oregon, United States. Founded as the 'Portland Symphony Society' in 1896, it is the sixth oldest orchestra in the United States, and oldest in the Western United States. I ...
. She also wrote a piece collaboratively with percussionist and composer
Susie Ibarra Susie Ibarra (born Anaheim, November 15, 1970) is a contemporary composer and percussionist who has worked and recorded with jazz, classical, world, and indigenous musicians. One of SPIN's "100 Greatest Drummers of Alternative Music," she is kno ...
, which they debuted at the 2014 Ecstatic Music Festival (NYC). The opera piece is titled "We Float," and according to the Kaufman Music Center, is about "exploring the substance and ethereality of spacewalks, sound and the human experience." ;''Changing Light'' (2014) ''Changing Light'', was released on May 13, 2014. ''Changing Light'' features guest appearances by
Mary Timony Mary Bozana Timony (born October 17, 1970) is an American independent singer-songwriter, guitarist, keyboardist, and violist. She has been a member of the bands Helium, Autoclave and Wild Flag, and currently fronts Ex Hex. Timony's music is o ...
,
Deerhoof Deerhoof are an American musical group formed in San Francisco in 1994. They currently consist of founding drummer Greg Saunier, bassist and singer Satomi Matsuzaki, and guitarists John Dieterich and Ed Rodriguez. Beginning as an improvised noi ...
's
Greg Saunier Greg Saunier (born 18 May 1969) is a musician, producer, and composer best known as the drummer and founding member of Deerhoof. ''Rolling Stone'' included Saunier alongside Brian Chippendale (of Lightning Bolt) and Zach Hill (of Hella, late ...
,
Jherek Bischoff Jherek Brandon Bischoff (born September 11, 1979) is an American composer, arranger, producer, and multi-instrumental performer. He has released over a dozen studio albums as a solo artist and band member and has credits as a musician, arranger, p ...
,
Emily Wells Emily Wells (born November 20, 1981) is an American multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, composer, arranger, and producer whose genres encompass alternative, experimental, hip-hop and classical. In addition to playing instruments such as violin a ...
and Heather McEntire. Bischoff wrote the string arrangements for many of the tracks. ''Changing Light'' was released on Mirah's imprint, Absolute Magnitude Recordings, in collaboration with K Records. ''Glide Magazine'' gave it 9/10 stars, stating the album "covers a lot of earthly ground, from animals to nature and seasons...''Light'' deals with being in transition on deep levels, confronting mortality in fascinating ways." The review described her vocals as "gauzy, but never thin, and this time around she sounds a bit world-wearier. But it works for her, adding a smoky sultriness, and subtle imperfections that make each song rawer because of it." ''Sundial EP (2017)'' Mirah's project, ''Sundial EP,'' was released on October 6, 2017 on her imprint label Absolute Magnitude Recordings. In another beautiful collaboration with
Jherek Bischoff Jherek Brandon Bischoff (born September 11, 1979) is an American composer, arranger, producer, and multi-instrumental performer. He has released over a dozen studio albums as a solo artist and band member and has credits as a musician, arranger, p ...
