MIRI — “It helped me invest in myself again”
Help Musicians supported MIRI through Fast Track funding, enabling her to record and release new music at an important stage in her career.
MIRI is a songwriter, performer and creative practitioner who has spent decades building a career in music – often navigating it independently.
“I started off a very long time ago and went through a lot of ups and downs in the industry,” she says. “It’s not a straight line… you go through so many highs and lows.”
After early interest from major labels, MIRI experienced burnout and stepped back from the industry. Over time, she found her way back as an independent artist, developing her voice on her own terms while also working with communities – particularly at risk young people and adults – using music as a tool for expression and empowerment.
“Music has been, and continues to be, a lifeline,” she says.
Her journey has also included periods of ill health, which at times made it impossible to work. It was during one of these moments that she first reached out to Help Musicians. “I couldn’t work and it was really scary,” she recalls. “Within a few days, they’d provided financial support. Even saying it now, I feel emotional. It just helped me at a really difficult time.”
We were there for MIRI during the pandemic too, when much of her work was suddenly cancelled. “It gave me that kindness and that support,” she says. “It allowed me to have the strength and self-belief to keep going.”
Alongside financial help, MIRI also accessed health-related support – including physiotherapy – helping her manage the long-term physical and emotional demands of working as a musician. “It makes you feel seen,” she explains. “Like your value is recognised, even when you’re going through a tough time.”
More recently, MIRI received Fast Track funding, allowing her to focus on her own creative work again.
“I used the funding to record a new track called Freedom Is The Purpose,” she says.
Having spent time focused on collaborative work and supporting others, the opportunity to invest in her own music came at the right moment.
“I hadn’t had the headspace or budget to invest in my own independent music,” she explains. “It was really important to have something current that represents me as an artist.”
The funding covered studio time, production and mastering, enabling MIRI to create and release the track professionally. “It’s like your calling card,” she says. “If promoters or collaborators are looking, they can hear what you’re doing now.”
But the impact goes deeper than the release itself.
“For me, it was about creating again. Sometimes when you’re tired or overwhelmed, you just don’t have the energy to write. So being able to come back to that – to express what I’m feeling – was really important.”
The project also gave MIRI a renewed sense of assurance. “It gives you a solid foundation,” she says. “To say, ‘this is what I’m doing now’ and move forward.”
Having experienced support at different stages of her career, MIRI is clear about how valuable Fast Track is. “If there’s funding available, go for it. It’s really important for your development and growth as an artist.”
For MIRI, Fast Track wasn’t just about making a track. It was about reconnecting with her identity as an artist and having the support to keep moving forward.