Today we’d like to introduce you to MISY.
Hi MISY, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started singing in a musical theatre program at church when I was about 4 years old, but I started taking dance classes as soon as I could walk. Anything from ballet to jazz to tap, I did it all! Musical theatre and dance is how I discovered my love for performing at a very young age. I was involved with the talent agency John Robert Powers when I was in elementary school, doing modeling and acting classes with them. I got opportunities to try out for different commercials and TV shows like Hannah Montana, which was such a fun time in my life! When middle school rolled around, I ended up going to a musical theatre arts school called California Conservatory of the Arts under David Green. I went to a regular middle school during the day and attended the arts conservatory after school 4 days a week. I’m originally from Southern California, growing up about an hour from LA, and I am really thankful for that because there is so much opportunity out there. I loved modeling and acting, but singing and performing always had a hold on my heart.
By the time I was 12, I wanted to learn guitar because I saw Taylor Swift playing guitar and writing her own songs, so she actually inspired me to learn! My parents got me a beginner guitar kit from Costco for Christmas and my life was never the same. I also always had an interest in writing because throughout school, that was the subject I loved the most. I remember when I was only about 8 years old, I sat down to write a book, and though I never finished it, it was the beginnings of my love for writing. I tried to write songs before I played guitar, but they were not that good if I’m being honest! Once I had a guitar in my hand, I couldn’t stop writing songs. That’s when I knew – this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
One of my mom’s friends at church connected us with a guy named Ed Nilsen who became my guitar teacher and mentor for about 5 years. I saw him every Saturday morning and always brought a new song I wrote (or maybe a few!) to show to him. He believed in me at an early age and motivated me to keep playing and writing. After I had been seeing him for some time, he told me that I should consider moving to Nashville. He said, “That’s where the songwriters go, and you can absolutely do this for a living.” He is a huge part of my story because without him believing in me the way he did and encouraging me to move here, Nashville wouldn’t have been on my radar when I was a young teenager. He also set up little concerts at the local coffee shop for all of his students, which led to him getting me paid gigs at the local malls as I got older.
When I was around 16 years old, I decided I wanted to play the piano, so once again, we found a teacher through church friends. Her name is Carrie Renderer and she ended up becoming my vocal coach and mentor as well. I learned SO much from her and truly would not be where I am today without her. Like Ed, she believed in me. She taught me the ins and outs of singing, piano, music theory, and songwriting. I saw her every week until I moved to Nashville at the age of 22.
I had only taken 2 trips out to Nashville before I decided to move here… but I just knew in my soul that this was where I’m meant to be. I have to give credit to my friend, Priscilla Block, for allowing me to move in with her and her band (shoutout to Sarah Jones and Joe Bart, too) when I barely knew anybody here! Priscilla and I met at a open mic at Cafe Coco on my first trip out to Nashville, and if it weren’t for her inviting me to live with them, I’m not sure when I would’ve moved here! It was a total God thing that I’m forever thankful for. I’ve been living here for 8 years now and I couldn’t be happier. I met my husband, Bradley Carter, at Dark Horse Studio in Franklin in 2018, and we got married in September of 2024. He’s a producer/engineer and we’ve done a lot of work together, which is a dream come true! I’ve also had the opportunity to work with some other prominent producers and engineers like Austin Shawn, Joe Carrell, Kris Crunk, Damien Lewis, Joe Smith and Tres Sasser. Nashville is my home now and I have the amazing privilege of doing music full time. I truly couldn’t be more grateful for my journey and where I’ve ended up today.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Oh, I’ve definitely had my fair share of struggles along the way! I’ve signed bad deals I had to get out of, dealt with some snakes who didn’t care about me, and learned a whole lot. I think I was a little naive coming to Nashville, thinking that everyone wanted to help me and do what’s best. But as most of us who have been in the industry long enough know, that’s not the reality. There are some people in this industry who will take advantage of your kindness, and try to exploit your talent for their own gain. I had to learn that the hard way, but I’m really glad I did. Before I moved to Nashville, I worked closely with an independent record label called Hourglass records. I almost signed with them but decided not to for various reasons. Sadly, that label isn’t around anymore but they really mentored me in the music business and were honestly just good people. Having that experience made me think that everyone wanted to help me in the same way out here in Nashville. But I quickly learned that just wasn’t the case. For the most part, there are a lot of good people in this industry and I believe only the good ones find the real success in this town.
