Little Forms of Gratitude (Miist)
Singer-songwriter Miist started her music journey at 34, turning personal healing into songs like Could You Lend Me a Smile, a global project recorded in over 15 languages to fight loneliness through simple connection. We also talk about her podcast Make Me Smile with Miist, Kindness Kubes, and finding your true self.
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Transcription:
Mike: Hi, Miist—how are you?
Miist: I’m good. Thank you for having me.
Mike: Of course. It’s honestly such a pleasure to have you. We had a great conversation beforehand, and I’m really excited to talk to you. I want to start with a quick shout-out to El Lucio at Atho Fire for connecting us—I really appreciate that.
What struck me about your story is that you started in music at 34. That’s unusual because most people begin much earlier, in their teens or early twenties. At 34 you decided to pursue music. Was music always a part of your life, or did it really come later?
Miist: Music definitely came later, but in a way, it was always part of my life. I never pursued it professionally, but I always loved listening to music and singing along. At one point I even worked as an accountant in a music store, where I was the only non-musician. I never thought I would actually become one myself.
It all started during COVID when everyone was picking up something new. I wanted to learn some simple piano chords so I could accompany myself while singing. Every time I tried to watch a YouTube tutorial, my husband would stop me. He’d say, “You can play by ear and write your own music. Don’t let YouTube limit your gift.”
That idea scared me, so we argued about it for six months. I wasn’t brave enough to try. Finally, I told him, “I’ll do this once to prove I can’t do it, and then we’ll stop talking about it.” That same day, I wrote three songs.
Mike: Wow, that’s amazing. And what a supportive partner to encourage you for six months. I also love what he said about not letting tutorials limit you. YouTube is great for learning, but it doesn’t have to confine you. Everyone’s creative journey is unique.
Miist: Exactly. When I wrote those songs, my body felt it. It was like I finally found a way to express feelings I never could before. Songwriting became the only way I could let out these deep emotions. Everyone has different upbringings and experiences, so when we find our gifts, we use them differently.
Mike: After writing those first three songs, what came next?
Miist: From that point, songwriting became a necessity, not a hobby. I wrote about my early experiences and pain I had always kept inside. Sharing those songs with people brought strong reactions—some cried, some were silent. For the first time, I felt a deep connection through music.
There were two stages after that. The first was meeting Narada Michael Walden completely by accident. We were at a house showing, and the agent was also a musician. We swapped music, and he sent mine to a friend, who then passed it along to Narada. One day we got a call: “Come to my studio.”
I thought it would just be a meeting. Instead, Narada put me at the piano Aretha Franklin used to record “Respect” and handed me the same microphone. He said, “Sing me something.” I sang one song, then another, then another. We ended up jamming for three hours—he played piano and drums, adding ideas to my songs as we went.
At the end he said, “I’d like to produce an album for you.” He mentored me and produced my first record. That gave me momentum—suddenly people started picking up the phone when I called with ideas.
Mike: That’s incredible. I also want to talk about your song Could You Lend Me a Smile? It’s such a beautiful piece.
Miist: Thank you. That song came later, after my first album. I had read a story about a young man in Japan who died alone in his apartment, and no one found him for weeks. In Asia they even have a term for it—“lonely death.” But loneliness isn’t just in Asia; it’s everywhere.
I didn’t want to only raise awareness. I wanted to offer a simple solution—something no one could say they didn’t have time to do. Just lend a stranger a smile. Even the smallest gesture might help someone keep going.
Because loneliness is global, we wanted the message in people’s heart languages. English reaches many, but it’s different when you hear it in your own language. We asked artists around the world to adapt the lyrics and sing them in their local languages. We ended up with 15 versions, each with a unique expression. It wasn’t about me—it was about how far the message could go and how many hearts it could reach.
Mike: That’s truly powerful. And you also have a podcast—can you tell me about that?
