The Sit Down with Miko Marks
After being a rousing success at her first UK appearance at last years The Long Road Festival, Miko Marks is set to return once more for this years festival in late August. Marks, who was a member of last year’s CMT Next Women of Country class appeared as part of the Rissi Palmer curated Color Me Country stage at the events last occurrence and has already returned to the UK this year to perform at Americana Music Association UK Music Week.
The Flint, Michigan born, and Grambling State University educated artist was showcasing tracks from her truly delightful and highly acclaimed October 2022 album “Feel Like Going Home”. The album which is filled with elements of country, blues, gospel, roots and Americana features 10 tracks co-written by Marks with Justin Phipps and Steve Wyreman, as well as one ('Jubilee') penned by Lee Bob + The Truth's Lee Bob Watson.
The Flint, Michigan born, and Grambling State University educated artist was showcasing tracks from her truly delightful and highly acclaimed October 2022 album “Feel Like Going Home”. The album which is filled with elements of country, blues, gospel, roots and Americana features 10 tracks co-written by Marks with Justin Phipps and Steve Wyreman, as well as one ('Jubilee') penned by Lee Bob + The Truth's Lee Bob Watson.
After hearing about her forthcoming return in the summer, we were able to have some time over Zoom with Miko to talk about this news and her experiences int the UK.
Hey Miko, thanks for taking some time to talk with us this morning and we got some exciting news about you this week which is super cool because you are coming back to see us again in August.
“I am so excited, it is going to be amazing just like all of the other times that I have come over.”
You are going to be back for The long Road Festival which you came over and played last year so firstly talking about the festival as a whole, how did it feel and compare to events and festivals that you have been a part of back at home?
“It is so lively and well attended, last time I was at Long Road the people stayed all day at our stage, I was there for Color Me Country radio on the Front Porch stage, and I mean they stayed with me. It was a real unity and love of music from the people who were dancing, and it was very lively.”
Rissi (Palmer) curated that stage for the day, and it was obviously a great opportunity to showcase diversity and artists from different backgrounds, did you feel in being around that stage and performing that there was a real level of love, openness and being very welcoming to you and all of the other girls playing that stage?
“That was exactly what I felt but I can say that every time that I come over to you guys, I have felt that. There is a genuine love of music and not just listening but really delving into the lyrics and the presentation of the songs, there is a real connection with the audience that people aren’t just over in the crowd talking to themselves whilst you are performing, there is attention paid to the artist and that is something that is very special so when I was asked to come back for Long Road it was a very quick yes!”
Unfortunately, I didn’t get to catch your set at TLR, but I did get to see you when you were last here in January for Americana week. You were amazing! Everyone was so hyped to see your set before you played, it was the only thing people were talking about the next day and there were people stood outside listening because that venue was so full, and they couldn’t get in.
“I loved it, I said to my manager look at all these people, it’s packed in here and I was so grateful that I was able to have a band from the UK support me, they learnt my material and it was like I had been playing with them forever. Everything really clicked and I’m so glad that you got the chance to come out and see because I thrive on stage and I connect with the people, I loved it.”
I definitely took that from seeing your set, you had a lot of energy, and it was really obvious that you were having a lot of fun on stage. I remember you saying near the start of your set that you didn’t have a long time on stage so you wanted to play as many songs as you could because that was what you were there to do. People still got to hear those tracks and stories, but you wanted to get as much in as possible.
“Absolutely, I wanted to come over there and share as much as I could. I wanted to come and let people know who I was and let them feel who I am as a person, not just the music but who I am so I was trying to make the most of the opportunity.”
From your trips over here, have you found that country and Americana tread a lot closer together on this side of the pond compared to in the States?
“Absolutely, I will agree with you on that. There’s definitely a melting pot factor over there where it is all just in one big bubble, and I like that. I don’t like separating music by genre so much. My music is more than one genre, there is gospel, there is country, there is roots music, there is a little blues and there is Americana so to come over there and have the music be much more connected felt at home to me.”
That must feel really nice where you are not trying to place yourself in a genre where there is almost the need to fit into a box so you can just perform and like you said be you.
