Rising Stars: Meet Mia Shy of Cleveland

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mia Shy.

Hi Mia, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Most people who remember me as a child know that my sister and I were seen as the next Venus and Serena-we were in the local newspapers and on the local news station about our tennis story. Although tennis gave me a lot of discipline and exposure, I’ve always had a true love for music.

The musical interest in my life began at 5 years old. I remember laying out beside my mother’s huge speakers in the living room and listening to the radio 24/7. One day, my mom looked over at me and said, “Mia, I think you’re a singer.” It helped that she was a music teacher-she trained me often by accompanying my voice with our keyboard. Eventually, that hard work paid off and I auditioned and landed a spot in the Children Orchestra Children’s Chorus at age 8. The next four years singing with the chorus changed my life forever. Performing at Severance Hall literally behind the Cleveland Orchestra 5-6 nights a year was one of the most inspiring and influential experiences of my life. The beautiful harmonic voices accompanied by the gorgeous wave of instruments would put me in a euphoric trance. A place I realized I’ve always wanted to be and experience.

As an aspiring performer, I participated in and landed auditions for consecutive years at school talent shows. In high school, I began collecting and writing hundreds of poems that I planned on, one day, converting into songs, even possible albums. My love for music and writing went hand in hand. It got to a point where I could write a poem about anything in ten minutes or less. My mother told me that when you’re meant to do something it normally is effortless.

Life after high school up until this day came with an immense number of challenges, even self-doubt, that almost detoured my passion to pursue creating, making and performing music. I am so honored to be currently pursuing my dreams as an artist and have diligently been working toward a degree in Recording Arts & Technology and have plans set to graduate in May of 2026.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been a bumpy road. Along the way, I was a teenage single mother right out of high school. The hundreds of poems I had written since a teenager that I planned to publish were negligently thrown out in the trash during a move one summer. I was discouraged to write for years because I was so traumatized by that incident. Some years later I suffered from some severe health issues that caused me to be hospitalized over three times, one incident lasting up to 40 days.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am known for being a young tennis star. I was in the News Herald, Plain Dealer and on the local news because of my tennis career. Currently I am an aspiring singer and music producer. I am currently working on music projects that should be released by the end of 2025.

I am most proud of overcoming my challenges in life and I am still pursuing my dreams. About five years ago, I lost sight on my goals and almost gave up on my true passions just trying to chase a paycheck. I am also proud of a modeling audition for America’s Next Top Model. I made the top 20 in the Cleveland audition.

What sets me apart from others is my grit and relentlessness I have to reach my goals. I exhaust all resources from my own ability to get what and where I need to be in life. I don’t use my struggles as an excuse but as an inspiration. When life gets hard, I remember what I have overcome, and I keep that as my motivational fuel.

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The most important lesson I have learned along my journey is that if you don’t believe in yourself, why would anyone else? Self-belief is needed to succeed in anything that we want to do in life.