On Sept. 15, Los Angeles-based, Canadian singer Michael Milosh leads Juno award-winning ensemble Rhye into their Winnipeg concert at The Garrick theatre at 7 p.m.

Milosh says “this concert, as others before it, will be comprehensive with music spanning across my career.”

Milosh describes the upcoming concert as a “pretty dynamic musical experience.”

“With guitars, violin, cello, percussion, and other musical instruments, there will be high and intense moments, and soft and gentle moments.”

This concert comes on the heels of Spirit, an EP released on May 10. The eight-track EP follows Rhye’s highly acclaimed 2018 album Blood, which was nominated for the 2019 Juno Adult Alternative Album of the Year and Album Artwork of the Year, the latter of which they won. As Spirit continues to navigate its way through the Canadian iTunes charts, Milosh sheds some light on the EP’s creative process, its meaning and Rhye’s future works.

Spirit was birthed from Milosh’s rediscovered love for piano.

“My partner Geneviève (Jenkins) surprised me with a piano about a year-and-a-half ago. Though it was not in the best shape, I started to play with it, and it soon became a part of my morning ritual.” This ritual soon made its way from home to studio.

“Spirit started as a musical experiment, as I would go into the studio and play the piano for about an hour-and-a-half, not expecting to create something musically. But each day, a different song would spawn from another musical idea from scratch,” Milosh explains.

The lead track on Spirit, “Needed,” was co-written and produced by Dan Wilson, whose previous works include writing for P!nk, Taylor Swift and Adele.

“I was surprised at Dan’s musical ability,” Milosh says. “Normally, producers would use computer-generated sound, but he likes using instruments. When we got together and I started to play the piano, he added the bass and percussion, and after just two days of work, this organic sound was produced.”

This track’s music video, directed and edited by Milosh, encompasses this as well.  In an interview with Last Gang Records, Milosh said, “The video for ‘Needed’ is a visual expression of the lyrics, a collection of interpretations and emotions created by the song itself.”

The EP follows this intimate nature, as Milosh describes the entire work as a “spiritual experience.”

“All of my music is emotionally connected, and it typically attracts those who are interested in exploring self-introspection.

“Spirit is about allowing emotional vulnerability to make you stronger.”

Regarding future works, Milosh is already working on new tracks, focusing on recording in the fall primarily in Los Angeles, Calif. He also intends to shoot new music videos and to continue touring in both the United States and Canada.

“My focus is to keep recording through the fall (and producing) the next right record.”

Rhye’s concert will take place at The Garrick theatre on Sept. 15, and doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at Eventbrite.ca for $32.50.

Published in Volume 74, Number 1 of The Uniter (September 5, 2019)