“Yes, and sometimes my Gospel come out and there are so many influences that I’ve had growing up along the years that is just reflected in my delivery, the songs that I write and the music that I do. I can’t just do one thing because I’m not just one thing, I am a gumbo of things. That is how I best describe my music, it’s like a gumbo where you are going to hear elements of a lot of different genres within one song.”
Hey Miko, thanks for taking some time to talk with us this morning and we got some exciting news about you this week which is super cool because you are coming back to see us again in August.
“I am so excited, it is going to be amazing just like all of the other times that I have come over.”
You are going to be back for The long Road Festival which you came over and played last year so firstly talking about the festival as a whole, how did it feel and compare to events and festivals that you have been a part of back at home?
“It is so lively and well attended, last time I was at Long Road the people stayed all day at our stage, I was there for Color Me Country radio on the Front Porch stage, and I mean they stayed with me. It was a real unity and love of music from the people who were dancing, and it was very lively.”
Rissi (Palmer) curated that stage for the day, and it was obviously a great opportunity to showcase diversity and artists from different backgrounds, did you feel in being around that stage and performing that there was a real level of love, openness and being very welcoming to you and all of the other girls playing that stage?
“That was exactly what I felt but I can say that every time that I come over to you guys, I have felt that. There is a genuine love of music and not just listening but really delving into the lyrics and the presentation of the songs, there is a real connection with the audience that people aren’t just over in the crowd talking to themselves whilst you are performing, there is attention paid to the artist and that is something that is very special so when I was asked to come back for Long Road it was a very quick yes!”
Unfortunately, I didn’t get to catch your set at TLR, but I did get to see you when you were last here in January for Americana week. You were amazing! Everyone was so hyped to see your set before you played, it was the only thing people were talking about the next day and there were people stood outside listening because that venue was so full, and they couldn’t get in.
“I loved it, I said to my manager look at all these people, it’s packed in here and I was so grateful that I was able to have a band from the UK support me, they learnt my material and it was like I had been playing with them forever. Everything really clicked and I’m so glad that you got the chance to come out and see because I thrive on stage and I connect with the people, I loved it.”
I definitely took that from seeing your set, you had a lot of energy, and it was really obvious that you were having a lot of fun on stage. I remember you saying near the start of your set that you didn’t have a long time on stage so you wanted to play as many songs as you could because that was what you were there to do. People still got to hear those tracks and stories, but you wanted to get as much in as possible.
“Absolutely, I wanted to come over there and share as much as I could. I wanted to come and let people know who I was and let them feel who I am as a person, not just the music but who I am so I was trying to make the most of the opportunity.”
From your trips over here, have you found that country and Americana tread a lot closer together on this side of the pond compared to in the States?
“Absolutely, I will agree with you on that. There’s definitely a melting pot factor over there where it is all just in one big bubble, and I like that. I don’t like separating music by genre so much. My music is more than one genre, there is gospel, there is country, there is roots music, there is a little blues and there is Americana so to come over there and have the music be much more connected felt at home to me.”
That must feel really nice where you are not trying to place yourself in a genre where there is almost the need to fit into a box so you can just perform and like you said be you.
“Yes, and sometimes my Gospel come out and there are so many influences that I’ve had growing up along the years that is just reflected in my delivery, the songs that I write and the music that I do. I can’t just do one thing because I’m not just one thing, I am a gumbo of things. That is how I best describe my music, it’s like a gumbo where you are going to hear elements of a lot of different genres within one song.”
Coming back to the trip later this year, you are coming for the festival but are you looking to maybe playing some of your own shows whilst you are over here?
“I am doing Long Road, but I am doing two shows this time on two different stages on different days so I’m looking forward to that because that place where you have The Long Road festival is so beautiful, so vast with all of the different areas that they have and different stages it is going to be nice to not just be on one stage but two. I think it will be really fun.”
That is a cool bit of news for you to share about having two sets. The Front Porch where you played last year, for me is probably the best themed stage I have seen at any festival over here with the whole vibe and the smoke coming from the chimney. Is one of those sets going to be back on that stage this year do you know?
“I might make an appearance on that stage for a bit of fun and some giggles but that is not one of the stages that I will be playing myself on. You never know, I might make a surprise appearance over there for somebody else that might be there. I’m going to get around that festival to see the different acts because it’s a really good line-up and besides me performing I want to hop around to see who I can see because it is a really good roster of artists. I’m looking forward to it as a spectator, a fan and as a performer.”