I’ve also had to learn to get out of my own way and just keep moving forward. I’m an over thinker which can be a good thing in some circumstances, but can cause a lot of stress in others. Sometimes we’re our own worst enemy and that’s probably been my biggest struggle of all. The older I get, the more I realize that you have to just go for it. You can’t wait around for the right time to chase your dreams. A few years back, when I decided to jump into music full time, I was not in a financial place to do so. I had been working as a bartender and server, and that income may have given me some freedom in a financial way, but took a lot of time that I can never get back. Honestly, I was super broke during that first season of focusing on music after quitting the restaurant industry. I still did some side jobs to get by, like Uber and Door Dash. But a few years later and I no longer have to do that, thankfully. I’m still not rich, but I’ve learned to make a living for myself and I’ve really come a long way.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
First and foremost, I’m a singer/songwriter! I play guitar, piano, ukulele, and a little bit of bass. I’m also a producer but still growing in that regard. I do quite a bit of vocal studio work as well, and try to collaborate with whoever I can. I specialize in acoustic pop music but I also work in the christian contemporary world. I am most proud of my ability to hold a crowd with just my voice and an acoustic guitar. As someone who does 3-4 hour acoustic gigs around Nashville 4-7 times a week, I’ve grown so much as a player, a singer, and an artist by putting so much time and effort into my craft. I think my style really sets me a part because I’m not just the typical country artist or the typical pop artist. I blend pop, folk, alternative, and even a little hip hop in my music. I’ve always been inspired by artists like Joni Mitchell and Taylor Swift who don’t put themselves in a box. They have albums under a plethora of genres and people appreciate that. I’m constantly evolving and growing, and I love having the freedom to experiment with different sounds and genres, just as long as it feels like me. I never want to try and be something I’m not. As a songwriter, I just want to write good music that impacts people in a positive way. It can be tiring to write about the same old things in the same style, and I always want to challenge myself. I believe my writing style is simple yet poetic, and I want to write about things that matter as my career progresses. Past releases I’ve had like “Keep Your Head Up” and “Arise, My Darling” are a testament to that.
I also believe I have a really unique, strong voice that sets me a part from others. I have people tell me I sound like all sorts of artists, and still to this day I hear new comparisons. It’s never been just one artist, which I think is pretty cool. I’ve been told I sound like Stevie Nicks, Shania Twain, Colbie Caillat, Joni Mitchell, Dolores O’Riordan from the Cranberries, Sara Bareilles, or even Ann Wilson from Heart. I’m always surprised to hear what people are reminded of when they hear me sing. I guess I just have a wide variety of colors to my voice, which I’m really proud of because I’ve worked so hard to develop my vocals.
What matters most to you?
At this point in my life and career, family actually matters most to me. I’ll always love music, but family is most important. My husband and I experienced a miscarriage this year in May of 2025, and going through that really put life into perspective for me. It became a very spiritual experience and I got closer to Jesus than I ever have through that hardship. I’ll be healing from that for a long time, but I’m currently pregnant with our rainbow baby and I’m due the same week in May that we lost our first baby, exactly a year later. It’s been a tough road getting to this point but I wouldn’t change it for the world. I’m actually releasing a song called “Grateful” on November 24th, which was my original due date for our first baby. Not only is it fitting for the Thanksgiving holiday, but it’s a good reminder for me to be grateful for what I have and the journey that has made me who I am. That’s what the song is about and I cannot wait to share it with the world.
Through that experience, I realized that I wanted to be a mom more than I wanted to be a touring artist. I’m happy making my money in town through gigs, studio work and songwriting, and I hope that never changes. But I want to leave an even bigger legacy through having kids. I believe that’s the greatest and most rewarding gift that God can give.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thenameismisy.com
- Instagram: @thenameismisy
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thenameismisy
- Twitter: @thenameismisy
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thenameismisy
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thenameismisy
