Photo Courtesy of Diane Miller

Keeping it Moving

By Michael Weiler

Nowhere in the rules of music does it say you can’t mix rap music with other genres. Nowhere does it say that you can’t be heavily influenced by music as soft as Iron and Wine and as diverse as Kayne West. While it is typical to be a fan of different musical styles and be influenced by artists from all over the spectrum, what makes Diane Miller different is that she actually has the guts to incorporate what she likes into her performances.

“There is something about it that I just love,” Miller says, nearly jumping out of her skin with her visible passion for hip-hop and rap. She talks about everything from old school styles to newer artists.

“It’s the edge, it’s the attitude, it’s the sound moving you when its loud—the boom-boom,” she said. “Some people just don’t like it—it doesn’t appeal to them aesthetically. But for some, like me, it does.”

Miller’s music and songwriting process is like that of a good North Dakota casserole. She throws everything she is into it—her heritage, her love of music and her raw talent.

“I started playing music, specifically guitar, when I was 13 years old or so. But I stopped for a while when school became important, or too important.” Miller continues, “but after a while I couldn’t stay away and started playing again.”

Miller, like so many others, took what she thought was a safe route and played a few showcase shows in the area.

“It was horrible,” she said with a laugh like it’s nothing now. “I always played these open-mike slash contest type things—and I ended up in last place or second to the last every time, but it was devastating. It made me second-guess everything, again.”

This time Miller decided not to pack it in. She decided to stay the course, to work at her craft, and to find inspiration from those in her “posse”—which consist of a number of local musicians that she now shares stages with.

Now Miller takes everything in stride.

“My goals are pretty simple, nothing fancy or out of the ordinary,” Miller notes. “I just want to play better, practice, record and put out a CD, this summer I think, and if I am lucky—tour and play some shows.”

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IF YOU GO:
Diane Miller with Rosemary Sauvageau, mark Proulx, Eden Parker and Morgan Ranstrom
Where: The Red Raven
When: Fri. April 8, 7 p.m.
All ages, $5 entry