Jon Stojan
Photo by Chris Quinn
The LA based singer and musician Miss Velvet is a powerhouse of artistic reinvention. With a rich musical lineage, she is blending her raw vocal energy, and a distinctive sense of style into a truly unforgettable presence. Growing up in NYC immersed in the world of opera and Broadway, her childhood was a tapestry of backstage rehearsals and front-row magic. With a mother who helmed an avant-garde opera and dance company Miss Velvet’s formative years were steeped in the creative alchemy of performance art.
Her singular voice emerged from tragedy at the age of thirteen, following her father’s untimely passing. Described as a “primordial scream” akin to the likes of Robert Plant and Janis Joplin, her sound became a channel for navigating grief and emotional complexity. Through rigorous training at Michigan’s Interlochen Center for the Arts and mentorship from top vocal coaches in Europe, she refined her raw ability into an extraordinary instrument.
Miss Velvet’s career began in the soul-soaked clubs of New York City, evolving into the high-octane funk-rock fusion of Miss Velvet and the Blue Wolf. Their breakout moment—an electrifying, last-minute opening for George Clinton at B.B. King’s in New York—catapulted the band onto international stages, leading to two world tours with Parliament Funkadelic.
The pandemic brought a pause, a move to California, and a personal and creative rebirth. Now a young mother, Miss Velvet is crafting the next chapter of her career with an evolving sound and aesthetic. In this interview we dive into Miss Velvet’s story of transformation, resilience, and unapologetic self-expression.
Your performances are known for their energy and theatricality—what’s your process for creating such dynamic live shows?
The process begins even before stepping on stage. I usually enter a meditative state when I know a show is approaching, allowing me to envision the story—what it’s going to sound like, what it’s going to look like. These visions often come vividly, where I can see the full layout in my mind.
It’s about crafting a sonic and visual journey, not just for the listener and viewer, but also for myself. This involves weaving technical aspects into the arc of the show, both energetically and vocally. A lot of rehearsal and preparation go into achieving a state where, once I’m on stage, all of that groundwork can disappear, and I can fully enter what I call “the bubble.”
This bubble isn’t just for me—it encompasses the audience as well. Together, we begin a kind of wordless conversation, an exchange of energy and emotion. Fashion also plays a significant role in these productions, helping to amplify the story. Once I’m on stage, it’s about balancing the dual forces of adrenaline—which I love—and moments of exploration, both with myself and my band. In those spontaneous moments, things can erupt in glorious, unexpected ways. But all of that stems from the foundational work of rehearsing and building the story. That preparation is what allows for freedom and magic to happen in real time.
Photo by Chris Quinn
What role does fashion play in your identity as an artist? How do you curate your stage looks?
Fashion plays a significant role in my identity as an artist. I’m constantly listening to and observing where I am in life, and that translates directly into how I present myself. If you’d seen me five years ago, it was all about handcrafted leather pieces—leather pants in bold colors, different textures of leather, funk, studs, and wild stage costumes. Even the cuts and patterns of what I wore were daring and experimental, reflecting where I was creatively.
Now, I feel like I’m in a rebirth—a new expression of myself. It’s all about juxtaposition. I’m constantly exploring the balance between modern and vintage, whether it’s in the cuts, fabrics, or the overall aesthetic. This interplay also mirrors my music—a sonic landscape that feels both nostalgic and forward-thinking. Fashion and music, for me, are intrinsically linked, and the visual elements complete the story I’m trying to tell.
Curating the stage look for Miss Velvet has always been about combining style with functionality—I need to be able to move freely. I’m consistently drawn to wearing pants, and in this current evolution, that has translated into a suit. There’s something liberating about performing while mostly covered; the energy I bring feels like it’s coming from within. My movements are bold, expressive, and uninhibited, and the suit allows me to channel that energy while maintaining a sense of refinement.
I truly believe that when you put on something that embodies who you are, it feels like armor—like a shield of self-expression. That feeling excites me, and it fuels my creativity in both fashion and music.
As a young mother, how has your experience influenced your music, creativity, or approach to life?
