Chicago born and suburb raised, Mia Rago is an indie pop singer songwriter and operatic soprano. She grew up listening to her dad sing Frank Sinatra around the house while her mom shared her love of Elvis Presley. Ever since her youth, Mia has been submerged in the world of older music; it’s safe to say her roots lie in the music created before her time.

Growing up, Mia couldn’t always count on her body to support her. Diagnosed with severe scoliosis at the age of nine, she underwent a series of intensive surgeries meant to correct the painful curvature of her spine. While she was forced to give up sports and physical activity for years, music was the one thing that she could always rely on. Mia began playing guitar and writing songs during this time. Watching her onstage now, you’d never know that she has steel rods implanted in her back, but it’s an apt metaphor for the hidden strength, much of it forged through pain and perseverance, that defines her beautiful songwriting.

The subtle darkness in Mia’s music stems not only from her surgeries, but from working at her family’s funeral home and cemetery business. She creates music with a sonic sophistication and lyrical maturity well beyond her years, layering intricate harmonies over stark, spacious arrangements. Mia calls Nashville home these days, and the city’s proven to be an ideal fit for her unique mix of evocative storytelling, rootsy vulnerability, and fierce femininity. It’s an intoxicating blend, one that calls to mind everything from Mitski to Phoebe Bridgers in its captivating delivery.