Despite being one of the most recognisable names in UK R&B, Miraa May maintains that she’s just a normal girl. We catch up over FaceTime—she’s booked and busy, and in-between sessions—yet she’s adamant that she’s ordinary. “It sounds so cliche, but I’m just an everyday human,” she shrugs. “I’m not this artist, I just love making music. I’m addicted to it, and that’s how I got here.” Humility aside, Miraa has a slew of cult EPs under her belt, an acclaimed debut album, four MOBO nominations, and is a go-to collaborator for some of the biggest names in R&B and beyond, Jorja Smith, Mahalia, and JME to name a few. Yet, she’s in awe that listeners are still tapped in. “It’s crazy that I can release music independently and still have people tuned in. I was afraid of taking that much of a gap, that no one would care anymore. I might have to swear; I’m just very grateful that people still give a fuck”.
It’s been a short while since we’ve heard a full project from Miraa. The singer’s debut LP, 2022’s Tales Of A Miracle, was a masterclass in the power of truth, earning a MOBO nod for Album of The Year. The project demonstrated exactly why Miraa commands so much respect in the industry; as much for her vocal mastery and pen as for her admirable and disarming honesty. Never one to sugarcoat, the album saw Miraa dive headfirst into the darkness of her adolescent years, wielding her trademark blunt lyricism as a weapon against childhood abuse and trauma, whilst loudly celebrating the woman she’s grown into. She kept us fed with a string of singles across early 2024, including “No Bad Energy” and “Miskeena”, but it is with November’s EP, “Kind Regards,” that we see Miraa at her peak.
On its surface, the tape is a concise collection of six dark, heady tracks, a throwback to the 2016-ish era of modern R&B, when artists such as Brent Faiyaz and Drake championed a sound that openly flaunted their between-the-sheets antics. “It’s an ode to some of my favorite artists that I listened to when I was young, wild, and free,” Miraa says. “Those people were always very open, speaking about certain subjects that, quite frankly, we’re all very much involved in.”
Dig a little deeper, and you’ll find it’s a project that dedicates itself to honesty. The tape is a transparent expression of female desire and the complexity of womanhood. It demands candour of the listener, too, bringing gender to centre stage and posing important questions about the different lenses through which we view feminine and masculine sexuality. “It’s ultimately about sexism. It’s wild that I felt unsafe as a woman to share these thoughts about my sexuality. Why, when I’m a whole grown-ass woman? I’ve had a whole child.” This sentiment, whilst born directly from Miraa’s own feelings and experience, also speaks to a broader discomfort surrounding feminine lust. Particularly within the realms of R&B and hip-hop, male artists are afforded the freedom to openly talk about desire, no matter how graphic their language, while female pleasure takes a backseat. “There are barely any songs for women to sing about having a great time”.
On trap-flavoured “Shot Like This”, Miraa is upfront about her sexual prowess: “I don’t mean to be big headed, no/ But I know just what I got, I got a weapon on me/ It’s just incredible”. Likewise, “Wgo (Whats Going On?)” is a flirtatious PARTYNEXTDOOR-esque record, on which we see Miraa flaunt in front of prying eyes: “Kissing you/ Right here in the club/ In front of everyone/ All night fuck them”. “I feel like this tape opens up a whole conversation about sex and where we stand as a community. Consent, respect, fun, pleasure.”
Vulnerability has never been difficult for Miraa. She speaks openly about womanhood, abuse, and her heritage across her catalogue, turning her observations about life into beautiful rhythms that also serve as tangible life lessons for her audience. She has always been one to turn inwards, and to bring the private into the public sphere. Still, speaking openly about her sexuality proved to be more confronting than imagined: “I’ve never spoken so sexually before. I’ve never been so vulnerable. It was a really liberating thing to talk about.” Pushing through this shame was an important journey for Miraa in this phase of her life. “Rebuilding my confidence feels good. I always used to be so ashamed of that part of my life. On this tape, I just wanted to embrace being a woman, and being single again. It’s an ode to moving on.”
Lead single “Girlfriend” and closer “Ladies Man” are the two more serious joints on the tape. The former intro track is a sultry yet pensive reflection on a past relationship, in which Miraa wishes a past lover well. In her own words, “Girlfriend” is about the bittersweet rebirth that happens after a relationship; “You give space for better and brighter things to happen in your life, and for the other person, too. I mean what I say; I really hope you deserve her, I really hope that it is happy and fruitful and amazing, because that’s exactly what it’s gonna be for me. It’s almost like a group of friends—you make all these memories together, and then the girls fall out. It’s the same shit.”