Motherhood has deeply influenced my current state of music and the world of Miss Velvet. When it comes to the music, there’s a maturity in the storytelling, with a deeper message of vulnerability and power—a beautiful dual combination. The tones have become earthier, and richer, reflecting a more grounded sense of self. Just like how motherhood has peeled back layers of me, Miss Velvet’s journey is also unfolding in new ways.
I’m allowing the art to grow, taking more risks both visually and sonically, and blending genres in ways I hadn’t before. Even the topics I’m singing about and exploring, are happening in real-time. I’m taking that might feel ordinary and trying to understand it in my world. I’m letting the Miss Velvet character become even larger than life in these fantastical explorations.
It feels like there’s an extremity to it now—on one hand, playing the mother role, and on the other, the untamed spirit of Miss Velvet. It’s a refreshing, exciting thing that truly fuels me. There’s an unapologetic, ferocious self-love coming through in my art, a reflection of my experience as a mother navigating this landscape.
Photo by Chris Quinn
How does living in Los Angeles inspire your work, whether musically, stylistically, or personally?
As one of the members of the Eagles band once said, ’There is no more new frontier / We have got to make it here.” The California music scene of the ’60s and ’70s—where David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell and so many others gave birth to now-iconic works—fascinated me.
I knew I wanted to infuse those musical references and I knew I had to live in the lingering energy out here in California. California became this spiritual safe haven to find who I would become now as an artist, a woman in her 30s, and a new mother. I definitely had a mission coming out to Cali to reinvent myself. I refer to this as my incubation stage for me having two babies and for me as an artist. It was a new chapter of Miss Velvet. I always had a huge fascination with the Wild West surrealism of the desert, the myriad of natural colors— all the earthy tones, cowboy boots … cracked Earth dirt!
Photo by Chris Quinn
What’s next for Miss Velvet? Can you tell us about any upcoming music, collaborations, or tours? Are there any new sounds or creative directions you’re exploring right now?
Triptych is set to release on March 21st. It’s a sonic and cinematic short—fourteen and a half minutes of a fantastical, surreal story set deep in the Mojave Desert. In it, Miss Velvet confronts themes of betrayal, ferocious self-love, victory, and the organic spirituality of coming full circle, illustrating that love can still prevail even in the face of an enemy.
The narrative unfolds in six parts, with a Greek-inspired choir and orchestral interludes guiding Miss Velvet through each chapter. Tryptic was co-written by me and produced with my creative confidant, Esjay Jones; directed by Gus Black and creatively directed by me. This project represents the culmination of my artistic journey thus far.
Miss Velvet becomes a larger-than-life form of escapism, helping me understand and heal through art as I navigate my own experiences in real-time.
What legacy do you hope to leave as both an artist and a woman navigating the music industry?
I’m not looking for easily digestible, I’m looking to challenge myself in music and art and fashion. I want to leave a mark, even if that means breaking my own glass ceiling. I want to have lived a life of challenging myself, asking a lot of questions, and leaving my ego at the door. I’m looking to feel something visceral as I grow and for my audience to feel that and remain curious with me and excited. I would love to be able to look back through all my iterations and know that each moment I gave it all my passion and that goes for Motherhood and the Artistry of music and fashion.
If I can be clear with who I am in that exact moment through all my evolution eras while holding true to my voice ( and I mean my singing voice but also my speaking voice ) then I know I’m doing something right. My Velvets will find me as they already have begun to. Importantly, my children will see their mother doing what she loves and loving them. That would be a legacy to be cherished.
What message or feeling do you hope people take away when they experience your music and style?
I hope they have a feeling of full immersion into a beautiful fantastical surreal world—a respite from their current state, and a freedom within themselves to dream big for themselves. I want to encourage the discovery of their deepest, most powerful true selves, where stereotypes and judgments are not accepted in this Velvet world I’m bringing to life. I think of how many years ago this has taken to bring this full circle.
There was that memory where a person once told me that “I shouldn’t sing that way because that is not how I look” Now that I’m a mature woman, I can process that but as a teenager, it struck me hard and for some time I questioned myself. Now for my Velvets, my invitation to the Velvet world is a safe haven to express yourself and experiment. It’s a place where ferocious self love is the key stone.