Mia Dyson

Mia Celeste Dyson (born 1981) is an Australian singer, songwriter and guitarist. She has released six studio albums. Her second, Parking Lots, won the ARIA Award for Best Blues and Roots Album at the ARIA Music Awards of 2005. Since 2013, Dyson has concurrently released music under the name Dyson, Stringer & Cloher with Liz Stringer and Jen Cloher.

Life and career 1981–2002: Early life Mia Dyson was born in 1981 in a mud brick home built by her parents near Daylesford. For secondary schooling she attended Matthew Flinders Girls High School, Geelong. When queried by the Sydney Morning Heralds reporter on how she went from a settled family life, in the Victorian beachside resort town of Torquay to playing and singing blues and roots music, Dyson responded:

"I don't know either, it's a testament to the power of music and how that whole childhood of being played what I consider incredible music seeped into my bloodstream. My parents were always playing the records of Little Feat, Bob Dylan, Ry Cooder, Bonnie Raitt, Neil Young, everything. Torquay is devoid of any artistic pursuits and had I only had that culture I'm sure I would not be playing music. I might have had more luck with the alcohol if I'd been left to the surfing culture." "I went through my early teenage Nirvana, Pearl Jam obsessions and then I came back to the roots of this stuff and picked up the guitar. And I knew how to play these songs that I'd never learnt because I'd heard them so many times as a kid."

She described her father's hand made guitars: She then relocated to Melbourne,

2003–2006: Cold Water and Parking Lots Dyson released her first album, Cold Water, in May 2003 via Black Door Records and distributed by Shock Records. It was produced by Dyson with Lloyd Barratt – her audio engineer and sometime domestic partner. For the album she provided lead vocals, guitars (acoustic, baritone, electric, lap steel) and piano.

She supported the album by touring both Australia and internationally: East Coast Blues & Roots Music Festival, West Coast Blues & Roots Festival, Falls Festival, Womadelaide, NXNE (Canada) and Edinburgh Festival (Scotland). At the ARIA Music Awards of 2003 it was nominated for the ARIA Award for Best Blues and Roots Album.

Dyson released her second album, Parking Lots, in April 2005. She produced the album with recording partly occurring in a back yard shed at her grandfather's home in Moonee Ponds.

In 2006, Dyson toured the United States and Canada, she performed with Frank Zappa's band, The Mothers of Invention, on stage at the Winnipeg Folk Festival, and supported Ani Di Franco in New York's Central Park. In August of that year she was invited by Deborah Conway to take part in the Broad Festival project, with three other Australian female artists, they performed their own and each other's songs. With Dyson and Conway were Melinda Schneider, Kate Miller-Heidke and Ella Hooper. They toured the mainland state and territory capital cities. She co-produced it with Barratt. Em of Soulshine observed, "The result is a superb album with Mia's classic husky roots sound, this time featuring a defining rhythm. Mia has evolved not only as a musician, but as a songwriter too, drawing inspiration from just about everything around her, and this album is sure to please old fans and convert new ones." They recorded a track together, "You and Me", which was part of an extended play released in the US in April 2011.

Dyson opened for Stevie Nicks at the Santa Barbara bowl and Lake Tahoe in late 2010 and then opened for Chris Isaak on his national tour.

Dyson worked on her fourth studio album The Moment from late 2011. It was produced by Erin 'Syd' Sidney and Patrick Cupples, and was recorded in Ojai, California. A promotional track from the album, "Tell Me", was released in April 2012. The first single and its video, "When the Moment Comes", was released in July. The Moment was released in August 2012, and it debuted at No. 51 on the ARIA Albums Chart. It was nominated for Best Blues & Roots Album at the ARIA Music Awards of 2012, and provided two more singles, "Pistol" and "Jesse".

In August 2013, Dyson collaborated with Liz Stringer and Jen Cloher and formed Dyson, Stringer & Cloher. The trio released an EP which featured an individual track from each musician. They then took on the road, playing over 40 shows around the country.

