Americana duo Ari & Mia debut their latest track, “Come on Home,” exclusively with C&I.
Sisters Ariel and Mia Friedman joined forces for the Americana sister act Ari & Mia. Together they have toured the United States and Australia, opened for acts like Cheryl Wheeler, and performed alongside Sarah Jarosz.
Following their acclaimed album Out of Stone comes their highly anticipated fourth album, Sew the City, available March 1.
Driven by their distinctive Southern- and Northeastern-influenced fiddle-heavy sound, Sew the City conjures Appalachian cabins, rural dance floors, and urban concert halls.
Album highlights include the soft and twangy “Come on Home.”
Recently, Ari & Mia talked about the tune and their original sound.
Cowboys & Indians: What is “Come on Home” about? Did something in particular prompt you to write it?
Mia: “Come on Home” is a simple song about yearning for the one you love. It’s inspired by being at Maine Fiddle Camp in August, singing around a fire, and wishing you could bring your loved one near.
C&I: Was this a lyrics-first song or a music-first song, and how did it come together?
Mia: This song is one that seemed to write itself. The banjo part and words came together, which doesn’t often happen for me! I brought it to Ari, and we decided to pair it with an old English country-dance tune called “Newcastle.”
C&I: How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard you before?
Ari: It’s like chamber music for the folk genre. Our sound is comprised of any combination of our four voices at any given time: two instruments and two singing voices. It intricately combines original melodies and arrangements that reference the early American songbook and Northeastern fiddle tunes.
C&I: How is it making music together as sisters? Do you feel you have a shorthand because you know each other so well?
Ari and Mia: We feel very lucky to collaborate as sisters. After a decade of playing together and being extremely close friends, we know how the other operates both musically and otherwise, and we can almost read each other’s minds. We aren’t afraid of conflict because we have the tools to communicate when we disagree, and we never stay upset with each other for too long.
Get an exclusive first listen to “Come on Home,” below.
For more information on Ari & Mia and to preorder Sew the City, visit their website. Photography: Courtesy Kat Waterman.