I saw on your socials after the line-up had been announced that you wanted to make the most of it and get around to see as much as you can. From what you have said but not said, it sounds like you are going to play one of those bigger stages this year where even more people will be there to get to see you where you will bring a lot of fun as a performer, and you will get to see the other side of the British audience that knows how to party and get involved.
“Yes, I want to see them. I’m coming for them, I’m excited and I want to be all over that place, I’ll sleep when I’m dead so I’ll be over there seeing as much as I can see.”
The first time that I became aware of your name as an artist was at the start of last year through CMT Next Women of Country where you were part of the 2022 class. Leslie Fram does a fantastic job with all that she does to promote female artists, we see and hear so much about the gender imbalance in country music but to look at your class particularly, it is definitely the most diverse that they have put together. It highlighted four black artists and Lily Rose who is a member of the LGBTQ+ community, how important is it for outlets like that which not just support artists that are marginalised but also have the reach and the scope to hopefully make a big difference?
“Well, I have got to tell you that Leslie Fram is a godsend, she is boots on the ground for artists like myself. I probably wouldn’t be coming to The Long Road or doing any of the things that happened in the past year like having my Grand Ole Opry debut and all of the other things if it hadn’t been for CMT and mtheory who work in conjunction with CMT. If it hadn’t been for them, you probably wouldn’t know my name, so I think it is very important. I just want to be able to share my story with artists that will be in the next class and be a support system for them just like the support that I received as it truly was life changing for me to be a part of Next Women of Country. It gave people more opportunity to hear my music and see me on a larger platform so that’s just priceless.”
“I am doing Long Road, but I am doing two shows this time on two different stages on different days so I’m looking forward to that because that place where you have The Long Road festival is so beautiful, so vast with all of the different areas that they have and different stages it is going to be nice to not just be on one stage but two. I think it will be really fun.”
That is a cool bit of news for you to share about having two sets. The Front Porch where you played last year, for me is probably the best themed stage I have seen at any festival over here with the whole vibe and the smoke coming from the chimney. Is one of those sets going to be back on that stage this year do you know?
“I might make an appearance on that stage for a bit of fun and some giggles but that is not one of the stages that I will be playing myself on. You never know, I might make a surprise appearance over there for somebody else that might be there. I’m going to get around that festival to see the different acts because it’s a really good line-up and besides me performing I want to hop around to see who I can see because it is a really good roster of artists. I’m looking forward to it as a spectator, a fan and as a performer.”
I saw on your socials after the line-up had been announced that you wanted to make the most of it and get around to see as much as you can. From what you have said but not said, it sounds like you are going to play one of those bigger stages this year where even more people will be there to get to see you where you will bring a lot of fun as a performer, and you will get to see the other side of the British audience that knows how to party and get involved.
“Yes, I want to see them. I’m coming for them, I’m excited and I want to be all over that place, I’ll sleep when I’m dead so I’ll be over there seeing as much as I can see.”
The first time that I became aware of your name as an artist was at the start of last year through CMT Next Women of Country where you were part of the 2022 class. Leslie Fram does a fantastic job with all that she does to promote female artists, we see and hear so much about the gender imbalance in country music but to look at your class particularly, it is definitely the most diverse that they have put together. It highlighted four black artists and Lily Rose who is a member of the LGBTQ+ community, how important is it for outlets like that which not just support artists that are marginalised but also have the reach and the scope to hopefully make a big difference?
“Well, I have got to tell you that Leslie Fram is a godsend, she is boots on the ground for artists like myself. I probably wouldn’t be coming to The Long Road or doing any of the things that happened in the past year like having my Grand Ole Opry debut and all of the other things if it hadn’t been for CMT and mtheory who work in conjunction with CMT. If it hadn’t been for them, you probably wouldn’t know my name, so I think it is very important. I just want to be able to share my story with artists that will be in the next class and be a support system for them just like the support that I received as it truly was life changing for me to be a part of Next Women of Country. It gave people more opportunity to hear my music and see me on a larger platform so that’s just priceless.”
