Leading with his unique sound, LA rapper and singer-songwriter MILES is setting up to be one of our favorite artists after his latest release.
Your new pop-rap single “MISS INDEPENDENT” is so dope. From inception to recording it in the studio, what was the creative process behind this song?
First of all, thank you so much. I got in the studio with Ryan OG, who is a super dope producer. We wanted to make something with a message of empowerment but with a modern-day spin on it. He came up with a crazy beat and I hopped in the booth, and we had the melodies for the song almost immediately. Within the next couple of hours, we fit the puzzle pieces of the message into the song through the lyrics. The beautiful thing about this song and why I like it so much is how effortlessly it came together and how good it felt since we finished it.
At its core, what is the theme of this drop? Is there a particular experience or influence that inspired it?
The main theme in “MISS INDEPENDENT” is to pay no attention to what everyone else’s idea of how you should live, specifically when it comes to making money and creating the life you’ve always wanted for yourself.
Your style combines the feel-good and upbeat vibes of pop with the unique voice and lyricism of rap. How would you define your sound?
When I started making music, I never wanted to pick a genre; I wanted to take every single piece of my influences and find a way to incorporate it into a sound that truly felt like it was genuine and my own. Since then, I’ve narrowed it down into a lane with so much freedom to lean anyway I want, while staying within my sound. I make music that you can listen to when you’re happy, when you’re sad, when you’re partying, when you’re at home, when you’re driving – no matter what occasion. My goal is for just a little bit of the energy that I have for life will rub off onto whoever is listening.
Where and when are you most creative? Is it a particular place, time, or a state-of-mind?
I feel my most creative when I take away all the pressure. When I started out going into these studios, I put this crazy idea in my head that every time I came out I needed to have a Billboard #1, and it wasn’t a healthy way to be creating music. I found that when I took away that expectation, the craziest stuff I had ever made just started to flow. I love being in the studio with musicians because it lets you dive really deep into how you want something to sound, and it comes with the freedom to get my ideas out exactly how they are. At the same time, I’ve put a lot of work into my space and studio at home, and sometimes sitting here yields the craziest results. Whenever and wherever it happens, I hold on for dear life and run with it.
Some fans may not know you were named after jazz icon Miles Davis. Are there other artists that have influenced you?
I grew up listening to all types of music, but I probably love rap and pop the most. Lil Wayne was one of my first inspirations because of the way he could put a punchline in every single line of a song, combined with the wittiness of his lyrics. Then when Travis Scott came on to the scene, I felt like it was such a cool way to bridge the gap by adding melody in with the clever lines; that really appealed to the pop and singer-songwriter side of me until eventually I found that perfect pocket. To name a couple others, it was people like Johnny Cash, Stevie Wonder, Lauryn Hill, and Dave Matthews Band.