Mia Wray takes on The Corner Hotel

Feature image of Mia Wray supplied (credit: Nick Mckk)

Mia Wray is one of the most poignant voices in the Australian pop music scene, and she just played her biggest headline show to date at The Corner on Thursday, April 24th.

The show was one of four Victorian dates from her current tour, which comes off the back of her album hi, it’s nice to meet me, released in March this year.

Wray broke into the local music landscape in 2023 with her single ‘Monster Brain’, which received commercial radio success and has accumulated over four million streams.

The album was also featured on SYN’s Sweet Sixteen in March and features collaborations with other local artists, including G Flip, Dave Hammer and Dann Hume, as well as British artist Gabrielle Aplin.

Safe to say, Mia Wray is making waves.

The Corner Hotel is a well-loved venue in prime location not too far from Richmond Station and right from entering the door, the vibes were well and truly set for the night.

Mia Wray’s songwriting, particularly on the album, delves into her exploration of self and her queerness. Leaning into this expression of identity, a couple of fans brought along a pride flag which others signed and also handed out handmade mini pride flags before the show for fans to wave during ‘Tell Her’.

It hit 8:30pm. Everyone was packed up to the barricade. It was time to hit play.

Artists Hassall and The Maes brought the right energy to open the show with their authentic songs and stage presence in a complementary nod to Wray’s own storytelling.

Hassall has a playful stage-presence with natural charm. Her down-to-earth “Australian Sharehouse Pop” sound with thoughtful lyrics and witty banter with the crowd had punters hooked from the jump.

Following Hassall’s set, The Maes took the stage with a fiddle, a double bass (or to one enthusiastic audience member, a “nice cello”), an acoustic guitar, a mandolin and a banjo to bring folk to the party. 

The Maes played a mix of songs with lyrics speaking to the lesbian experience, soaring violin solos, earthy-toned basslines and beautifully-blending harmonies that melted everything together like a perfect soup. 

Pride flags in hand, phones set to silent and two artists down and the audience was set and ready for Mia Wray.

Kicking off the show, Wray launched straight into ‘Nice To Meet Me’ before playing some of the best of her discography, including singles ‘Tell Her’, ‘Not Enough’ and ‘Never Gonna Be The Same’.

The night wasn’t all high-energy and crowd engagement that saw fans sing and dance along, though. Stripped back moments in the show added another depth to Wray’s music. At times it felt like she was reading straight from her journal, other times bringing a sense of intimacy to the  show that drew everyone in.

From deep chats and thoughtful reflections on her songwriting experiences and journey of self-discovery, Mia Wray surprised the audience in celebration of the night being her largest headline show.

Bringing out a pianist, a three-piece horn section and backing vocalists, Wray kicked off the next section of the show with ‘Work For Me’.

The rest of the show was filled with more demonstrations of Wray’s musical prowess, her zeal for songwriting and her passion for performance. 

Towards the end she forwent a traditional encore in favour of a well-needed yap, Wray finished strong with ‘Not The Same As Yesterday’ after a solid performance overall.

Save a few enthusiastic fans off to the side who were *really* getting into it (and by it, I mean their own conversation), the crowd and the vibes were wonderful.

For someone who hasn't been in the music scene for too long, Mia Wray knows how to leave an impression. She is an artist to keep an eye on and certainly one to add to your playlists (if you haven't already)!

If you’re keen to catch Mia Wray live, there are still a few shows left down under in May.

 

Mia Wray’s album hi, it’s nice to meet me is available on all streaming platforms and in physical media at select stores.

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