Miller Blue, in a seamless fusion of rich vocal talent and profound emotional sensibility, has just gifted the world with the much-awaited EP, 4 Degrees Of Separation. This prodigious artist, like the ebb and flow of a powerful ocean tide, is making waves in the realm of Alt-R&B, bringing a truly mesmerizing tapestry of narratives that encapsulates the intricate dance of love and heartbreak.
“From infatuation and lust. To love and trust. From heartbreak and heartache to self-love and healing.” These words from Miller himself encapsulate the journey he invites listeners to embark upon with him. Each phase of a relationship, every tumultuous surge of joy and sorrow, is artistically explored and distilled into a chronologically unfolding story within the EP.
The EP begins with an entrancing, otherworldly intro, opening the gateways into a vivid exploration of human connection. “Headlights,” the first single, captures the irresistible euphoria of falling for someone, weaving an audio tapestry that holds listeners captive in the grip of its R&B charm.
The beat goes on, and the rhythm of relationships continues to play out in tunes like “2am”, where Miller Blue’s vocals effortlessly glide over lo-fi beats and dark synth lines. Elsewhere, “Wildfire” brings an upbeat but emotional charge, illustrating the chaos and intensity of love through a beautifully depicted anime-inspired music video.
The EP rounds off with “Ribbon” and “Eye To Eye.” a pair of emotive R&B tracks where Miller’s melodic hooks and his rap debut take center stage, before concluding on a hopeful note, speaking to the resilience and optimism that springs from the ashes of heartbreak. Miller Blue’s remarkable voyage through the complex terrain of relationships isn’t confined to this impressive EP. Check out our interview below.
Congrats on the release of 4 Degrees Of Separation! How does the single “Wildfire” compare to your previous work, and what inspired you to explore a more uptempo sound?
Thank you! It’s definitely a different sonic space for me. This wasn’t intentional initially. I had a load of songs written and many I had demoed. Upon listening back there were a few that fit into a world. I think it was “Headlights,” “Wildfire,” another track off of the record, “2am.” This was when the concept started to come together. I realised I wanted to take people on a journey through a relationship from beginning to end so started to craft new songs around this idea.
As a musician, you have the unique ability to express complex emotions through your art. How do you approach the creative process, and what inspires you to create music?
I always want my songs to come from a true place, somewhere real. But that requires me to show up for them to be able to come through me. For the last 12 months, every day I’d just sit at either the piano or with a guitar and play until something good came or more often something not so good. And over time I find aha, I have a bunch of solid songs here and go from there.
But this approach is more recent for me. I used to sit working on production and building sections as I go, writing along the way. So, it seems to change depending on the times. On the inspiration side, that comes from just living. I think it’s crucial to go and experience new things before coming back to a new record, for me at least.
You collaborated with Manchester-based hip-hop group OMA on the anime-inspired music video. What was it like working with other artists to bring your vision to life?
Yeah, I really enjoyed the process. I feel they have similar taste to me both musically and visually so it just clicked straight away. They came out even better that I had imagined.
It feels like just two years ago the idea of NFTs and AI were very limited in terms of their capabilities. I’m curious to hear your thoughts on the space and where you think it’ll go next.
Yeah, it’s definitely an interesting one. I feel NFTs have potential, but for me only really if the whole meta-verse space becomes a little more lifelike. Create a space where people can live high detailed lives in whatever way they please as well as making it affordable, I do believe lots of people will opt-in. For better or for worse. With this last burst of AI improvements, it really may not be long before this becomes more of a reality.
You also mentioned that “Wildfire” is about the journey of two souls. How important do you think relationships and connections are in our lives, and how do they influence your music?
I think they’re one of the most important things we can experience. Being social creatures we need to relate to others and share experiences. I do however believe the development of self is most important in order to be of service to others. Saying that it is often through others that we are able to observe and learn the most about my own tendencies and behaviors. In regards to influencing my music, pretty much all of it is from connections with others so definitely a given influence.
This serves as your first record since February’s “Headlights,” both bof which have similar cover art. Can you talk about where this record fits in the fold and the inspiration behind the artwork?
Sure thing. I spent a lot of time while making this record in Prince Charles Theatre. An independent cinema in Leicester Square. I fell in love with this place and just kept on going back for solo dates watching a variety of cinema. This is where I stumbled upon the films of Wong Kar Wai. His films often touch upon love, heartbreak, betrayal, infatuation, and healing. A perfect fit for what I was doing with this project. So they became the base inspiration for the visuals. Leaning into the color palette we used a lot of the deep reds in the single artwork. For the EP cover itself we focused on one color to represent each of the four stages. But yeah, a huge Inspo.
Beyond music, there’s so much to explore in terms of creative expression and how you get your message across. What do you turn to outside of music or during your free time?
I meditate daily. This helps me work out where I’m at before starting the day. It may not be necessarily creative however it definitely helps me get to a good place in order to allow myself to be so. I do Qi Gong. Again maybe not necessarily creative but some of the movements really do feel as though they are. Listening to my body and what it needs feels very expressive. I’ve really been enjoying this lately. Also basketball. I love the spontaneity of the game. Thinking on your feet based on what’s happening at the moment forces you to stay present and if you’re against good players you have to get creative.
