Mia Rodriguez has made a mighty return after a mini hiatus. The Australian singer-songwriter has been on a healing journey since she last released music in 2022. Now she's returned as she enters her twenties, with a renewed sense of energy. On the new upbeat single RIDE, Mia is liberated and empowered, and taking control of her identity. "I wanted to come out of my shell with self-expression regarding sexuality," Mia says. "Writing RIDE was probably the most fun I’ve had writing a song." We spoke to the artist about this new era and what she learned over the last few years:

RIDE is such a feel-good song and your vocals sounds great. What was the starting point for this song? Why did it feel right to reintroduce Mia Rodriguez to the world with RIDE?

Thank you! Honestly, it was so random. My producer Xavier Dunn and I were expecting another artist to come in with us to create something cool, but they didn’t show up. So Xavier whipped out this cool track he made and I thought it was epic, 5 hours later, RIDE was born!

Tell us about making this song. How did it make you feel to write such a liberating track?

The writing process was as smooth as butter! It’s like I already knew what I wanted. It’s one of the first songs that I had the chance to direct fully. I had never felt that proud of something I’d written before. I was so excited. I still am, and I still love listening to it myself. 

What has Xavier brought to your sonic world?

He really makes work not feel like work! He's so easygoing. Our personalities vibe well together, which makes the writing process so fun. Sometimes, there are writing days when we really procrastinate and play video games. 

How do you hope people feel listening to RIDE?

I hope people feel the same as I do! When I listen to it, I feel a lot of adrenaline. I really feel like that bitch. Makes me wanna party, too. 

Give us a little Mia lowdown. Where are you from? When did you begin writing and making music?

I grew up in Western Sydney. Very cultural. People there are mostly religious and conservative. I went to a catholic primary and high school and was, of course, labelled the 'weird girl'. Coming out as queer in year 8 also didn’t do me justice. I was bullied a lot, but kept doing my own thing. It gave me a lot of motivation to prove to everyone I’d thrive!

You took a brief hiatus of sorts to reflect on everything you had already achieved last year. What did you learn about yourself during this moment of reflection?

Man, I really had to collect myself after COVID. I turned 18 a bit after it all started, so becoming an adult during a hiatus made me lose myself. Especially with a unique career like this, I had no one to really talk about shit with. Being in the spotlight since I was 15 also took a toll on me. I really needed a year for myself. In that time, I found my backbone, gained confidence and trust in myself, and started fresh. 

What has been the best part on your journey so far?

Every day is so different. It’s crazy because, in the music industry, you don’t just sing. You model, act, fashion design, market, etc. There are so many random side quests–the best part is just how crazy it is. I love having something fresh to do all the time. 

Who in music is inspiring you lately?

This is always the hardest question to answer for me. My brain is always rapidly grabbing inspiration from not just music but everything! I’m interested and curious about almost any genre or topic, so my mind is like a messy room. It really is just a bunch of random stuff that I somehow turn into a song. 

What is something you’re passionate about - aside from music?

Oh, man. As I mentioned, I’m curious and interested in almost anything and everything. I think I have a new hobby or interest every week. Recently, it’s been building PCs. I just did a ton of research about how they work and what parts to buy, and then even more research on how to build one. Then I did! 

What’s next?

I always ask that question! I love working, and I’m always down for any cool opportunity. I really want to do a music video for RIDE, so I’m currently planning for that! 

Listen to Mia Rodriguez HERE.

@miaaarodriguezzz