2014–2020: Idyllwild and If I Said Only So Far I Take It Back Dyson's fifth studio album, Idyllwild, was released in June 2014. Matthew Fiander of PopMatters felt it was "another solid album from Dyson, and further evidence that the Australian singer can be both comfortable in her own skin and restless enough to push her boundaries." The AU Reviews Salmond rated it at 8.8 out of 10 and explained, "another beautiful album full of fun rock tunes as well as returning to her roots with slower bluesy ballads. Despite being her fifth record, she has created another stunning album that reflects her musical integrity and musical talents... [and has] the freedom to explore and challenge herself musically which has created an interesting array of upbeat bluesy-rock songs that intertwine effortlessly with slower bluesy soulful ballads. Her lyrics are more honest and reflective in nature, and this album could be argued to be her most honest yet."

Dyson released her sixth studio album, If I Said Only So Far I Take It Back, in March 2018.

In 2019, Dyson reunited with Stringer and Cloher and the trio recorded an album in eight days at The Loft in Chicago in April 2019 which was released in October 2019 under the title Dyson Stringer Cloher and toured nationally.

2021–present: Tender Heart In 2021 Dyson discovered she had undiagnosed arrhythmia. In February 2024 Dyson released Tender Heart. At the 2024 ARIA Music Awards, it won ARIA Award for Best Blues and Roots Album.

Discography Studio albums Title Details Peak chart positions AUS Label: Milk! Records Format: CD, digital download Introducing Mia Dyson Released: 2014 Label: Mia Dyson Format: DD Note: 6-track EP, featuring songs from Idyllwild, The Moment and Struck Down. Right There Released: February 2016 Label: Mia Dyson Format: DD Sings Leonard Cohen Released: November 2016 Label: Backdoor Format: DD Parking Lots Revisited Released: 2020 Label: Backdoor Format: DD, streaming

Other appearances Title Artist Year Album "Precious Thing" Various Artists 2003 The Queenscliff Music Festival ALIVE "Lonely" Various Artists 2005 Look Both Ways (soundtrack) "Can't Let Go" Various Artists 2006 Like a Version 2 "Choose" Various Artists 2007 Turning the Tide "Over Before it Began" Urthboy The Signal "This Magic Moment" Various Artists 2009 Like a Version 5 "Fruits of My Labour" Katie Noonan 2014 Songs That Made Me "Humble" Various Artists 2017 Scary Pockets "Being Scared" Various Artists 2018 The Alchemy of Fire

Awards AIR Awards The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector. They commenced in 2006. 2013 The Moment Best Independent Blues and Roots Album 2014 Idyllwild Best Independent Blues and Roots Album 2019 If I Said Only So Far I Take It Back Best Independent Blues and Roots Album 2020 Dyson Stringer Cloher } Best Independent Blues and Roots Album or EP

Tender Heart Best Independent Blues and Roots Album or EP

APRA Awards The APRA Awards are presented annually from 1982 by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), "honouring composers and songwriters". They commenced in 1982. 2013 "When the Moment Comes" (Mia Dyson) Song of the Year 2015 "When We're Older" (Mia Dyson, Lee Pardini & Erin Sidney) Song of the Year

ARIA Music Awards The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. 2003 Cold Water Best Blues & Roots Album

Best Female Artist Best Blues & Roots Album 2008 Struck Down Best Blues & Roots Album 2012 The Moment Best Blues & Roots Album 2024 Tender Heart Best Blues & Roots Album EG Awards / Music Victoria Awards The EG Awards (known as Music Victoria Awards since 2013) are an annual awards night celebrating Victorian music. They commenced in 2006.

"When the Moment Comes" Best Song Mia Dyson Best Female

J Awards The J Awards are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J. They commenced in 2005. 2014 herself Double J Artist of the Year