I’ve said it before, but seeing artists grow and evolve from their earliest singles through to their debut album is one of my favourite things as a music fan. In the case of Mia Wray, this evolution has occurred on multiple fronts, from her songwriting and vocals, through to the content of her music and herself as a human being. Here on hi, it’s nice to meet me, Mia Wray introduces the public to not only her album for the first time, but also uses the album to introduce herself to her true self.
Coming out of a long-term relationship and coming to terms with her queerness, hi, it’s nice to meet me is Mia Wray taking control of her life, while exploring who she is, what she wants to be and who she wants it to be with. A few years in the making, the album expands on the sounds and themes of her earliest singles; those that have built her fandom to date (I still maintain 2023’s “Monster Brain” is one of the best songs of the past decade). And while these singles were all exemplary in their tone, execution and delivery, it feels like hi, it’s nice to meet me is a pretty sizeable step forward for the Queensland artist.
Teasing the public by drip-feeding a plethora of singles over the past 12 months, these bite-size entries to the album are all indicative of the quality of the album. First single, “Tell Her”, came from a writing session with English musician Gabrielle Aplin, an artist Mia Wray had obsessed over for many years prior. A jump into the crush we’ve all had at one point in time, “Tell Her” is Wray coming to terms with the feelings she had bubbling below the surface for a while. “Sad But True” touches on the feeling that you’re not progressing, and while comfortable with where you are, you just know something isn’t sitting quite right. Whether a relationship, friendship or job, it’s a pretty relatable feeling.
Two of the peaks on the album are the opener and album title inspired “Nice To Meet Me” and “Not Enough”. Both upbeat in nature, they touch once more on Wray’s sexual awakening. As the opening song, “Nice To Meet Me” is a fun three minutes that sets the tone for the album and its content. Written with G Flip, “Nice To Meet Me” looks back at her previous relationship while looking knowingly and hopefully towards current and future relationships. “Not Enough” is a little more toned down than “Nice To Meet Me” but touches on the same themes, with Wray looking forward towards something more fruitful in the future while coming to a realisation that she is comfortable with where she is and who she is.
One of the strengths of the album is Wray’s willingness to lean into a more pop-friendly sound. And while I wouldn’t necessarily describe her as a pop artist, Wray is more than capable of crafting some bloody catchy hooks. “What If” is a prime example of this, while the dance-infused “The Way She Moves” has a real club-friendly vibe, as Wray’s vocals come into their own. Without needlessly comparing her to one of the biggest acts of the past 20 years, “The Way She Moves” is reminiscent in vibe to Florence Welch’s “Spectrum (Say My Name)”.
After beginning to gain traction as an artist half a decade ago, initially through the support of the late Michael Gudinski, this momentum stalled thanks to COVID, and as a result left Wray frustrated and roadblocked. Stemming from this anger was the creation of “Get Out of My Way”, another pop classic-in-waiting, whose bridge is one of the strongest on the album and will fit well as a main set closer on her upcoming album tour.
The album stretches beyond pop and indie love songs in its closing moments, with “Everybody Knows” going completely soulful, with rich harmonies and soaring vocals that are matched by a calming and simplistic piano. It’s a stellar and notable closing to a gorgeous debut album. hi, it’s nice to meet me is a fun, expansive and exploratory first up album from Mia Wray that will hold a special and formative place in many young people’s lives. I look forward to seeing the album translate live on stage, while seeing how it influences and shapes its listeners and their own stories.
FOUR AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
hi, it’s nice to meet me is out Friday 14 March.
Mia Wray tours the album nationally throughout March, April and May. For more information, head here.
Header image credit: Nick Mckk
