Jamie Miller talks about 'incredible' collaboration with Moira Dela Torre, wishes to work with Ben&Ben and Zack Tabudlo
TikTok is a fast-paced battleground where creators fight to go viral, but singer-songwriter Jamie Miller skyrocketed to stardom and shows no signs of slowing down.
A once ordinary guy doing an ordinary job, everything changed for the 26-year-old British singer when he joined The Voice UK in 2017. After performing an earnest rendition of James Bay’s Let It Go during the blind auditions, two chairs spun and Jennifer Hudson eventually became his coach. He went on to advance through the competition and ultimately finished in third place. After his stint in the singing competition, Miller’s career continued to soar.
Risking it all
Miller's journey from call center worker to music star began with a brave leap of faith. He admitted that he will most likely still be in a call center if he didn't take that risk.
"I was never really academically smart. I never really had good grades to get a good job, so it was a really amazing stroke of luck that got me here. [It took the risk of] quitting my job to do it. That made it all worthwhile. I probably would still be in a call center or trying to be a caretaker," Miller told PhilSTAR L!fe in a sit-down interview.
Passion is evident in the Welsh singer's songs, and it's that very same passion that spurred him to carry on with his love for music despite getting bullied because of it.
"When I was in school, it wasn't really cool to be a singer or to do music or to want to do theater. Growing up, all my friends like[d] rugby and football players, and liking music had a negative connotation when I was in high school," he recalled.
"I would hide under the table in choir class so my friends wouldn't see me in the room, but I think that's just an insecurity of mine. I didn't really have to do that, but you get bullied back then," he added.
His achievement in The Voice UK became an inspiration for many dreamers, including students from his former school.
"I made everybody raise their hands if they wanted to do what I was doing. And there was a lot more guys raising their hands and I think it was a positive change, so I was really excited about that."
Keeping it raw and real
Those whose hearts have been going through something emotional may be a little too familiar with Miller's 2021 song Here's Your Perfect.
Described by Miller as the most heartbreaking song he’s ever written, Here's Your Perfect further cemented the singer's place in the music industry, earning over 300 million streams on Spotify. It has also become the song of choice for many tear-jerking videos and covers on TikTok. Surprisingly, the song almost didn't get released.
"One of the songs I just really thought that was special was Here's Your Perfect. It was one of [the] first songs I wrote. I wasn't gonna put it out, but then ended up going out and they kind of just changed my life," Miller said.
As someone who grew up in an ordinary background—with his dad a taxi driver and his mom a cleaner—Miller initially had a challenging time producing the song because of his lack of experience.
"I never really had any experience when it came to like working in the studio, and it wasn't until I moved to Los Angeles that I started experimenting. There were a lot of songs that didn't work for me, there were really bad songs at first," he said.
In time, however, the musician eventually found proper footing and continued to improve with every lyric and every tune.
Now, his works all invoke the raw emotions and experiences that he faces in real life—from the wonderful feelings he gets when falling in love to the bitter taste of having his heart broken.
His upcoming extended play, The Things I Left Unsaid, is no different. The six-song recording, which was released on Oct. 4, is rooted in some of the hardships he faced in the past year and will introduce listeners to his most authentic self.
"Last year was a difficult year for me in terms of personal and professional life. I needed to take some time away to rethink what I wanted to do for my happiness and joy. And I did just that and I felt like that time away made me fall back in love with music," Miller shared.
"I think going to therapy and making sure that I was okay, personally and physically, was a major key point for my life. So I think it was just well-needed. And I think you can see from the start of my EP to the end of the EP the healing journey and I hope that it helps other people too." he said.
Working with local talents
Miller not only has his Filipino fans close to his heart, but he also regards the Philippines' local talents with high value. He showed this by collaborating with Moira dela Torre on a new version of his song Maybe Next Time, a track that is included in his upcoming EP. With their powerful vocals combined, Maybe Next Time's already vivid tone reaches an even higher level of emotion.
Miller couldn't be more thrilled at having the chance to work with one of the country's most prominent OPM artists.
"It was amazing. I think she's absolutely incredible, her voice is so unique. Getting to know her on FaceTime and Zoom was such a joy," he said.
He continued, "She's so kind, she's so nice, she's so shy, and I think it just makes it so special. I don't think she realizes how good she is. So when she said yes [to the collaboration], I was really excited, and it just made the song so much better."
Aside from Dela Torre, whose songs Babalik Sa'Yo and Paubaya are his favorites, Miller also hopes to get a chance to work with folk-pop band Ben&Ben and singer Zack Tabudlo, gushing how it would be an honor for him to do so.
Now that 2023 only has a few months left, Miller wants to usher in the new year by dreaming even bigger.
"I would love to do a world tour. I'd love to come back to do a huge venue and just keep putting music out that I love and that I'm proud of. A world tour of my own would be a major goal," he shared with L!fe, adding that he is aiming for fresh, soulful music and heartfelt ballads.