Mia Joan at The Ministry
Words by Tanya Fevzi
Photo by Rosie Alice Wilson
Mid-October in The Ministry’s dimly lit bar, I ordered a wine and took a front row seat on a velvet sofa. The stage, intimate in its proximity to me, was still, mic unclaimed. Work-from-homers filtered out of their workspaces and Mia Joan's supporters filtered in. Twentynine Six Events had, again, organised an event to celebrate and empower small and upcoming artists. Their choice of venue made it feel all the more gorgeous.
Mia Joan was the star of the night, her single ‘Us’ the reason for the gathering. But before she came on stage, the event’s host – London-based pop singer Maphe – welcomed the first act on stage. G. is a singer, songwriter and producer from the southern coast of Spain who layers soft and ambient vocals with catchy beats that create a unique style of indie music. Her influence by Florence & The Machine, Still Woozy and Fleetwood Mac can be heard in her music. Accompanied by a bassist and her own decorated guitar slung around her body, she filled the space with carefully curated sounds. G.’s quietly confident stage presence silenced the rest of the bar, as attention fell to her raw lyrics and beautiful voice. The tone was set and Maphe again appeared to introduce Cece.
Cece is the most recent winner of the Faversham Literary Festival Poetry Slam and co-founder of Spit Nights, a thriving London-based poetry and jazz event that platforms both professional and emerging artists. She is a northern working-class poet who writes in resistance, exploring female experience, consumer culture, love, and loss. By day, she works an office job, but poetry fits into the quieter moments. She believes it’s one of the few art forms that remains truly accessible, without the demand of money, time, or resources. It can come into being anywhere, with just your thoughts and your notes app. Her set encompassed this feeling; she read from a loose piece of paper about womanhood, relationships, and life. Each of her words felt like a protest, holding the power of vulnerability and an attentiveness that felt like she was speaking for each of us listeners.
Finally, Mia Joan. Mia Joan is an alt rock and pop songwriter with a country twist. Her music tells stories of heartbreak, addiction and love, with a vocal depth that welcomes you into her mind. Her demeanour was immediately captivating as she walked on stage, her friends and family proudly cheering from somewhere behind me. Before playing any music, she tuned her bass while talking to us about her cat and her girlfriend – classic, for an event organised for and by the queer community. It was hard to tell whether Mia’s set was really just stand-up because she joked, often about herself, in between almost all of her songs. Her music was soft and meaningful – almost enchanting – and ‘Us’ was the perfect single!
The evening was a success and a reminder of why it’s important to platform small artists in an industry that stacks the odds against those from underprivileged backgrounds. Twentynine Six Events is one of few event organisers that cares about its musicians more than profits, which is deserving of praise and celebration.