Making your music happen with MISSTIQ
"Stop waiting, stop hesitating - live for yourself and take action like everything depends on it."
In celebration of International Women's Day and Women's History Month, we spoke with MISSTIQ, a powerhouse in the world of music production, blending classical piano with hard-hitting electronic and metal influences. From earning her Licentiate Degree at 18 to building her own brand, she’s a force of creativity and business savvy. Read on as she shares her thoughts on taking action, breaking industry norms, and empowering the next generation of artists.
Who is MISSTIQ? What inspired you to pursue a musical career, and how has your artistic style evolved?
I’m Misstiq, and music has always been a huge part of my life. I started classical piano lessons at the age of 6, earning my Licentiate Degree by 18. I then went on to study music composition at The University of Melbourne and completed my Masters in Teaching. After that, I worked two jobs - substitute teaching and teaching piano after school. Despite all that, I always knew my heart longed for something else: freedom. I wanted to build something for myself and say “hell yeah, I did that."
In 2016, I got my first client, and that’s when I thought, "Wow, maybe Misstiq could actually become a thing." I started reading books on business, took courses, and went through a lot of trial and error. Over the past few years, I transitioned fully into Misstiq. Initially, my sound was mainly piano-focused, then I added orchestral elements, and now I’m blending in more electronic influences. Writing electronic music feels incredibly soothing for me, and I feel like my creativity is limitless when producing it.
The theme for International Women’s Day this year is “Accelerating Action” — What does "Accelerate Action" mean to you, and how do you embody this theme in your work and career?
Accelerating Action, to me, means moving beyond just talking about your goals and actually making them happen. It might sound surprising, but many people are afraid of success. I’ve always been intrigued by this… why do so many of us hesitate to step into the next level of our potential? Sometimes, it’s because our identity is tied to who we are now, not the person we’d become if we achieved X, Y, or Z. Other times, it’s the fear of outgrowing our peers or not knowing if we can handle the opportunities that success brings.
At the core of it all is clarity - do you really want it? If the answer is yes, then make a plan and start taking action, even if it’s just 15 minutes a day. As you keep showing up, you’ll become more comfortable with the version of yourself that’s coming to life. Visualising your future dream self helps me a lot too. Stop waiting, stop hesitating - live for yourself and take action like everything depends on it.
What does your usual production setup consist of, and what are essential pieces of gear for your production process, music-making, or performance?
I’ve got my iMac, a MIDI keyboard, and headphones in the studio. Lately, I’ve been all over Serum for my electronic productions. Lighting and vibe are a big part of my creative process. My RGB lights help me get in the zone, and I like to switch up the colors for each project to keep things fresh.
For live performance, I use a custom-built setup with a MIDI controller and two keyboards. One of my favorite things about the ROLI Piano M is how it lights up on stage. It looks sick in photos and adds to the performance experience.
How have you created a space for yourself as a woman in such a predominantly male industry as engineering and music production? For example, were there any initiatives, peers, or communities you’ve found to help you grow or was it a more individual effort?
When I started Misstiq, I knew no one in the scene. It was completely an individual effort. In the beginning, it was just me, myself, and I… plus a bunch of books on how to grow a business.
I’ve always had a very prominent male following and clientele, and my content has naturally focused on themes that resonate with both men and women. It’s not like I have a burning desire to film makeup tutorials and have to stop myself because most of my audience is male — no, I’ve always happened to take interest in topics that are relevant to both male and female.
That being said, throughout my journey, I’ve built some really wholesome friendships with people all over the industry - musicians, content creators, brand reps, and label teams, both men and women. And while I never actively sought out a ‘female support system,’ it’s been really refreshing to make female friends along the way. Their energy is empowering, and we push each other to keep leveling up in our careers.
At the end of the day, I didn’t wait for a space to open up - I just started doing my thing, and eventually, I found the people who align with me.
You are a very active figure in helping other musicians achieve their career goals, whether through initiatives such as The Almost Famous Club or events such as your upcoming celebration of women in the music industry with Joey Sturgis Tones. Could you tell us more about that collaboration and could you tell us more about The Almost Famous Club—how it started, why it was important to you, how you hope to develop it in the future?
It’s an honor to be JST’s ambassador for Women In Music Month - their team is absolutely amazing, and I’m so excited to be collaborating on content that inspires other creatives.
The Almost Famous Club was born from my own journey of turning Misstiq into a full-time career. The Instagram page is all about sharing tips and inspiration for content creation, mindset, and making the right moves - I know firsthand how tricky it can be to navigate the creative industry and social media.
Along the way, I became obsessed with the psychology of branding and marketing. That’s why I created The Cheat Code - a course and mentorship program under The Almost Famous Club designed to help creatives level up their business. It’s for people who have a burning passion for their creative service and want to attract more clients - music teachers, vocal coaches, producers, music photographers, and more. The doors are open, and I plan to help even more creatives change their lives this year.
Historically, genres such as rock, metal, and hip-hop have been some of the most male-dominated genres. From your experience, how has the landscape for women in these genres changed over the years? How do you hope to see it change in the future, not just for women performing in these genres, but also for producing and songwriting?
I feel like, over the years, women in rock, metal, and hip-hop have been given more of a chance - but more importantly, they've started taking that chance. I see more women showing up confidently, having a vision, flexing their skills online, and putting themselves out there by implementing their marketing knowledge.
I’d love to see more women in the studio or producing music videos though in these genres. The scene here in Australia has almost no women doing these jobs, and I want those women who have a passion for this type of work to step up and show the scene their skills, strong work ethic and the vision they can help their ideal clients achieve. I also want it to get to a point where it’s normal - where we don’t have to label someone a 'female producer' or 'female songwriter', or saw at a gig ‘oh look, that band’s got a female drummer’.
Reflecting on your journey, what advice would you give women aspiring to be musicians and producers to help them as they build their careers?
Write a plan and work backwards - what are the 5 steps you need to take to get to your next goal?
There are so many people out there who don’t know about you yet, that want to be inspired by somebody exactly like you.
Stay authentic and roll with what makes you happy because that’s when you’ll produce better results.
Strangers who criticise you are projecting their own insecurities, and besides, it’s not like they’re your ideal client or fan anyway.
Know your worth and don’t let others sweet talk their way into not having to pay for your service
What’s next for you and are there any projects you’re currently working on that we can look forward to?
There are so many different things in the works! The doors to my branding and marketing mentorship have opened for 2025 with The Almost Famous Club, writing original music, I have official remixes dropping with artists, as well as Misstiq metal features with insane music videos.
Keep up with MISSTIQ on Instagram , find out more about her work on her official website, and learn more about her mentorship programme, The Almost Famous Club.
