Artist's albums
When the Cellar Children See the Light of Day
2014 · album
Mirel Wagner
2012 · album
Similar artists
Risto
Artist
Odetta Hartman
Artist
Mariee Sioux
Artist
Aino Venna
Artist
She Keeps Bees
Artist
Paavoharju
Artist
Lucette
Artist
Bruce Peninsula
Artist
Lera Lynn
Artist
Emily Jane White
Artist
Alela Diane
Artist
Laura Gibson
Artist
Dark Dark Dark
Artist
The Deep Dark Woods
Artist
Maggie Bjorklund
Artist
Marika Hackman
Artist
Joose Keskitalo
Artist
Marissa Nadler
Artist
Chelsea Wolfe
Artist
Biography
Singer/songwriter Mirel Wagner's gothic folk recalls a rich tradition of brooding lyricists from Billie Holiday to Leonard Cohen to Hope Sandoval while crafting a sound uniquely her own. Born in Ethiopia and raised in Espoo, Finland, Wagner first took up music at age seven, learning to play violin; by 13 she switched to guitar and three years later began writing songs. "To the Bone," the opening track from her debut record, represents one of those early works. Jean Ramsay, an American journalist based in Finland, discovered Wagner at an open-mike night in Helsinki, and his rave reviews led the artist to the recording studio, where in two days she laid down 12 songs. Her self-titled full-length debut arrived in Europe in February 2011 (and stateside by March 2012), introducing listeners to her poetic, darkly romantic lyrics, weary yet sensual vocals, and minimalist trance-like guitar playing. For her second album, Wagner collaborated with Finnish producer Sasu Ripatti, best known for his work as Luomo and Vladislav Delay. Ripatti's polished, cavernous on 2014's When the Cellar Children See the Light of Day heightened the eerie intensity of Wagner's music. ~ Chrysta Cherrie, Rovi