I know that you have CRS right around the corner in Nashville and you are playing a show through them alongside Julia Cole who was part of your class, Ashley Cooke who will be playing here in the UK in a weeks’ time and O.N.E The Duo which I’m sure will be a lot of fun and a really cool way to start the radio seminar for you.
“It is and this will be my first time performing at CRS, I’ve been in the music business for a long time and I’m looking forward to doing CRS.”
You have been in Nashville for a long time, which is crazy how we have been talking about people just discovering you. Is it about seventeen or eighteen years that you have been in town now?
“Absolutely, it has been about that long, and you know, I feel like I’m getting my second wind. I came in 2005 with my first project “Freeway Bound” and I guess I didn’t have the light shined on me as much as I do now which is amazing. I think Covid did me well, it gave people an opportunity to sit down, relax, listen and actually hear what I had to say and listen to the music, so it turned out to be a real blessing for me.”
Talking about the music that people have been listening to, we had “Feel Like Going Home” coming out at the back end of the year which we had in our top ten records of 2022 and is a really strong introduction I suppose for people that haven’t heard you before. We talked about British audiences and here people have a real desire to delve deeper and go back to what you have done before.
“I’m proud of what I have done before because it was me at a young age, I was wide-eyed and the music I put out before was a little more traditional where as now I’m seasoned, I’ve raised a child, I’ve grown as a woman and now my music is a little more seasoned, so it has a little more grit to it and at the end of the day that is what I want to be known for and who I am today.”
I massively appreciate your time today and I’m also massively pleased with myself at resisting the urge to bring up tropical references about you being from Flint, Michigan which for me is famous for a Will Ferrell film called Semi-Pro.
“Ha ha, yes, I have seen it and that was a good film. Flint made me, you know. There is a lot of talent that comes out of Flint whether it is in sports or music, it is a resilient place and I’m really proud to be from there because that is what you hear when you hear my music.”
“Feel Like Going Home” is the latest record from Miko Marks which is out now and available HERE. Miko will be returning to the UK in August to appear once again at The Long Road Festival at Stanford Hall in Leicestershire on the weekend of August 25th to 27th (full details and ticket information available HERE) and in the meantime you can keep up with Miko on her WEBSITE INSTAGRAM TIKTOK TWITTER & FACEBOOK.
“It is and this will be my first time performing at CRS, I’ve been in the music business for a long time and I’m looking forward to doing CRS.”
You have been in Nashville for a long time, which is crazy how we have been talking about people just discovering you. Is it about seventeen or eighteen years that you have been in town now?
“Absolutely, it has been about that long, and you know, I feel like I’m getting my second wind. I came in 2005 with my first project “Freeway Bound” and I guess I didn’t have the light shined on me as much as I do now which is amazing. I think Covid did me well, it gave people an opportunity to sit down, relax, listen and actually hear what I had to say and listen to the music, so it turned out to be a real blessing for me.”
Talking about the music that people have been listening to, we had “Feel Like Going Home” coming out at the back end of the year which we had in our top ten records of 2022 and is a really strong introduction I suppose for people that haven’t heard you before. We talked about British audiences and here people have a real desire to delve deeper and go back to what you have done before.
“I’m proud of what I have done before because it was me at a young age, I was wide-eyed and the music I put out before was a little more traditional where as now I’m seasoned, I’ve raised a child, I’ve grown as a woman and now my music is a little more seasoned, so it has a little more grit to it and at the end of the day that is what I want to be known for and who I am today.”
I massively appreciate your time today and I’m also massively pleased with myself at resisting the urge to bring up tropical references about you being from Flint, Michigan which for me is famous for a Will Ferrell film called Semi-Pro.
“Ha ha, yes, I have seen it and that was a good film. Flint made me, you know. There is a lot of talent that comes out of Flint whether it is in sports or music, it is a resilient place and I’m really proud to be from there because that is what you hear when you hear my music.”
“Feel Like Going Home” is the latest record from Miko Marks which is out now and available HERE. Miko will be returning to the UK in August to appear once again at The Long Road Festival at Stanford Hall in Leicestershire on the weekend of August 25th to 27th (full details and ticket information available HERE) and in the meantime you can keep up with Miko on her WEBSITE INSTAGRAM TIKTOK TWITTER & FACEBOOK.