Mia Giovina for The Meadow
interviewer: Sara Sharif (@sarangelic)
interviewee: Mia Giovina (@miagiovina)
From New Jersey, 20-year-old singer-songwriter Mia Giovina is taking the internet by storm! Using her platform to share her message and incredible vocals, Mia is dedicated to having her music create a safe space for listeners everywhere. With over 174k+ followers on Tik Tok, Mia is creating a creative platform through rewriting popular songs and sharing her beautiful originals. In March Mia released her debut single "Sirens" and it connected with listeners worldwide, racking up countless articles, playlists, and 200k+ streams and counting!
photography by Tori Sokalski
What do you consider the perfect moment?
"As a songwriter, a perfect moment is when your lyrics find their way to a melody and you know you’ve created something special."
* in relevance to our issue #5 MOMENT
t h e i n t e r v i e w
1. Please start with a little introduction about yourself!
Hi! My name is Mia Giovina and I’m a singer songwriter from New Jersey! Music has been the biggest part of my life for forever but I just recently started tiptoeing my way into the industry about year ago when I began posting on tiktok! Now I have two songs out and I’m excited to release even more!
2. What genre would you say your music belongs to?
I love literally every genre of music so I’m excited to explore all of them throughout my career but right now I’d say the songs I write are a mixture of indie, pop, and folk!
3. Your voice is angelic! When did you realize that this is what you wanted to do? Tell us your story.
Thank you so much! Like I said before, music has been my biggest love for my entire life. I can’t really remember a time when it wasn’t. Two years ago, when I decided to put college on hold and pursue music full time, I had no idea where to go with it. I couldn’t write even one full song, I had no confidence in myself or my voice, and I just felt super lost. Now, I’m writing and releasing my own music, I have the best manager, I’m constantly meeting and working with musicians I adore, and I have the most supportive fan base I could ask for! It has always been my biggest dream but it’s now truly started to feel like a reality!
4. And how has your journey been so far?
Though I’ve had my ups and downs, I’ve never felt happier or more fulfilled in my life. I constantly have to step back and realize that I’m living the life I’ve always dreamed of and I couldn’t be more grateful! I can only go up from here.
5. I adore your latest single, “Time Machine”. Tell us what “Time Machine” means to you and what your aim was during the making.
“Time Machine” is a song about the terrifying feeling of growing up and wishing you could go back to being a kid when everything seemed a little simpler. I’ve always been really scared of change and I think this song just captures that fear.
photography by Tori Sokalski
6. How was the process of the making of the song?
I was feeling super nostalgic and melancholy and the song kind of poured out of me. I wrote it in about 20 minutes and instantly felt like it was something special! I recorded and sent a quick voice memo of it to my two producers, Nate and Noah and they got to work right away! The demo I originally sent them was super stripped back and acoustic, which ended up being very different from the final product. But I’m super in love with it. I love the contrast of devastating lyrics and a catchy melody.
7. What is your creative process?
I try not to force my creativity. I think you write your worst songs when you sit down with the intention of writing a hit. I’m always writing little lyrics, titles, and concepts in the notes app on my phone so that when creativity strikes I have something to work off of.
8. Who is your musical inspiration?
Definitely Taylor Swift. I am just so in awe of her lyrics and her melodies.
9. Any tips for our musicians out here?
Make music for yourself first! When you focus too much on outside sources like other’s opinions, social media, charts etc. you lose focus on the passion that made you fall in love with music in the first place!
10. So, what should we expect next, in the near future?
Music music music. My biggest focus right now is just creating beautiful music that I love and sharing it with those who may need it!
11. How do we gain access to your music?
You can find me on all streaming platforms by searching Mia Giovina! You can also find me on social media where I’m constantly sharing unreleased songs by also searching Mia Giovina!