, the ''Sundial EP'' reworks six songs from Mirah's back catalogue with the addition of the EP's title track ''Sundial. "Both airy and thoughtful, "Sundial" stretches heavenward with rising strings and Mirah's voice at its most ethereal as it describes a cluster of ancient beings watching from everywhere in the universe at once—stars, urging the people on their orbiting planets to make their own happiness"'' ''Understanding (2018)'' On September 7, 2018 Mirah released her 2nd full-length album on her imprint label Absolute Magnitude Recordings, "Understanding". The 10-track record stems from demos recorded during Mirah's time in residency at the Headlands Center for the Arts in Northern California. Mirah returned to New York and fleshed out the rest of the album with frequent collaborators Greg Saunier (of Deerhoof) and Eli Crews (Tune Yards, Julie Ruin). Mirah released four singles to accompany the album - "Hot Hot", "Information", "Lighthouse", and "Ordinary Day". She also released a music video for "Lake/Ocean", which follows Mirah on her journey through the Alaskan Inside Passage, confronting her fear of water and darkness. The album's first track, ''Counting,'' is featured on the TV show ''
Veronica Mars ''Veronica Mars'' is an American teen noir mystery drama television series created by screenwriter Rob Thomas. The series is set in the fictional town of Neptune, California, and stars Kristen Bell as the eponymous character. The series prem ...
''. ''All Music'' calls it "a commanding and confident collection of songs that blends the confessional with the celebratory. Much more shimmering and robust than earlier lo-fi albums...''Understanding'' doesn't shy away from layered vocals, synthesizer flourishes, and big crescendos." ''
NPR National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...
'' included ''Understanding'' on its list of 'Eight Albums You Should Hear Now" on its release day. ''You Think It's Like This But Really It's Like This: 20 Year Anniversary Reissue (2020)'' On July 31, 2020 Mirah will release a deluxe reissue version of her seminal LP, ''
You Think It's Like This But Really It's Like This ''You Think It's Like This but Really It's Like This'' is Mirah's debut album, released in 2000 on K Records. In July 2020, Mirah released a 20th anniversary reissue of the album via Double Double Whammy. The double LP reissue includes a remastere ...
'', via
Double Double Whammy Double Double Whammy is an independent record label founded by Dave Benton and Mike Caridi in October 2011 whilst studying at SUNY Purchase, a liberal arts college in New York state. History Double Double Whammy was founded by Dave Benton and Mi ...
. The original record was remastered by Josh Bonati and the double LP includes a full tribute album featuring over twenty contributing artists. Many of the artists have been longtime collaborators of Mirah's, such as
Mount Eerie Mount Eerie is the musical project of American songwriter and producer Phil Elverum. Elverum (also of The Microphones) is the principal member of the band, but has collaborated with many other musicians on his records and in live performances. ...
and
The Blow The Blow is an American electro pop band, comprising Khaela Maricich and Melissa Dyne. Maricich and Dyne write, compose, produce and perform all the music. It was formed as a solo project by Maricich in 2002, and she was joined by Jona Bechtolt ...
, and many newer artists inspired by Mirah's catalog, including Half Waif, Shamir,
Palehound Palehound is an American band fronted by Ellen Kempner who have released three albums, ''Dry Food'' (2015), ''A Place I'll Always Go'' (2017) and ''Black Friday'' (2019); as well as the ''Bent Nail'' EP (2013) and a number of 7" singles. Initially ...
,
Mal Blum Mal Blum is an American songwriter, musician, writer and performer from New York. Blum has released six full-length albums, most recently ''Pity Boy'' in 2019. Career They spent their early career promoting self-booked DIY solo tours and also ...
and more.


