Filiah

Filiah by Sophie Loew
Filiah © Sophie Loew

BIOGRAPHY

The exercise of turning pain into art is one Filiah has mastered. The Austrian indie-folk artist weaves together intimate storytelling with delicate arrangements that she describes as “indie folk with a glittery sparkle of pop.”
Filiah tells her story of burning out but lighting up again. Her ongoing project is the destination of a journey through creative paralysis and writers’ block to artistic rebirth. Following her self-released debut album “For Someone” in 2022 – well-received, yet overlooked by the wider audience – Filiah found herself trapped in a cycle of overwhelm from self-management, burdening her creative spirit.
The turning point came unexpectedly on the Croatian coast, where surrounded by other artists, Filiah found her voice again. The songwriting retreat with the artist collective welovemelodies would become the birthplace of “Atlas” and lay the foundation for a restart into music.
Her sound, drawing comparisons to Lizzy McAlpine, Maggie Rogers and Orla Gartland, emerged from a childhood steeped in music. Raised by a music-loving single mother, Filiah’s earliest memories involve daily “carpool karaoke” sessions during hour-long drives to school. These early morning concerts, featuring everything from Fleetwood Mac and David Bowie to Buena Vista Social Club, became a sacred space where mother and daughter found joy during challenging times. Though naturally introverted, Filiah found her voice through music at an early age, putting on shows for her mother who would translate lyrics and encourage her creative expression.
Tongue-in-cheek, she continues weaving her story of self-criticism and reconciliation, with music and with herself. After gaining AirPlay all over Europe and selling out her first full-band show in Vienna, Filiah consolidates her role as an insider tip in the indie-scene. With her music, Filiah aims to create the same sense of understanding and empowerment that she finds in her own musical influences, crafting songs that feel like “a little home where you’re understood and cared for.”


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