Based in Southern California, Miki has been releasing music independently since they were 16, having racked up over 50 million streams in the process. Even before the release of their first album, the Finnish-American artist built a sizable audience by openly and honestly welcoming people into their world, from coming out to getting top surgery to struggles with mental health. Expanding on their acoustic roots, Miki transcends the singer-songwriter genre and effortlessly for a bigger, more evolved sound. The unifying message is one of agency. Building off their first record, Miki has not only grown as a producer, musician, and songwriter, but also as a person. On i’ll be fine if i want to, Miki doesn’t ask, but rather demands that the world take them as they are, whether they’re expressing joy, pain, or something in between. “blue balloons” continues on the path of emotional ambiguity, detailing how a friend misgendered Miki at their birthday party. Feeling not quite angry, but somewhere closer to disappointment and definitely annoyed, the track captures that unnamable feeling, both lyrically and sonically. Featuring fellow queer artist Semler, the track starts with an energized strumming and then veers into more haunting territory during the chorus with a melancholic take on the 1963 hit “It’s My Party.” Layered with ambient samples of background chatter, the song is as Miki describes, “very weird. It has a creepy feeling to it, but it feels exactly like the type of song me and Semler are supposed to make together.” Featuring the album’s title with the lyrics, “it’s my party, I’ll be fine if I want to,” “blue balloons” is really about being unapologetically queer and emotionally unwavering. After releasing their 2022 full-length debut i owe it to myself, Miki went on the road, completing their first national tour supporting Lauren Sanderson and Jordy, followed by dates with Ambar Lucid & Sammy Rae & The Friends. Not only has Miki connected more deeply with their audience over the past year, but they’ve also received praise and playlisting by the likes of Billboard Pride, them., Under the Radar, PopMatters, The Advocate, and more.