{"id":14371,"date":"2026-04-22T07:37:46","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T07:37:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/14371\/"},"modified":"2026-04-22T07:37:46","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T07:37:46","slug":"vancouver-islands-miina-finds-the-light-on-her-first-solo-tour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/14371\/","title":{"rendered":"Vancouver Island’s MIINA finds the light on her first solo tour"},"content":{"rendered":"

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On the phone earlier this month, Laura Mina Mitic\u2019s was feeling good. She did not know at the time that disaster was about to strike. <\/p>\n

The singer, who goes by her stage name MIINA and previously fronted the Shawnigan Lake-based band Carmanah, is in Guelph when we talk, having just kicked off the Ontario leg of her Canadian tour.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a great reception; I\u2019ve never played in Guelph before, and so it was cool seeing the community in the downtown core,\u201d MIINA says of playing Sonic Hall. \u201cIt was a beautiful venue; everyone was super friendly and lovely, and they seemed to really enjoy themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, a few tour stops later, the vegetable oil-fuelled\u00a0bus <\/a>that the singer and her husband (also a musician and formerly a member of Carmanah) built broke down about halfway through the trip. That led to the postponement <\/a>of shows in Saskatoon, Medicine Hat, and Fernie. It was but a temporary bump in the road in the tour\u2014MIINA and team are happy to report that the bus is back up and running and headed toward home.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Thankfully, the bus made it through Ontario, where MIINA played to sold-out crowds in places like Ottawa and Burnstown, and the musician is set to perform at the Biltmore Cabaret on April 25.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cConsidering this is my first tour as MIINA, just to see that people are familiar with me and coming out and supporting this project, it feels really lovely,\u201d she says. \u201cBut you know, even if just 10 people show up in the community, in this day and age ticket sales are notoriously challenging and so for people to leave the comfort of their homes and spend their time with me, I\u2019m honoured. Touring is a really special things that I get to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

MIINA released her debut feature album, Where The Light Goes, last month. It\u2019s a dreamy, sunlit effort imbued with elements of pop, folk, and rock. The album was produced by a who\u2019s who of Canadian indie producers, including Howard Redekopp, Erik P.H. Nielsen, and Gus Van Go, who have collectively worked with names like Tegan and Sara, Mother Mother, The Beaches, Metric, and City and Colour.<\/p>\n

\u201cReleasing an album is a bit daunting,\u201d says MIINA. \u201cBut this tour has been so lovely see people coming out and telling me they are enjoying the new music and are excited to buy the vinyl. And seeing some really nice responses from radio stations. But it\u2019s tough, especially as an indie artist who isn\u2019t massively known. Sometimes you\u2019re just shouting into a bit of a void, just hoping that someone will listen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Standouts on the album include songs like the Waxahatchee-like \u201cBridge on Fire\u201d and the subtly groovy \u201cWorry\u201d. The keyboard elements of the latter track are especially important to MIINA.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the first time I\u2019m playing the keys on stage in my career,\u201d says MIINA, noting that usually another band member does that duty but she is on parental leave. \u201cSo there are a couple of songs, like ‘Worry\u2019, where I\u2019m putting the guitar down and playing the keys, and it feels exciting and new to be sharing a song where I\u2019m on the keys.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

MIINA still lives on the Island, but she\u2019s familiar with the Biltmore and is excited to return to its stage.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love that space; it\u2019s a great room,\u201d she says. \u201cI think that if I lived in Vancouver I would enjoy going to shows there, so that\u2019s always a good sign.\u201d<\/p>\n

MIINA plays the Biltmore Cabaret with opener Alexandria Maillot on April 25. Tickets here<\/a>.<\/p>\n