ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: Miriam Nyarko

Introducing Miriam Nyarko, a multi-talented artist whose journey from acting and dancing to songwriting is now making waves. Her debut EP, "The Journey," explores themes of faith, struggle, and redemption, while her music reflects a fusion of Afro, R&B, and soul. Miriam's authentic storytelling sets her apart in the music scene.

Congratulations on your recent movie premiere at the Tribeca Festival and the critical success of your single 'Built On You.' Can you tell us more about your journey from acting and dancing to becoming a singer and songwriter?

Thank you so much for your congratulations! My journey from acting and dancing to becoming a singer songwriter has been quite extensive. I started singing from the age of four and to be completely honest that was my goal. I didn’t know how I was going to get there, and I didn’t know when, but I knew that - that was what I wanted to do. However, when I was younger a lot of the schools that did singing also required you to do acting and dancing, which I didn’t mind and actually grew to love. I’ve loved performing from a young age. Fast forward to the age of 10, I had an open call for The Lion King in the west end and got the role of young Nala. With that as my first professional job I grew such a deep love for all areas of the performing arts and that’s how acting came about. I then started writing songs from the age of 13 years old and found an even deeper admiration for not only being able to sing, but sing the songs that I have written.

Your debut EP, "The Journey," explores the themes of faith, struggle, and redemption. Can you share the inspiration behind the EP and how your personal experiences have influenced its creation?
A lot of the time when we think we’re drowning and we look at our surroundings and see storms and water all around. What we fail to see is that it’s not just any ordinary water … I believe in my faith, It's the living water. “Lord God you are the fountain of living water” Jeremiah 2:11 - so when I felt like I was drowning, little did I know yes God remained in me but I also remained in Him - even if it appeared to be a flood. It was the testing of my faith which produced perseverance so that I could pick up my cross and follow him. He was … He is my lifeguard … my lifeline. He then, all over again, became mine so that I could remember that all I am, is built on him. My firm foundation. Forever and always. This is the inspiration for my EP and the journey, on how through grieving my father’s loss, and finding my identity, I got to figure out who I was, and what my purpose was in this world and be confident in that.

The opening track of your EP, 'Drowning,' is described as a reflection of your heart and faith. Can you delve deeper into the message behind this song and its significance in your musical journey?
My song ‘drowning’, despite the sad undertones, is actually very hopeful, if you truly listen to the lyrics. In my 21 years of life, I haven’t had the most easy ride. My first encounter with death was when I was 16, when my best friend passed away and my second, was with my father in 2021. Both were just as bad as each other. Of course, my father's passing had a bigger blow and stirred up a lot of anger, pain and identity issues. I’ve always believed in God, but this is when my faith was really tested and I wanted to explain all of these topics in this song. It’s so easy to let Afrobeats be just a celebration and expression of goodness. However, faith isn’t always about the highs - but how you get to them, from the lows. I wanted to change that perspective and celebrate being in the valley below. Because it’s only when you drown, that you appreciate a lifeguard pulling you, into the safe and sound.

'Mine (Oh Father)' is an emotionally resonant track that touches on themes of grief and loss. Could you elaborate on the story behind this song and how it fits into the overall narrative of the EP?
Without it being incredibly aggressive, I think my whole EP tends to touch on grief in some sense. Whether it be grieving of physical loss or an internal loss. Whether it even be grieving your old self, despite how great it is becoming a new creation in faith. The song starts quite literally on the ground with me explaining “I’ve been crawling through the days that you have made…” then continues with “never knowing I could run and not grow faint. Which references a beautiful verse from Isaiah 40:31- ‘but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint.’ The song goes on to explain how whilst I wanted to give up, God was wanting me to give in & give it to Him and I felt such an overwhelming sense of freedom!

'Lifeline' is described as a universal anthem of hope. Can you share how this song came about and what message you hope listeners take away from it?
Lifeline is my celebration song. We all have victory stories whether they last a moment or a lifetime. This is mine. Lifeline is a look into my conversations with my heavenly father. Sometimes you don’t believe something until it’s verbalised and I very much believe that you can speak life into your situation. So even if I have a hint of doubt in my life, as long as I am able to decree and declare who is going to pick me up, and who is my lifeline… I can then allow my worship more louder than any worry that tries to overcome me. I like to use Bible verses when writing songs because there is GOLD in there. References: “Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalms 23:6 NIV. I want people to listen to lifeline and know that no matter how rocky your journey feels - you won’t stay in the valley of pain forever. You’re allowed to speak life into a dead situation. You’re allowed to feel doubt at the same as praying for change.

