A divinely inspired singer-songwriter in the San Francisco Bay Area has set the music industry ablaze following her explosive early success.
Although the mystical singer known as Miist just released her first album in August 2024 (at Gefen Gallery), she has already become a hot topic in the industry. Some are calling it the “miracle of Miist.” And some believe strongly in that miracle and call her the “Asian Taylor Swift.”
When I first met Miist at her Tiburon home last year, she sat down at the piano and accompanied herself as she performed a song she had composed. Iwas blown away with her talent, not just her voice but the music she wrote and the piano she played.
Self-taught, she just started playing the piano two years ago. I provided her with an iconic Belvedere mansionon the San Francisco Bay overlooking Golden Gate Bridge and Sausalito as the location to film Miist’s Billboard Top 30 hit and the number 1 indie song in the country, “Move Your Body Slowly.” It was a great success!
Part of the miracle was Miist’s first album, The Songs from the Living Room, was produced by Narada Michael Walden, a legendary talent who has also produced hits for female superstars such as Barbara Streisand, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, and Aretha Franklin.
Of course, with the Walden’s mentorship, Miist ‘s musical talents blossomed instantly. We filmed a second video at the Belvedere mansion when Miist and Walden recorded a duet for the song titled “It’s Too Late to Love You.” It’s zooming up the Billboard Adult Contemporary charts (currently at number 21).
“From the moment I heard the incredible voice of Miist, I wanted to work with her,” the legendary Walden said. Moreover, Miist is under consideration by the Recording Academy for a Grammy® Award nomination for her duet with Walden in the Best Pop Duo or Group Performance category. She is also under consideration for the Best New Artist category.
A native of Harbin, China, Miist has experienced real-life miracles of health, and her journey into music is equally as miraculous. Miist, now 36, underwent lifesaving surgery for liver cancer seven years ago. Afterward in a search for solace, she found an old ukulele and started strumming.
The self-designed musical therapy led Miist to discover her inner voice, crying out with passion to help others. Her ukulele songs were posted on Instagram, only to be discovered by the daughter of a man who flew to Canada to meet her. They later married.
Now they reside on the West Coast of the USA. During the pandemic, Miist taught herself how to play the piano. About two years ago, she wrote her first three songs in one day. Thus began her rocket ride to the top of the charts with over 70 completed songs.
With two potential Grammy nominations, two Billboard Adult Contemporary Top 30 hits, and two major awards (Intercontinental and Global Music Awards), industry veterans say Miist is an important new singer-songwriter who is already making an impact.
“People have asked me where the music comes from,” said Miist. “Do I think music is a talent, a gift from God? Definitely. I don’t see how it is possible, but when I feel a strong emotion, either my own or touched by someone else’s story, I just start hearing a melody, and that melody matches exactly that emotion.
That makes me believe this is from God because I didn’t try to work on it, it just came to me.” Her dream to use that visionary talent to write meaningful songs, Miist added, “I am truly grateful for this second chance.”
Miist has just finished a new song, “Could You Lend Me a Smile,” about the epidemic of loneliness. The song is currently being translated into nine languages for release in November.
It is based on the true story of a lonely Japanese salaryman who passed away unnoticed for months. Miist wondered if a simple smile could have changed his fate and wrote the song to reflect that, with footsteps symbolizing the crowds who passed by without offering one. The song will be recorded at the world-famous Village Studios in Los Angeles on October 11, 2024.
Multiple Grammy winners and nominees and world-renowned musicians are involved in her “meaningful songs for a difficult world” project. “Could You Lend Me a Smile” is the first of those releases.
She wrote the music for all the parts, including piano, cello, violin, and voice. An important part of this project is hiring star talent in each language to reach as big an audience as possible. One hundred percent of the funds raised will be used to cover the actual costs of the song production and marketing.
In addition to the master recording costs, Miist’s record label is already committed to pay for three languages, so any new funds will be used to adapt the song into as many other languages as possible.
Currently running is the Sing For a Smile fundraising campaign (miistthesinger.com/smile-project) to get people involved in this movement and to listen to the song. Please help impact our world by enabling this song to be heard worldwide.
Loneliness is an epidemic that we can help cure. It starts with just a smile. Readers can learn more about this special project on her website, https://www.miistthesinger.com/smile-project.