Miesha Louie
Miesha Louie fell in love with punk/garage music when she was a self-described angsty teen living in Invermere, B.C. She sought out like-minded kids in school who shared her interest, forming bands and booking community hall shows. She eventually brought her talent and ambition to Calgary, where she honed her craft and is now mentoring others.
“It’s really freeing, being onstage and sharing your art and your music and your experiences, and having that reflected in the audience,” she says. “And so there’s just this reciprocal energy going back and forth and getting bigger, there’s really just nothing like it. It’s a super special experience.”
Meisha received valuable support from Calgary’s music community, including mentorship from Therese Lanz, another local woman in punk who helped Meisha on her way to becoming a key player in the local music scene. Now, with her own experience and advice to offer, Meisha encourages young, burgeoning musicians to literally band together to create community, confidence and, most importantly, music. In 2013, she co-founded Girls Rock Camp, now known as BAM! Camp, where youth are given an instrument and taught songwriting, then they form bands and eventually produce an original song.
“There needs to be that kind of outreach and connection to kind of keep building underrepresented artists and building that community and making it absolutely normal to have more women, more gender expansive youth, trans kids in music,” Meisha says. “(BAM! Camp is) kind of like a space for alternative youth to just be themselves and find different outlets of expression, and that’s so important, especially when you’re a teen or pre-teen.
“It’s also just about building up your confidence and kind of finding your place and standing as you are, and being proud of who you are and putting in some work and accomplishing something,” she adds. “We kind of just keep adding to this cycle of community.”
Tune in to hear more from Miesha Louie on BAM! Camp, her musical trajectory and the importance of supporting and championing the Calgary music scene.
About The Storytelling Podcast
Sharing diverse stories of creativity in our city, The Storytelling Podcast shines a spotlight on artists and projects that connect Calgarians to the arts. Part of The Storytelling Project, this series raises awareness about Calgarians who, by living creative lives, are making Calgary a better city, affecting positive change and enriching others’ lives.
Have a story to share? Email us at submissions@calgaryartsdevelopment.com.
