Miya Folick

Queer pop singer Miya Folick is a force in conveying personal lyrics in your body of work. Her self-produced 2025 album Erotica Veronica showcases her skills and confidence as an artist. Songs like “Fist” and “La Da Da” are built around strong guitar strumming and meaningful lyrics.

Her soundtrack game is on fire. After scoring the film Cora Bora, she released the track “Laid (Main Title from the Peacock Original Series ‘Laid’) at the end of April this year.

The talented singer took a break at soundcheck to talk about her blossoming music career.

JN: (Jerry Nunn) Welcome to Chicago! Have you been here in the past?

MF: Thank you and yes, I have. I wish I could stay for a week and get to know the city better!

JN: Are you originally from New York?

MF: I’m originally from Orange County, California. I went to school for a couple of years in New York and then left. I have been back in Southern California ever since.

JN: What is your identity and pronouns?

MF: Queer and she/her, thank you for asking.

JN: You are welcome. I love the record title Erotica Veronica. Can you talk about it?

MF: That came out of a slight misunderstanding. I started playing the song live a little bit before I put the record out. Somebody who was playing the music live with me and was singing backing vocals and thought that I was saying erotica, not Veronica. I changed the lyric and that’s where the title came from.

JN: So it was a divine mixup?

MF: Yes and I feel it works in the fantasy world that the album lives in.

JN: Is Veronica or the song “Felicity” about a person you know?

MF: No and “Felicity” isn't even really about the name Felicity. It’s about the word itself.

JN: It seems like a very personal record, is it?

MF: Yeah.

JN: How does it play out live when there are quieter tracks?

MF: I feel like the more personal this song is, the easier it is to play live. I think what makes it feel good is me connecting to the music. It's the opposite of what people think. There might be an assumption that it's difficult to play personal music, but I want to feel vulnerable and open up when I'm playing music.

JN: Is it distracting when the audience sings along?

MF: When people sing along, it's very moving and sometimes it can be distracting. I haven't quite gotten over the novelty of people knowing the lyrics. It still surprises me.

JN: Your song “Freak Out” seems like it would be a crowd pleaser.

MF: Not on this tour, but it is cathartic when I play it live.

JN: You record Roach came out in 2023, which wasn’t that long ago. Do you have a lot of music backlogged to release in the future?

MF: Yes, I do, but that stuff will probably never come out because I get bored with things when they're old, maybe someday I'll just release a bunch of demos.

I like to make new things and keep it fresh.

JN: Do you write music when you are out on the road performing?

MF: No, because I am filling my cup and taking things in. I'm seeing different parts of the country and I'm interacting with people.

I'm not going back to my hotel room and writing a song; I'm going to bed!

JN: How was meeting Bernie Sanders?

MF: Very brief and it was a quick photo. The rally was really interesting and moving. I went to the rally in Bakersfield, which I think was particularly interesting and moving because it's a farm town with many immigrants. It feels very urgent in Bakersfield, where people's lives are impacted right now and there’s a bigger picture there.

JN: I was listening to your track “Stop Talking” and it reminded me of another queer singer, St. Vincent.

MF: I love St. Vincent and I often think about her as having a career that I would want. I think it's beautiful that she has worked in film and she has dipped her toe in all these different art forms, but continues to put music out.

JN: What does Pride mean to you?

MF: It has an interesting place in my heart. The first Pride I went to, I wasn’t out of the closet at the time. That gives a tinge of sadness to it for me.

I am usually out on the road when Pride happens, but I love going to it when I am in town.

How is Chicago’s Pride parade?

JN: The parade brings around a million people from the surrounding areas!

MF: Maybe I should come to Chicago for it…

JN: You should.

MF: In LA, there’s a discomfort in the air and our trans friends are feeling scared. This year it will be political and that’s the root of Pride. We had gotten used to the idea that it is a party, but now it’s political again. I hope it can be celebratory too.

JN: What does the rest of the year look like to you?

MF: I want to make another album and put out as much music as I can. I have a Broken Social Scene cover song, “Almost Crimes,” that's coming out on the Arts & Crafts tribute compilation album.

I'm opening for Maren Morris on The Dreamsicle Tour.

JN: She was sweet when I met her back when she was still in the closet.

MF: Well, she’s out now and I am excited to be paired with her.

JN: Congrats on the gig!

Follow miyafolick.com as she continues her solo tour until the end of May and she returns to Illinois at Ravinia Festival in Highland Park on August 21, 2025, with Morris.