Meet Nepal-born UK Open Mic performer, Millie Mercedes:

Hi Millie Mercedes, thanks for joining us! Let’s get into it:

Do you play solo only, or also in a group?

Solo

How old are you?

30

Where were you born?

Nepal

Where did you grow up?

India, Dubai, New York

How did that place influence your music? (if at all!)

Bollywood, International pop, and All cultures have been my influence as my parents listened to Abba and famous retro.

Where are you based now, and why?

North London

What got you into making music in the first place?

My Family. My family has musical instrument players and so many other musical talents that music has been a part of my entire lifetime here on earth. My father won contests until the day of his passing.

What instrument/s do you play?

Singing, Guitar, Piano

Who would be in your top 10 musical influences, and why?

ABBA, James Brown, Alicia Keys, Dolly Parton, Aretha Franklin, Amy Winehouse, Etta James, Guns and Roses, AC DC, Bollywood, Folk Music, Sea Shanty, International music.

Do you write your own songs?

Yes

How many years have you been writing songs for?

20 years

What process, or processes, do you often find yourself using when you write songs?

I find myself empathizing easily with someone’s situation and I’m able to translate it into a song.
Sometimes I can write with a given subject and sometimes I have to change a lot of things due to the development during the production of the song.
I can easily change melodies and lyrics on the spot, if required by the song.

Why did you get into playing them in the first place?

No gigs were there anymore. Getting back in the scene became very difficult.

What advice would you give new performers who are just starting out playing their first open mics?

Playing helps perfect one’s art when you have an audience.

What’s the hardest thing, for you, about playing open mics?

Carrying the instruments to the venue and back.

What’s the most bizarre, or fun, open mic, or gig, you’ve ever played, and why?

It was my first one where there was a piano and I decided to use it for my first ever performance. I was very happy and sad at the same time.

If it’s not already, are you hoping to make music your full-time career?

Yes

What do you currently find the hardest and biggest obstacles to moving your music career forward?

Finding paid gigs

What’s the most exciting project you’re working on at the moment?

My 3 new songs

Do you have your own music video, channel or playlist you’d like to share?

https://www.youtube.com/@MillieMercedes/about

Do you have music on streaming? What’s you main streaming channel to send people to?

Where is the main place should people go to find out more about you?

https://www.instagram.com/milli.mercedes.singing/

What other sites/profiles should people go to to find out more about you?

www.youtube.com/redirect?event=channel_header&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbm5WdDJVeGwyd3liRkJRNlNXOFdnNlowMWl5d3xBQ3Jtc0tsRm1QcTY4Tlprb1BpODZ1RzRiVXZacEZDWlZEUjV5c0pWVmJPOW8zbVcxUmRvdy1Dd1Y5TlRVWDlvVG5HV25yQUtpTUQwRHhNMWVwejQzTDhuOGMtOTVybDdTODdpZ1hNLW9Cek1KYlQ3Z3h4Zm9GVQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fmillie-mercedes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.youtube.com/redirect?event=channel_header&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbm5WdDJVeGwyd3liRkJRNlNXOFdnNlowMWl5d3xBQ3Jtc0tsRm1QcTY4Tlprb1BpODZ1RzRiVXZacEZDWlZEUjV5c0pWVmJPOW8zbVcxUmRvdy1Dd1Y5TlRVWDlvVG5HV25yQUtpTUQwRHhNMWVwejQzTDhuOGMtOTVybDdTODdpZ1hNLW9Cek1KYlQ3Z3h4Zm9GVQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fmillie-mercedes

We’re done! Anything else you want to share before we go?

No thanks!