Today we’d like to introduce you to Allen Miller.
Hi Allen, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I have been in love with music for as long as I can remember. My fascination with the art form began in second grade when I started taking piano lessons. Since then, whether it be choir rehearsals and performances, singing along to the radio, or writing songs in my room, music has been an inseparable part of my life.
It took me a little bit of time to realize I wanted to pursue songwriting professionally. While I found myself always writing, I was originally focused on film and tv. I went to film school, and when I graduated, I moved to LA to work at a major talent agency. I worked in the entertainment industry for three years.
It wasn’t until the pandemic that I realized that what was making me most excited was new music releases, discovering new artists, and writing songs. While working from home in 2020, I decided to do something I had wanted to do forever but never had the time or energy to: Learn how to record, produce and release my own music.
Flash forward to 2022, and I’ve released 2 EPs, and I’m gearing up now to release a new single next month for my upcoming third EP. It took growing up and a lot of hard work and practice for me to feel confident enough in my songwriting to put my music out into the world, and I’m so excited that I’ve gotten to that place.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Growing up queer in Texas created a lot of barriers for me in my journey of figuring out who I am. I often couldn’t tell the difference between being my authentic self and putting on a character. Now, that’s a huge part of my storytelling, coming at everything from a queer lens. There’s an added level of vulnerability and introspection that comes with a queer coming of age story, LGBTQ+ people have had to grapple with the intricacies of who they are long before their straight peers. So I’m thankful I went through that. I think my queerness is beautiful; it’s one of my favorite qualities about myself.
I’ve also been doing a lot of internal work recently in setting boundaries, acknowledging trauma, and coming at relationships in the healthiest way I can. That, unfortunately, has meant severing ties with some family members who are and have always been, a toxic presence in my life. It’s sad to me that when we start advocating for our own feelings and happiness, we inevitably lose relationships, but it’s worth it.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I consider myself a songwriter first and an independent artist second. While I love every step of making and releasing a project, my love really always comes down to writing. All songwriters have an area where they bring the magic, and for me, that is the storytelling. As a long-time fan of Taylor Swift, I always try to channel her ability to say things in a clear yet beautiful way. I aim for accessibly poetic.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love how social LA is. People are always down to make more friends. I lived in Texas previously, and while the state will always have a special place in my heart, the social expectations are so different. People tend to form their tight-knit group and stick to that. LA is a city where people expect you to have multiple friend groups, and being busy is encouraged. I am part of a gay kickball league, and that has changed my social life dramatically in the past year.
My biggest struggle since moving to LA has been body image. My experience is heightened by being part of the gay community here as well. And the issues are pervasive. I often fall victim to the mentality that someone with no body fat is worthy of more attention and kindness than someone who looks more like me. I have to actively find ways to feel good and love my body, but I think I’m making progress. I love being active, and there’s so many ways to do that here. It’s just a matter of keeping my priorities in line – reminding myself I am doing it to feel better, not look better. It’s not that LA makes you insecure. It just brings your unaddressed baggage to light in a sometimes uncomfortable way. I see this as a good thing. I think I’ve grown more living here than I would have living anywhere else.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2OyWOTUGwNFu5Ad8kKP2Pj?si=VaBNErfVS0iQqtM-aeUDhg
- Instagram: @allenmillermusic
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100058825304418
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@allenmillermusic?lang=en