Your single 'Built On You' captures the essence of the EP with its themes of faith, resilience, and rediscovery. Can you tell us about the process of creating this particular song and what it means to you?
Built On You was created in under half an hour and easily became one of my favourite songs I’d ever written. I felt led to write this song after hearing ‘Firm Foundation’ by Cody Carnes played on New Year’s Eve and had a reminder that when my foundations are built on the right thing (God) they cannot fall. This song is a summary of my verse for the year. Matthew 7:25 - “The rain came down, the streams rose and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundations on the rock.” Built on you is my personal testimony shared to inspire everyone else. This is my love story… my faith story - declaring that God is my firm foundation. Funnily enough this was the first song written on the EP. It’s like I was given the bigger picture/ destination and then had to work backwards in order to figure out the story I was going to tell & how to articulate my journey.

You've mentioned that these songs are the most accurate and vulnerable representation of you and your faith. Can you share how your faith plays a role in your creative process and artistic expression?
When I started this music journey, I never imagined Afro Gospel being the genre. I was going to branch out into. I had always wanted to do R&B and ever and so many tracks that spoke to me at the time. But inevitably, the more important something becomes to you the Moon, you want to speak, scream and sing about it. Any chance you get. For me that is my faith. It’s a big part of who I am. Therefore it’s a big part of what I end up speaking about. I truly believe it’s the reason I am alive today and so why wouldn’t I want to share that joy with the world. Like I mentioned previously,  my upbringing consisted of a lot of time spent in Church, which meant I was surrounded by so, gospel and R&B music. My mother is from Barbados, meaning soca music was a big part of my life, and my father was from Ghana, so Afrobeats, inevitably rooted itself as an influence.

Your diverse background includes acting, dancing, and songwriting. How do these different artistic endeavors influence and complement each other in your career?
I don’t think many people realise that acting, singing, dancing and songwriting all tend to merge. They may not all be exactly the same, but the industries definitely tend to lineup. The one common thing between every single one of them is not only are they creative outlets, but they all include telling a story - and we all have a story to tell. Acting is such a huge part of my life, and it wasn’t until I got a bit older that I realised. Sometimes I can hide behind characters on stage or on a screen which is when the need to song right and the desire to sing the songs that I’ve written started to burn inside of me. Because I realised I can’t hide who I am for the sake of telling a story all the time. Dancing has also helped a lot with my music because the things I pick out in music when I’m dancing at the same things that help me in the studio when putting together my songs.

With influences like Tori Kelly, H.E.R, and Madison Ryann Ward, how would you describe your musical style and what sets you apart from other artists in the R&B and Gospel music scenes?
My musical style is a mixture of all the things I love. It’s all things, Afro, R&B, soul, soca, and more. One minute you’ll catch me, singing an Afro R&B song, and the next minute, I’ll be singing a ballad. I try not to box myself in with the songs I write because then you end up limiting your creativity and making sure everything fits a certain vibe. When sometimes what you wanna say doesn’t always match the image that you’re going for. As much as I do have inspirations that I look towards. I also tried to keep my eyes on myself and the Lord because comparison kills creativity. When you think too much about what’s going to set you apart, it’s very easy to end up becoming something you’re not. So I would say the thing that sets me apart is that I’m only Miriam Nyarko, who has experienced life through my lens - & some people will resonate with that and some people won’t but that’s okay. Because there is an artist for everyone.

You've had a remarkable journey, from winning songwriting competitions at a young age to starring in major productions like Marvel Studios' Moon Knight. What has been the most memorable moment in your career so far?
One of the most memorable memories I have is performing an original song at the Royal Albert Hall at the age of 14 in front of over 5000 people. When I say this, people are really surprised because I have had many experiences throughout my life. But being able to so truthfully be me and having people receive my music that well at such a young age, so much so there were 5000 flashlights in the air as I was singing, is a huge achievement. That’s something I will cherish forever, and I feel like it’s something that not only made me proud but my family too.

Could you share any future projects or collaborations that your fans can look forward to?
My future is just lined up with gigs, supporting artists and a whole of writing sessions to be completely honest. I will be performing at solos London, which is the U.K.’s biggest Afro Gospel festival on the 21st of October. I also am yet to announce doing a gig with sofar sounds on the 25th of November which is really exciting. I have a few features in the works and when they are confirmed, I cannot wait to tell the world, but otherwise I hope everybody enjoys my new project.

As an artist with a strong faith, what advice do you have for aspiring musicians who want to incorporate their beliefs and personal experiences into their music?
I would say to artists that want to incorporate their beliefs and personal experiences into their music: llife is too short to be shy. Know why you’re doing it and who you’re doing it for and let that be the thing that drives you. Don’t let the world dictate what you can and cannot say. You have an identity, you have a purpose and remember to not let your feelings dictate your faith.