Mia Doi Todd

Mia Doi Todd (born June 30, 1975) is an American singer-songwriter.^[2] She was described by Dusted Magazine as "one of those artists that seem to function not just as creators in their own right, but as connecting links between other musicians."^[3]

Mia Doi Todd
Todd performing in 2008
Background information
Born	(1975-06-30) June 30, 1975 (age 50)
Origin	Los Angeles, California, United States
Genres	Indie folk[1]
Occupation	Singer-songwriter
Years active	1997–present
Labels	Xmas Records, Communion, Columbia/SME Records, Plug Research, City Zen Records
Website	miadoitodd.com

Early life

Mia Doi Todd was born June 30, 1975, in Los Angeles, California.^[2] Her father is sculptor Michael Todd and her mother is retired judge Kathryn Doi Todd.^[4][5]

Career

Todd started City Zen Records and released Zeroone, the follow-up album to Come Out of Your Mine, on the label in 2001.^[6]

She signed a contract with Columbia/SME Records and recorded The Golden State, culling songs from her previous albums. Mitchell Froom helped her produce it, and the album came out in 2002.^[7]

She released the fifth album, Manzanita, on Plug Research in 2005.^[8][9] Her debut album, The Ewe and the Eye, originally released in 1997, was reissued later that year.^[10]

Her 2006 compilation album, La Ninja: Amor and Other Dreams of Manzanita, included remixes from Dntel and Flying Lotus.^[11] It was followed by her studio album, Gea, in 2008.^[12]

In 2009, she released her first instrumental album, Morning Music, in collaboration with Andres Renteria.^[13]

She returned with the solo album, Cosmic Ocean Ship, in 2011.^[14] In 2014, she released Floresta on City Zen Records.^[15]

Take What You Can Carry (Scientist Dub One) is a song about the World War II Internment of Japanese Americans camp experience which affected her mother and grandmother.^[16][17] It was released on February 20, 2020, when California lawmakers passed a resolution to formally apologize to Japanese-Americans for the Legislature's role in their incarceration.^[18][19]

She is married to Jesse Peterson and has a daughter.^[20][21]

Discography

Studio albums

• The Ewe and the Eye (1997)
• Come Out of Your Mine (1999)
• Zeroone (2001)
• The Golden State (2002)
• Manzanita (2005)
• Gea (2008)
• Morning Music (2009) (with Andres Renteria)
• Cosmic Ocean Ship (2011)
• Floresta (2014)
• Songbook (2016)
• Music Life (2021)

Soundtracks

• Music for A Midsummer Night's Dream (2018)^[22]

Remix albums

• La Ninja: Amor and Other Dreams of Manzanita (2006)
• Ten Views of Music Life (2021)

EPs

• Pink Sun EP (2006)

Singles

• "Dublab Remixes" (2003)
• "Sleepless Nights" (2008)
• "Take What You Can Carry (Scientist Dub One)" (2020)

Guest appearances

• The Folk Implosion - "Chained to the Moon" from One Part Lullaby (1999)
• Mission - "Home" (2001)
• Dntel - "Anywhere Anyone" from Life Is Full of Possibilities (2001)
• Beachwood Sparks - "Ponce de Leon Blues" from Make the Cowboy Robots Cry (2002)
• David J - "Good to Be Loved" from Mess Up (2002)
• Adventure Time - "Sent from Sandy Shores" from Dreams of Water Themes (2003)
• Saul Williams - "Seaweed" from Saul Williams (2004)
• Nobody - "You Can Know Her" from And Everything Else... (2005)
• Thavius Beck - "Down" from Thru (2006)
• Ammoncontact - "Earth's Children" from With Voices (2006)
• Savath & Savalas - "Intro" from Golden Pollen (2007)
• Life on Earth - Look!! There Is Life on Earth! (2007)
• Dntel - "Rock My Boat" from Dumb Luck (2007)
• Kraig Grady - Beyond the Windows Perhaps Among the Podcorn (2007)
• Build an Ark - Love, Pt. 1 (2009)
• Build an Ark - "Say Yes!" from Love, Pt. 2 (2010)
• Build an Ark - "The Yes Song" from The Stars Are Singing Too (2011)
• Turn on the Sunlight - New Day (2013)^[23]
• André 3000 - "Ghandi, Dalai Lama, Your Lord & Savior J.C. / Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, and John Wayne Gacy" and "Ants to You, Gods to Who?" from New Blue Sun (2023)

Compilation appearances

• "La Vie en Rose" from The Unaccompanied Voice: An A Capella Compilation (2000)
• "Digital, Version 2.1" from Dublab Presents: Freeways (2001)
• "Ready or Not" from Loving Takes This Course: A Tribute to the Songs of Kath Bloom (2009)
• "Night of a Thousand Kisses" from Transmissions from Sinai (2009)
• "Um Girassol da Cor do Seu Cabelo" and "Canto de Iemanjá" from Red Hot + Rio 2 (2011)
• "Jardim do Amor" from Red Hot + Bach (2014)^[24]
• "Spring" from Mood Indigo: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2014)