Winnipeg's SC Mira headed to Toronto's NXNE
SC Mira infuses old sounds with new band members while creating first EP
Winnipeg's SC Mira grew up listening to music by Joni Mitchell and Fleetwood Mac. Although she wasn't too keen on that music at the time, she realizes now that it had an influence on her approach to creating music of her own.
Mira started off as a solo act but soon discovered she wanted to collaborate with other musicians. First, she was joined by Tyler Wagar, then Alex Riel on bass, followed by Jordan Froese on drums and Justin Delorme on keyboards.
It's her name the band uses for their own.
"SC stands for Stephanie Catherine, which is my first and middle name. Mira is my grandma's name," she said.
Mira wrote the six songs on the band's upcoming EP. She said songwriting comes naturally for her.
"It starts off as a very visual thing for me," she explained. "I try to paint a picture with my words or evoke a feeling that evokes an image. I like writing lyrics that make you see and feel a mood."
In Motel Honey, for instance, she said, "I was fascinated by the fact that society is so obsessed with sex in every way. Then on the flip side of that, how we view prostitution and how it's a dirty thing. So the song is a man's perspective of prostitution and his favourite prostitute."
Wagar helps arrange the music. The group is also co-producing their first EP with recording producer Howard Bilerman, a former member of Arcade Fire.
"We went to Montreal and worked with him," she said. "He helped us mix the EP, and it went really well. It was a great experience."
SC Mira heads to Toronto soon for showcases at North by North East on June 19 and 20.
Hear SC Mira on SCENE with host Bruce Ladan on June 14. The show airs every Saturday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. on CBC Radio One, 89.3 FM/990 AM/97.9 FM in Brandon.