Style, equipment

As a vocalist, songwriter, and
experimental pop Experimental pop is pop music that cannot be categorized within traditional musical boundaries or which attempts to push elements of existing popular forms into new areas. It may incorporate experimental techniques such as musique concrète, al ...
recording artist, Mirah typically works independently while songwriting, though frequently collaborates as a recording artist. In 2007, she began writing collaboratively for the first time with Spectratone International. According to ''
The Rumpus ''The Rumpus'' is an online literary magazine launched on January 20, 2009. The site features interviews, book reviews, essays, comics, and critiques of creative culture as well as original fiction and poetry. The site runs two subscription-base ...
'' in 2011, "Mirah's early records...are
DIY "Do it yourself" ("DIY") is the method of building, modifying, or repairing things by oneself without the direct aid of professionals or certified experts. Academic research has described DIY as behaviors where "individuals use raw and semi ...
mini-masterpieces that express a
punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
sensibility through broken drum machines, reverb-drenched guitars and
ukulele The ukulele ( ; from haw, ukulele , approximately ), also called Uke, is a member of the lute family of instruments of Portuguese origin and popularized in Hawaii. It generally employs four nylon strings. The tone and volume of the instrumen ...
, singing with frank sexuality in an occasionally child-like voice. Her more recent albums...are mature, complex and immaculately-produced." She primarily plays guitar and also has guest musicians accompany her live and on records. According to Mirah in 2008, "I play the same guitar as I did when I first started out. I only own two guitars, my Gibson and a little acoustic...So for me, the simpler the better onstage. Just me and my guitar, and sometimes just me and my voice, my favorite instrument." Mirah's ever-evolving live band has included friends and artists such as Bryce Kasson,
Tara Jane O'Neil Tara Jane O'Neil (born November 22, 1972) (surname sometimes written as "ONeil"; sometimes credited as TJO) is an American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, audio recording engineer, and visual artist based out of Los Angeles, California, Unite ...
,
Rachel Blumberg Rachel Chaiya Blumberg (born February 10, 1969) is an American musician, artist, and filmmaker, best known for her tenure as the drummer for the indie rock band The Decemberists. Early life Blumberg was born in Portland, Oregon in 1969. She is ...
, Melanie Valera, Alex Guy,
Andrew Maguire Gene Andrew Maguire (born March 11, 1939) is an American politician who served three terms as a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, representing New Jersey's 7th congressional district (western Bergen County) from 19 ...
, Lisa Schonberg,
Lori Goldston Lori Goldston is an American cellist and composer. Accomplished in a wide variety of styles, including classical, world music, rock and free improvisation, she came to prominence as the touring cellist for Nirvana from 1993–1994 and appears on ...
, Emily Kingan, Christopher Doulgeris, Maia MacDonald and many others.


Personal life

As of 2014 Mirah is based in
Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
, New York. Her older sister is Emily Ana Zeitlyn of The Weeds and Divers. Her partner is film-maker Todd Chandler. On September 5, 2018, she announced that she and her partner were pregnant with their first child. Mirah has been out as queer throughout her professional career.


Publishing history

*2008: ''Rock 'n' Roll Camp for Girls'' – essay included


Filmography

*2005: '' Burn to Shine'' DVD


Discography


Solo material


Studio albums


EPs


Singles


Collaborations


Collections and other releases


Scores, orchestral pieces

*2014: ''We Float'' (opera co-written with
Susie Ibarra Susie Ibarra (born Anaheim, November 15, 1970) is a contemporary composer and percussionist who has worked and recorded with jazz, classical, world, and indigenous musicians. One of SPIN's "100 Greatest Drummers of Alternative Music," she is kno ...
)


