Album Notes

Mikaela was born and raised in Christchurch, on the east coast of New Zealand. She started playing the guitar at 7 and was playing gigs by 9. Mikaela was influenced early on by old school country music: Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, Kitty Wells & George Jones. Her later influences were unearthed on her travels to Australia, Texas, London and Nashville: Nina Simone, Gillian Welch, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Tom Waits, Lyle Lovett, Nick Cave, Django Reinhardt & Patty Griffin…to name a few in an always evolving list of influences.

The result of Mikaela’s music immersion and travel is a roots fusion of country, blues and folk.

She was a Star Maker (Tamworth, Australia) Grand Finalist and New Zealand Gold Guitar Winner. She moved to Tamworth in 1999 and toured New South Wales with country bands Electric Barnyard and Heartland, with the former supporting Keith Urban. She moved to Levelland, Texas, to attend South Plains College in 2001, where she was the 2002 & 2003 South Plains College Female Songwriter of the Year. Mikaela then spent the next 5 years honing her craft in West Texas, regularly performing at The Mean Woman Grill, Hub City Brewery, The County Line and at the historic Cactus Theater, amongst others. While in Texas Mikaela supported Terri Hendrix & Lloyd Maines, Ian Moore and Fred Eaglesmith. She has played the Buddy Holly Music Festival, the Lubbock Arts Festival, 4th on Broadway and the Tamworth Country Music Festival.

Mikaela released her debut album "Overdressed" in 2004. It was recorded at Caldwell Studios in Lubbock, Texas and was a collaborative effort with some incredibly talented West Texas musicians. After releasing Overdressed, Mikaela spent 3 years playing in London and travelling around Europe.

Mikaela currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee. Nashville has proved to be a very fertile creative space and she has been working with some highly respected Nashville musicians. Her new EP is due for release in August this year.