Miist: Yes, it’s called Make Me Smile with Miist, hosted on Pantheon. It started as a music podcast but quickly charted in the mental health category. Each of the 48 episodes looks at an issue and a 15-second action to rebuild connection—with ourselves, family, nature, or community.
We go into the neuroscience and psychology behind why these tiny actions work, and I share an original song tied to the topic.
Mike: I love that. Those 15-second challenges are wonderful. Gratitude for something natural, taking a walk, appreciating someone in your life—I’ve been journaling nightly, writing down something I’m grateful for or a small win. Doing it by hand helps me process emotions and track them over time.
Miist: I love that you physically write it. Returning to analog practices can increase happiness. Writing gives those feelings a proper place, like songwriting does for me, so they don’t weigh you down.
Mike: That makes a lot of sense.
Mike: That’s actually a really good point. It makes me realize how similar journaling is to songwriting—it’s like giving your emotions a place to live instead of carrying them around all the time.
Miist: Exactly. Those issues and emotions are still yours, but once you’ve processed them properly, they’re stored in the right place instead of weighing you down.
Mike: I wanted to ask you something fun. What are the things you never leave the house without? For me, it’s always the big three—cell phone, keys, and wallet.
Miist: For me, I always carry water. Even if I don’t drink it, I get anxious if it’s not with me. I also carry tissues because I have allergies. And since writing Could You Lend Me a Smile, I try to always bring a smile with me too—to share with whoever I meet.
My family actually started testing the idea first. When we’d go on walks, we’d all try to smile at people—not in a creepy way, but naturally. Sometimes people wouldn’t smile back at first. But when we crossed paths again, many of them would try, even if it wasn’t a perfect smile. That effort matters.
Mike: That’s wonderful. I also want to ask about your Kindness Cubes. Can you tell me what those are and how they came about?
Miist: I talk about them on my podcast. Each episode highlights an issue and suggests a simple 15-second action to help us reconnect—with ourselves, with nature, or with others. I printed some of those actions onto cubes.
You can keep one on your nightstand or desk. In the morning, roll it or choose a side. Maybe it says, “Be grateful today.” That becomes your intention. At night, when you see the cube, it reminds you, “I did good today.”
They’re also fun because they arrive flat in an envelope. When you open it, it pops up into a cube. We wanted it to be easy to ship anywhere.
Mike: That’s amazing.
Miist: We created 48 podcast episodes, so each one has its own action. That means eventually there will be many different cubes. Right now this is just the first.
We’re giving them away on a donation basis through a foundation, and we’re raising funds to get them into all the middle schools in Marin County. Teachers can use them during weekly mental-health sessions with their students.
Mike: That’s incredible. Adults need them too, but this is going to be huge for kids.
Miist: Thank you. That’s the hope.
Mike: Let’s close with some fun questions. First, what’s a podcast you’d recommend to others—other than your own?
Miist: Well, first I like yours! But I also enjoy Follow Your Dream by Robert Miller. It’s a great listen, especially if you love music.
Mike: I’ll definitely check that out. How about artists you’ve been listening to lately?
Miist: My all-time favorite is Barbra Streisand. Recently I’ve also been listening to an Italian singer—her name is Nina, or maybe Nannini. She’s considered the queen of Italy. Even though I don’t understand the words, her songs make me cry. That’s how powerful her music is. And of course, Adele—I love emotional storytellers.
Mike: Great choices. Final question: if you could only give one piece of advice to someone, what would it be?
Miist: Find your true self. I lived over 30 years without knowing mine. The process of finding her was painful—I almost threw my life away. But when I finally met her, it felt better than anything else. I remember saying, “It’s so nice to finally meet you.”
Mike: That’s beautiful. Thank you, Miist. This has been such an inspiring conversation.
Miist: Thank you, Michael. And congratulations on your podcast—you’ve reached over 200 episodes in five years. That’s huge. You should be proud of yourself every day.
Mike: I really appreciate that. Thank you so much.