Mirah
Portland, OR
Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Singer/Songwriter
Cat Power, Liz Phair, The Breeders
No other artist embodies the Pacific Northwest quite like Mirah. From her organic instrumentation, to her endless array of collaborative experiments, and a humble yet evocative stage presence, the singer /songwriter has gone from a girl and guitar to a far reaching and visionary artist.
Born in Pennsylvania’s farm country, Mirah (pronounced Mear-rah) Yom Tov Zeitlyn moved as a child with her family to Olympia, WA, and began playing guitar after graduating from Evergreen State College. Early four track recordings and local gigs led to a signing with Calvin Johnson’s K Records, where she remains to this day. With the Microphone’s Phil Elverum assisting on instrumentation, Mirah’s debut LP, You Think It’s Like This But Really It’s Like This, was instantly recognized not only for her amazingly gentle and wistful vocals, but also for a particularly melodic lo-fi grace and charm.
Mirah’s next record, 2002′s Advisory Committee, put her on the map. Hailed by critics, it found the songstress in a more orchestral state of mind. If her debut LP was a clever collection of folk pop, this record was a full fledged production powered by a commanding composer. 2004′s C’mon Miracle again propelled Mirah’s craft into new and exciting areas, ever fueling her freewheeling enthusiasm for experimentation.
In the following years, Mirah would branch out to involve herself in a myriad of projects, concept albums and collaborations. Her most recent release, last year’s (A)spera, features the artist’s best work to date. Matured but still ambitious, the record retains a gentle quality within dramatic moments and powerful moods. And while Mirah’s vocals have remained light and delicately intimate, her voice has never been stronger.