Compilations, soundtracks

;Compilations *1994: ''TESC Student Compilation'' – track "Carve in It" by The Mirah Yom Tov Zeitlyn Band *1996/7: ''TESC Student Compilation'' – track "Lucky Little Shark" by Mirah Yom Tov Zeitlyn *1997: ''Overboard'' (comp by Yoyo Records) – track "Letter" by The Drivers *1997: ''Go Olympia'' by
Nikki McClure Nikki McClure is a papercut artist based in Olympia, Washington. She is the author and illustrator of a number of children's books and produces an annual calendar. Biography McClure grew up in Kirkland, Washington. She moved to Olympia in 1986 ...
(cass comp.) – track "Tumwater Falls" *1997: ''Chez Vous'' (K Records, produced by
Jen Smith Jen Smith is an artist, musician, zine editor, and activist from the United States. Smith is credited with being the inspiration behind the term riot grrrl and being one of the architects of the movement. Biography In early 1991, Jen Smith and W ...
) – track "Lucky Little Shark" *1997: ''Shmompilation'' (cass comp.) – tracks "I'm My Own Best Friend" and "Aftermath" *1999: ''Projector'' (studio compilation) – track "Precious Little Rocket" *1999: ''Hootenholler'' (LoveTapeLove in Santa Cruz, cass comp.) – track "Get It?" as well as "Who Among the Mighty Can Compare to You?" by The Chosen *1999: ''Olympia Talent Show'' (CD comp.) – cover of
Yoko Ono Yoko Ono ( ; ja, 小野 洋子, Ono Yōko, usually spelled in katakana ; born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese multimedia artist, singer, songwriter, and peace activist. Her work also encompasses performance art and filmmaking. Ono grew up i ...
's "Yes I'm Your Angel"
*1999: ''YoYo a GoGo 1999'' (CD comp, Yoyo Records) – track "Engine Heart" *1999: ''Lullaby Lullaby'' (Eighty North Records) – track "Special Death" *2000: ''Secret Home Party 7"'' (Little Pad Records, Japan) – track "Location Temporary" *2001: ''Breakout'' (Dead Turtle Recordings, cass comp.) – track "I'm Alive" *2002: ''One year later...It Still Hurts/Queers Against the G8'' (''Speed Demon'' Queer Zine) – track "Monument" *2004: ''Hidden Songs, a Green UFOs 10th Anniversary Compilation'' – track "Dogs of BA" *2005: "The Vibration Split" with
Emilyn Brodsky The Best Thing Ever is a punk band/performance art group formed by autistic singer/songwriter Noah Britton in the summer of 2003. The label "punk" is adequate to describe the band's influences and ethics, but the sound that they exhibited changed ...
(Third Story Records, 7") – track "Out Riding" *2005: ''Pressing Sounds'' compilation – track "The Life You Love" *2005: ''PDX Pop Now'' compilation – track "While We Have the Su"n (4-track home version) *2009: ''This Is a Care Package'' (benefit comp for H.I.P.S., or Helping Individual Prostitutes Survive) – track "While We Have the Sun" *2010: '' Subterranean Homesick Blues: A Tribute to Bob Dylan's 'Bringing It All Back Home'' – version of " Love Minus Zero" *2016: ''
30 Days, 30 Songs 1,000 Days, 1,000 Songs (originally called 30 Days, 30 Songs, then 30 Days, 50 Songs) is a musical project launched on October 10, 2016, by Dave Eggers which was originally supposed to release one song per day from then until November 8, 2016, whic ...
'' - track "No Guns No Guns" ;Soundtracks *2010: ''Group'' soundtrack (film w/
Carrie Brownstein Carrie Rachel Brownstein (born September 27, 1974) is an American musician, actress, writer, director, and comedian. She first came to prominence as a member of the band Excuse 17 before forming the rock trio Sleater-Kinney. During a long hiatus ...
and
Nomy Lamm Naomi Elizabeth "Nomy" Lamm (born September 1, 1975) is an American singer-songwriter and political activist. Lamm has described herself as a "bad ass, fat ass, Jew, dyke amputee." Her left foot was amputated at age three, to be fitted with a l ...
, Yoyo Recordings) – track "Sweepstakes Prize"


Performance credits

*1999: '' Don't Wake Me Up'' by
The Microphones The Microphones are an American indie folk, indie rock, and experimental project from Olympia, Washington. The project was founded in 1996 and ended in 2003, with a short reunion following in 2007 and revivals in 2019 and 2020. Across every it ...
vocals, guitar *2000: ''
Window A window is an opening in a wall, door, roof, or vehicle that allows the exchange of light and may also allow the passage of sound and sometimes air. Modern windows are usually glazed or covered in some other transparent or translucent materia ...
'' by
The Microphones The Microphones are an American indie folk, indie rock, and experimental project from Olympia, Washington. The project was founded in 1996 and ended in 2003, with a short reunion following in 2007 and revivals in 2019 and 2020. Across every it ...
vocals, guitar *''Sick of Recorder'' by
Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
Japanese vocals on track "Cold Cold Winter"


Further reading

;Reviews * * * * ;Biographies * ;Interviews * * * * * * * *


References


External links


Official SiteK Records Artist Page
{{Authority control American women guitarists Songwriters from Pennsylvania Women rock singers Jewish American musicians K Records artists Living people Musicians from Portland, Oregon Evergreen State College alumni Singers from Pennsylvania Jewish rock musicians Jews in punk rock Guitarists from Philadelphia Guitarists from Oregon 21st-century American women singers People from Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania Year of birth missing (living people) 21st-century American singers LGBT singers from the United States LGBT Jews LGBT people from Pennsylvania LGBT songwriters 21st-century American Jews Women punk rock singers