Bio
“Watching her perform live, Miller has an uncanny ability to keep an audience smiling the entire night – a direct reflection of her humbled stage presence and endearing personality. She’s about as real as they get when it comes to musicians in Seattle. “ – City Arts Magazine
Seattle-based singer/songwriter Debbie Miller will tug at your heart, cause you giggle, and make you think twice about crossing her – sometimes all during the same song. Blending humor with heart-wrenching honesty, Miller’s refreshing brand of unique lyrics and playful melodies capture and delight audiences from east to west. In the spring of 2012, she released her sophomore effort, Measures + Waits (EP), which garnered media attention from local and national press including City Arts Magazine, AOL Music, Seattle Weekly, SSG Music, PureVolume, and more. Later this fall, she will release her third album, Live in an Empty Sea, which was recorded earlier this year in front of an audience at Empty Sea Studios in Seattle, WA.
Miller, a New York native and classically trained pianist who studied under a Julliard alumna for ten years, began her career in the Brooklyn and East Village music scenes in 2008. With song topics ranging from love to bathroom graffiti, Miller’s music oscillates flawlessly between folk-ish tunes on guitar and pounding numbers on the piano.
When she was offered her first official gig, Miller was still so new the scene that she didn’t have enough material to fill an entire set. So she wrote more, including the crowd favorite “Snippets From A Bathroom Stall,” (a live version appears on Measures + Waits), resulting in the release of her debut full-length album Fake Love in May 2010. Fake Love was chosen as a CDBaby Staff Pick and named a 2010 non-jazz favorite on AllAboutJazz.com.
With quirky lyrics that teeter between honesty, seriousness and silliness, Miller — who was named “New York’s best kept secret” (ResidentMediaPundit) — has developed a reputation for her unique live shows, which are often highlighted by her propensity for error. “I always mess up somehow in a live show. Whether I forget the words, screw up the music, or fall off the stage — true story.” These “Debbie Do-overs” have become fan favorites. “I think it’s because people respond to authenticity and honesty in art and performance,” she said. Never overly serious, Fake Love ends with a funny bonus track that showcases a “Debbie Do-over” at its best.
After moving cross-country to Seattle in 2010, Miller immersed herself in the legendary music scene and has been quickly embraced by West Coast audiences. She was nominated for The Deli Magazine Seattle’s “Artist of the Month” poll, and voted in as the winner by her fans.
Miller released her anticipated follow-up EP, Measures + Waits on March 27, 2012. A play on the phrase “Weights & Measures,” the disc is about the toils of measuring and waiting for love. True to form, though, it’s not all serious. Measures + Waits was selected as one of the top 10 albums of 2012 by SomethingElse Reviews, coming in at #4.
In order to capture the essence and raw nature of her performances, Miller embarked on recording a live album (recorded in front of an audience) in the spring of 2015. The project was funded successfully by her fans and supporters via Kickstarter. Live in an Empty Sea will be available in late fall of 2015. In November 2015, Miller will be touring down the west coast to promote her latest release.
Fake Love and Measures + Waits are available now on iTunes, Bandcamp, Amazon, CDBaby, and more.