Authenticity Over Algorithms (Mia Asano)
Musician Mia Asano shares how going viral was only the beginning. We dive into her transition from violin performance major to social media phenomenon with over 5 million followers, touring artist, and mental health advocate. From learning video editing to booking her own shows, Mia reveals what it takes to build a long term career rooted in community, collaboration, and compassion.
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Transcript:
Mike: Hey Mia, how are you?
Mia: I'm good. How are you?
Mike: Doing very well. Thank you so much for being on the show. I really appreciate you taking the time. There's so many things we could talk about. I love your journey and what you’ve been doing—it's just been really incredible to see and watch from afar. Let’s go back to the beginning though. Were your parents musicians?
Mia: Not professionally, no. My mom actually played the violin when she was younger but didn’t pursue it seriously. So I grew up listening to her play just for fun. That’s how I got interested in it—I wanted to do what she was doing.
Mike: That’s amazing. And was violin the first instrument you picked up?
Mia: Yeah, violin was the first. I think I was around five or six years old. I really just loved the sound of it. And I wanted to be like my mom.
Mike: That’s very sweet. Did you know then that you wanted to pursue being a professional violinist?
Mia: Not at that age. I just thought it was fun. But I got really serious about it in high school. I was doing classical violin and then started experimenting with electric violin. That was a big shift for me—realizing I didn’t have to stick to classical. I could play rock, pop, metal, all these different genres.
Mike: That’s such a big creative jump. When did you start posting on social media?
Mia: I started experimenting in college, but it wasn’t with a strategy. I just wanted to share the music I was making. I didn’t even really think it would go anywhere. I was a double major at Berklee—in performance and professional music—so I was very focused on school. But when one of my videos went viral, that changed everything.
Mike: Yeah, I can imagine! Did going viral change your priorities?
Mia: Definitely. It made me realize that this could be something more. I started thinking seriously about how to keep the momentum going—posting consistently, improving my production quality, and really thinking about what my audience was responding to.
Mike: And at the time you were still studying full time?
Mia: Yes. I was still a student. It was a lot to balance—classes, practicing, posting content. But I think that time really taught me how to manage my schedule and work under pressure.
Mike: And now this is your full-time career?
Mia: Yes, I do this full time now. I perform, tour, release original music and covers, and run my own merch line. I also have a Patreon community that’s been amazing.
Mike: That’s incredible. And you've collaborated with some amazing artists like DragonForce and Lindsey Stirling. Did they reach out to you, or did you reach out to them?
Mia: It’s been both. Sometimes they reach out, and other times it’s through mutual connections. The music community is actually pretty small, and once you're out there creating and sharing, people start to notice.
Mike: That’s awesome. I noticed that you’ve transitioned a lot of your work lately—not just posting covers but also releasing original music, music videos, and performing live. You mentioned that’s what you want to be more known for?
Mia: Yes, absolutely. That was one of my goals for 2023—to release a new track every month. I collaborated with a lot of artists and then turned that into touring. The tours sold out pretty quickly, which was amazing. It was a lot of work but so rewarding.
Mike: That’s huge. So in the beginning when you were touring, you were doing all the booking yourself?
Mia: Yeah. When you start out, you kind of have to. Booking agents want to see that you can sell tickets before they take a chance on you. So I had to prove that I could draw a crowd. I’d plan everything—venues, promo, travel. It was a lot.
Mike: And it paid off. That’s not easy. Especially with social media, people think numbers online always translate to ticket sales, but that’s not always the case.
Mia: Exactly. That was one of the biggest challenges—figuring out how to turn online fans into people who show up at shows. But once I had some touring history, I got connected with an agent, and that made things a lot easier.
Mike: You’ve also been involved with mental health awareness and worked with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Can you share a little about that?
Mia: Yes, mental health is super important to me. I’ve had my own struggles, especially with the pressure that comes with being online all the time. I partnered with AFSP to raise awareness and share resources. Just being able to talk about it and normalize the conversation is really meaningful to me.
Mike: That’s really powerful. And thank you for being open about that. Let’s wrap up with a few fun ones. What was your first concert?
Mia: My first real concert was Evanescence when I was about 13. It was amazing—I just remember being blown away by Amy Lee’s voice and the whole production.
Mike: Great first show. What’s your go-to artist or song right now?
Mia: Lately I’ve been listening to a lot of Sleep Token. Also love Bring Me the Horizon and Halsey. It depends on my mood, honestly.
Mike: And finally, if you could give one piece of advice to other creatives, what would it be?
Mia: Don’t feel like you have to be perfect. It’s okay to just start. You don’t need all the fancy equipment or a huge plan—just make something and put it out there. And don’t compare yourself to others. Everyone’s journey is different.
Mike: That’s a great note to end on. Mia, thank you so much for doing this. I really enjoyed our chat.
Mia: Thank you for having me. This was so fun!