SIIGHTS

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SIIGHTS Biography
For the twin creative forces driving SIIGHTS, everything comes back to authentic connections. It’s there in the effortless interplay between Dublin songwriter, multi-instrumentalist/producer Mia Fitz and Glaswegian songwriter, guitarist Toni Etherson, in the seamless vocal harmonies that characterise their soaring work together, and in the close bond they’ve forged with listeners thanks to their refreshing lyrical candour.
Less than 12 months on from latest collection Somewhere Between Lost & Found, the Lana Del Rey-approved pair are more in sync than ever and pushing their powerful guitar driven alt-pop into bold new territory with a pair of ambitious sister projects. Set to arrive in early 2024, Through Thick and Thin will be the first instalment: a five-track EP that sets themes of growth, empowerment and self-acceptance to some of the most indelible melodies of SIIGHTS’ story so far.
As per all their previous work, this latest chapter was self-directed. Written, performed and produced by the duo in early 2023 – in-between dates opening for Dylan – both EPs were created between NYC, LA, Stockholm, London, as well as at Mia’s home studio in Dublin. “We've really been getting into the guts of our songwriting,” Toni enthuses. “And there's something so freeing and genuine in embracing exactly what it is we want to say.” Mia nods in agreement: “also sound-wise, our original folk and rock influences are starting to come through, probably more now than ever.”
Though they grew up separated by an ocean, Mia and Toni’s musical upbringings have much in common. Both were raised playing in bands, singing in choirs, while their formative tastes were shaped in home environments steeped in classic songwriting, and their creative talents nurtured as a result of ready access to instruments.
Taking influence from her classical pianist father, Mia was exposed to choral and classical pieces from a young age, while also absorbing the more contemporary tastes of her mother, including Fleetwood Mac and the Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Simon & Garfunkel and Joni Mitchell. She learned piano, drums, guitar and bass, and dedicated her spare time to dissecting songs she loved, figuring out how to play each individual part. She began songwriting as early as she can remember as a means of self expression - Mia explains “Songwriting almost felt like a form of therapy for me, a way to vent & express any thoughts or emotions I was feeling.” During her time studying Sound Engineering and Music Technology post school, she was mentored by Van Morrison-producer Brian Masterson.
Toni grew up in a similarly musical environment, raised by parents who were enthusiastic amateurs rather than professional performers. From the age of six, she was regularly attending gigs with her folks, and she quickly went on to teach herself guitar and songwriting, inspired by the catalogues of Queen, the Beatles and Bob Dylan.
It was in a songwriting session that Toni first met Mia, who was in downtime between performing in Hozier’s touring band. As Mia recalls, there was an instant connection. “I think one of the reasons that we clicked was that we felt in a safe space when we were sharing lyrics with each other. If you feel like you can be vulnerable in front of each other before you share those lyrics with the rest of the world, that's always a great foundation for creating something authentic.”
Toni smiles, “It got to the point where we would send pitch songs off and the feedback was, ‘You guys should do something with this together.’” SIIGHTS was born soon after, with the duo selecting a moniker to encapsulate their shared experiences, while referencing their individual identities via the distinctive double ‘I’.
Their debut EP arrived in early 2020, just weeks before lockdown. Though the timing was unfortunate, the ensuing period of enforced isolation ultimately gave Mia and Toni the breathing space to solidify SIIGHTS’ artistic vision, as evidenced on their superb second collection, Somewhere Between Lost & Found. Preceded by the infectious, HAIM-esque single ‘Fake It’ – which landed in the top 20 of Popjustice’s Top Singles of 2022 – the EP arrived in April 2023, and was characterised by a stark emotional vulnerability. That approach was perhaps best exemplified by ‘Deeper Waters’, an emotive yet epic track inspired by Mia’s grandfather’s passing.
Through Thick and Thin digs deeper still, setting ideas of mortality, personal growth and self-care to a deceptively uptempo, guitar driven pop palette. “While the subject matter of some songs is quite heavy, the energy is actually very upbeat,” Toni explains. “Playing live so much this year gave us so much inspiration for how to bring a show to life, while still having those moments of kind of intimacy.”
Forthcoming single ‘Miss You’ provides the perfect introduction to this approach. Laying bare feelings of grief, its driving, MUNA-esque melody cocoons painful confessions like, “I don’t know how to face each day without you.” ‘Fragile’ is similarly frank, acknowledging ideas of mortality and emphasising the importance of being mentally present, while being backed by buoyant, 80s-inspired synths and a Motorik rhythm.
Elsewhere, ‘Words’ is an earworm & in SIIGHTS’ own words “the talking stage anthem” - the duo don’t shy away from speaking about anxiety and the realities of mental health in their lyrics. ‘6am To Paris’ is a break-up banger par excellence, and redolent of one of the duo’s great musical heroes, Alanis Morissette. Powered by corruscating guitars, tight vocal harmonies and impactful drums, it traces an emotional journey from early feelings of heartbreak to a defiant state of independence, as exemplified by the final, triumphant declaration, “I’ll never need you again.” And then there’s the Runaways-inspired glam-rock swagger of ‘Mirror’, a rallying cry for eviscerating self-criticism featuring a powerful, “You are enough” refrain.
“Our music is here to help motivate and inspire people to really own who they are,” Mia explains. Toni continues, “We really want SIIGHTS to be an exercise in radical self-acceptance, building a community of people who can come to our shows and feel really good about themselves, regardless of how they show up. There is no judgement: just come enjoy music, share the human experience and realise that we're not as different as we sometimes feel. And if – to create that safe space – we have to go to a place that is emotionally uncomfortable, we’re happy to do it.”
Similarly, by owning of every aspect of the creative process, and visibly pouring their very essence into songwriting, the duo hope to inspire more up-and-coming female musicians to persevere in, what is still, a notoriously male-dominated industry. And in an increasingly fragmented society, it’s this continued quest for meaningful human connections that makes SIIGHTS such a vital musical proposition.