“Within every person there is beauty and there is honesty, and I believe they’re best celebrated together.” – Mia Van De Loo.
Mai Van De Loo is on a mission to unite people through the power of music. Her first release, “Upstream”, swirls with her sweet Nashville lilt, taking you on a journey of acceptance and resilience. It’s a cosy, magical folk listen, so delicate that you have to stop and listen closely so as not to distract from its beauty. I was lucky enough to chat with Mia for the release.
Lizz – Your name is really unique, is there a story behind it?
Mia – I love my name! My parents spent a long time deliberating over my first name because they wanted one that would be impossible to make fun of. They thought it was unique at the time but everyone else decided to name their daughters Mia in 2003! My last name is Dutch, though my heritage is an amalgamation of European countries. My ancestors many, many generations ago had a castle in the Netherlands and I visited it with my family a few years back, but they wouldn’t let us in because there was a car show that day. Still bitter about that!
Lizz – Who or what would you say has influenced your music the most?
Mia – I’ve heard of many people who ask when they’re first starting out in music, “How do I know which genre I should pursue?” That question surprises me because my music has always flowed naturally from me. There was never a moment when I decided that the music I make would sound the way it does. I’ve definitely had influences throughout my life that have made me into the person who creates the music that I do though. I wrote music as a kid with my dad, with a focus on flowery imagery and clever storytelling. My parents introduced me to musical theatre very early on (my first favourite was Annie) and that continues to seep into my songwriting. Journaling also became an important part of my emotional process when I was thirteen, so many of my songs tend sound like a diary entry.
Lizz – In your bio, you talk about the importance of the relationship between an artist and their audience. Are there any artists who make you feel particularly connected to their music, and what do they do that creates that connection?
Mia – I love this question because I have a very clear answer, and it is Adam Melchor. He became my favourite artist during Covid because he was constantly going live, uploading new music on unlisted for devoted fans, really engaging with his audience. We all had time to spare in 2020, and I leaned heavily into his content. I’ve seen him perform live seven times, and he takes time to talk with his fans after the show and genuinely remembers them. I’ll also say as a sidenote that as a theatre-goer, it means a lot to me when actors stage-door after the show. Showing up in person for your audience is an unnecessary but so welcome demonstration of respect and care for the people that support you, and I never want to take that for granted as I meet more and more people who generously support me and my art.
Above – Adam Melchor
Lizz – Your second Instagram focuses on playlist curation. What inspired that, and has curating music influenced the way you approach writing your own songs?
Mia – I started my playlisting account (@mia.vandeloo.playlists) last year, and it has been so fun. In high school, my best friend, who wasn’t quite my best friend yet, told me she listened to music as a hobby, and that blew my mind. She got me into playlisting (she loves making lists) and now with hundreds of playlists, I’m in pretty deep. I think categorizing music so much helps me to determine what kind of a song I want to write when I sit down to write it. I originally made the account to gain some traction on my own songs that appear on the playlists, so I ask myself, which playlist do I want this song to fit on? And that helps direct the vibe. But honestly, the biggest blessing has been supporting my friends by making posts about their albums and EPs, and seeing the followers roll in out of support for them.
Lizz – “Upstream” has a beautiful, minimalist sound. Were you the only musician involved in creating the track, or did you collaborate with other artists and producers?
Mia – I was definitely not the only person that worked on “Upstream!” I wrote it myself in 2019, but my friend Ben Houser produced and mixed the track. He produces for and is the front-man of the band Almost A.M., and I met the other two members of his band (Brandon and Caleb) back in 2020, before starting a band was even on their minds. They are all so talented and it was so fun to develop a friendship with Ben to complete the trifecta! We also brought in Matt Butler on the cello. He played on three songs for us, and was in and out in about an hour. He is such a master at his craft, and so down to earth.
Lizz – Did ‘Upstream’ end up sounding the way you originally imagined it, or did it evolve throughout the writing and recording process?
Mia – Oh my goodness “Upstream” is SO different than I thought it would be. I’ve written almost all of my songs acoustically, and “Upstream” was born in my bedroom in my junior year of high school on a ukulele. I guess it began more like the finished product, but I felt like “Upstream” was sort of the black sheep of the project I recorded with Ben, for whatever reason. So, I thought it was going to be hyper-produced, with a constant and almost intentionally obtrusive beat, akin to Ragdoll by Dora Jar. We played around with it for a long time, returning to it and leaving it alone, until we were kind of just jamming to it one day and realized it had to be toned down. I’m so glad that’s how it ended up, because it’s kind of an ugly duckling story. It wasn’t even going to be a single on the project, and now it’s the first one, because it’s honest, and simple. The point of the song is skirting the responsibility to do what you know in your heart is right for you, and that’s exactly the journey I went on with the production. I think the acoustic nature of the production subtly insists that we’ll eventually have to face the truth, no matter how we try to avoid it.
Lizz – Take us into the room where “Upstream” was created. What did the production process look like from start to finish?
Mia – After we played around with overproduced versions of the song, the process really was very simple. To my memory, it was a scratch recording, and then Ben laid down the acoustic guitar (which I still need to learn to play for this song…oops), then the piano, and then we recorded vocals and harmonies. Then we had Matt come in on the cello and add his magic, and it all came together from there, with ample breaks to talk about the movies we’d watched recently, of course.
Lizz – If you could perform at any venue in the world, where would it be, and what makes that venue special to you?
Mia – My answer is totally going to change as I grow in my music journey, but right now, it’s Lincoln Hall in Chicago. I went to college in Chicago for one semester, and it was really hard. I did fine academically but I barely made any friends, felt out of place, and what pressed on me the most, was that I didn’t have any time for music. I saw Colony House play at Lincoln Hall and it was such an amazing show, but I was exhausted from moshing, and I skipped class the next morning. That sent me on a spiral, because it was the first time I’d ever skipped class, and I started wondering why I even went to my classes at all. I don’t think I even realized it yet, but that was the week I decided to drop out of school to pursue music. So, to return to Chicago, and play that venue, would be so incredibly full circle for me. Plus, it’s just a beautiful venue, and at a 500 capacity, I feel like it could be attainable within the next few years.
Lizz – Now that listeners have had a chance to hear the track, is there anything you’d do differently if you were making it again?
Mia – Right now, there’s nothing I would change about “Upstream.” It’s only been out for about twelve hours as of the time I’m writing this, so ask me again in a year, but I feel like I overcame the hurdles I erected for myself in the creation of this song, and it’s in a really great spot now.
Lizz – Last, but certainly not least, if “Upstream” were the soundtrack to a film, what kind would it be?
Mia – I didn’t write “Upstream” about a boy (my next song is about a boy, don’t worry), but I do think it’d fit nicely in a movie that deals with an awkward teenage romance, like To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before or Lady Bird. I just added it to some of my playlists, and I feel like it fit well on sad but like, oh well, ya’ know? and what else am I supposed to do? Aka, the sad main character montage, if that gives you an idea.
“Upstream” is out now!
It’s been such a pleasure going back and forth with Mia during the interview process and I’m honoured that Under The Frequency could be part of this journey. Thank you so much Mia!