‘I Missed Me’: Aria The Vocalist Showcases Authenticity 🌻

Editor’s Note: Aria The Vocalist and UBO MAG have a long-standing relationship. We met her in 2006 through our colleagues, 3rd Eye Collective, in the Fairfield, California, area of whom we started the open mic Life Sentence which won “Best Open Mic” in 2008 for Sacramento News & Review (SN&R). At the time, Aria, a budding poet, songwriter and opera singer, was living in Napa Valley.

Aria The Vocalist has always been special to us. She shares her authentic self when she performs her poetry and sings with her strong, melodic voice, effortlessly moving from operatic soprano to falsetto and alto tones.

We were excited to discover “I Missed Me,” a song Aria The Vocalist wrote and vocally arranged. The track resonates on a deep level, not only because she is a friend but because of its powerful message about returning to your true self and embracing everything that comes with it. The song is about shedding negative energy and finding the beauty that you may have forgotten, unapologetically.

“I just wanna be with me and be okay and not worry about what people say because they always wanna talk, that’s the way it is. I don’t wanna be concerned, I wanna be content and be my own best friend and just live just live okay, and be happy with me.” – Aria The Vocalist.

“I Missed Me” was mixed and mastered by Aaron Dutton. The video was shot by her son, Niyel, and edited by Aria. The music video was filmed in a beautiful sunflower orchard, where she sings in the melodic, poetic style she is known for.

“This song is very personal for me and is a testament to coming back to yourself. If you have ever left yourself behind I hope this song helps to return you home 💛🌻💫 This song is for anyone who has ever left themselves behind in life. Whether you lost yourself in your career, family, motherhood, people pleasing, codependency the wrong relationships etc or maybe you just put you and your dreams on the back burner this song is for you it’s never too late to come home to yourself.💛💫🌻” Aria shared in the video’s description.

Aria The Vocalist has been performing music since an early age and has continued to evolve and grow. On Feb. 7, 2025, she submitted her song, “Worthy” featuring Tony Can Groove on guitar, to NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest. Her performance was filmed at the American Federation of Musicians in Phoenix, Arizona. See a Tiny Desk concert from another artist here. This video is relevant because it shows what a Tiny Desk concert looks like, which is mentioned in the article.