Mija

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Mija – Life, Career, and Musical Vision

Mija (Amber Giles, born May 30, 1992) is an American DJ, producer, and promoter known for her genre-fluid style, founding the label Never B Alone, and her album Desert Trash. Explore her life, music, influences, and legacy.

Introduction

Amber Giles, better known by her stage name Mija, is a prominent American DJ, producer, and promoter whose work defies easy categorization. Since emerging in the early 2010s, she’s become known for blending styles, embracing emotional and experimental elements, and fostering artistic community through her label and branding efforts. Her journey from Phoenix to global stages highlights the evolving role of women and independent voices in electronic music.

Early Life and Background

Amber Giles was born on May 30, 1992 in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.

In her youth, she participated in a choir that toured internationally in France and Canada. Unfortunately, due to financial constraints, she eventually stepped away from that path.

Before fully committing to music, Amber briefly studied fashion, but left to immerse herself in DJing and music production.

She also worked as a promoter early on — as a teenager she began booking events and names like Skrillex before his mainstream rise.

Her stage name, “Mija,” comes from Spanish slang meaning “my daughter,” which she adopted as a nickname from a previous relationship.

Rise to Prominence & Career

Breakthrough Moment

Mija’s breakout moment came in 2014, when she was invited to play the sunrise set at Bonnaroo Music Festival on the Burning Man art car “Kalliope.”

During that set, Skrillex (who happened to be nearby) joined her for a back-to-back performance, which gained attention and helped boost her exposure.

She continued performing at major festivals, including Burning Man, TomorrowWorld, Coachella, and more.

She relocated to Los Angeles in late 2014 to further pursue her music ambitions.

Musical Style & Philosophy

Mija resists narrow genre labels, often describing her sound as “fk a genre”—indicating that she prioritizes emotional expression and fluidity over categorization.

Over time, her music evolved: she incorporated her own vocals, piano, guitar, and more introspective textures. In interviews, she has said that her work is not always “dance music” but expresses her inner state.

Entrepreneurship & Community Building

Beyond performing and production, Mija is an entrepreneur and community advocate:

• Never B Alone: She launched her own label, Never B Alone, fostering independent artists and giving them a space to release work without constraints.

• FK A Genre: In 2015, she founded Fk A Genre, a tour / promotional idea that mixes multiple genres and gives artists freedom to experiment.

• Made By Mija: She also ventured into fashion, founding a brand where she is chief designer.

Releases & Discography Highlights

Some notable releases and career milestones:

• Her early discography includes remixes (Major Lazer, DJ Snake) and collaborations with artists like Ghastly and Vindata.

• In 2020, she released her debut full-length album Desert Trash, combining her singing, production, piano, guitar, and more introspective songwriting.

• She continues releasing singles such as Groove, Alexandrine, and others under her label and via collaborations.

Her work is supported by labels like Owsla, Fools Gold, and her own label Never B Alone.

Historical & Cultural Context

Mija’s rise occurs during a period when electronic music is increasingly decentralized, and more artists are challenging genre norms. Her insistence on emotional authenticity and cross-genre fluidity reflects broader shifts in music consumption and creation, where streaming allows listeners to move across styles freely.

As a female DJ / producer in a male-dominated industry, she also contributes to breaking barriers and expanding representation. Her entrepreneurial moves—creating platforms for others—resonate with a newer generation of musicians seeking control over their work, rather than being beholden to major labels or restrictive genre expectations.

Legacy, Influence & Impact

Though still relatively young, Mija’s influence is broad:

• She’s inspired other artists to pursue authenticity over formulaic hits.

• Her label and tours create space for experimental and boundary-pushing artists.

• She helps shift how fans and the industry perceive genre limitations.

• Her success demonstrates that one can be multifaceted: performer, producer, label head, designer—all in one.

As she continues evolving, her path shows how independent voices in electronic music can thrive by integrating identity, experimentation, and community.

Quotes & Statements

Here are some notable statements reflecting her philosophy:

“I realized you can be the dopest producer technically, but if the songs don’t give you emotion, it doesn’t matter.”

“Desert Trash” was made with the intention of stripping down excess and focusing on what matters: self-expression, realness, and story.

Her motto “fk a genre” underscores her refusal to limit herself or others to narrow musical categories.

Lessons from Mija’s Journey

1. Authenticity over trend
   Mija shows that staying true to one’s voice—emotion, vulnerability, experimentation—can resonate more deeply than chasing the next genre fad.

2. Create spaces for others
   Building labels, tours, and platforms (like Never B Alone, FK A Genre) amplifies voices beyond oneself and strengthens the ecosystem.

3. Resist categorization
   Music (and art generally) benefits when boundaries are blurred. Mija’s refusal to be boxed in helps her innovate.

4. Evolve fearlessly
   Transitioning from DJ to vocalist, to songwriter, to label head, she illustrates that growth sometimes demands risk.

5. Combine artistry and entrepreneurship
   Her work demonstrates that creative vision and business sense are not opposites but complementary when aligned with values.

Conclusion

Mija (Amber Giles) stands as a compelling figure in contemporary electronic music: part DJ, part producer, part curator, part artist unbound by genre. Her journey from Phoenix choir member and local promoter to global stages and label founder is a testament to conviction, creative risk, and community-mindedness.

If you’re new to her work, a good entry point is Desert Trash or her EP How To Measure The Distance Between Lovers. Listening across her catalog, you’ll detect a restless curiosity: a refusal to settle, a devotion to meaning, and a commitment to letting music breathe beyond boxes.