Missy Higgins facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Missy Higgins
Higgins performing at Bluesfest 2022
Background information
Birth name	Melissa Morrison Higgins
Born	(1983-08-19) 19 August 1983 (age 41) Melbourne, Australia
Genres	Pop rock indie acoustic
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, musician
Instruments	Vocals piano synthesiser guitar melodica xylophone cowbell ukulele
Years active	2001–present
Labels	Eleven Reprise Warner Bros.

Melissa Morrison "Missy" Higgins (born 19 August 1983) is an Australian singer-songwriter and musician. She is famous for her popular songs like "Scar", "Steer", and "Where I Stood".

Missy Higgins has had three albums reach number one in Australia: The Sound of White (2004), On a Clear Night (2007), and The Ol' Razzle Dazzle (2012). In 2018, she released a collection of her best songs called The Special Ones.

She has won many ARIA Music Awards, which are big music awards in Australia. She won her first ARIA in 2004 for "Scar". By 2012, she had won nine ARIA awards, including 'Best Adult Contemporary Album' for The Ol' Razzle Dazzle. In 2024, she was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame, a huge honor for Australian musicians.

Besides music, Missy Higgins cares a lot about animal rights and the environment. She tries to make her music tours friendly to the planet. In 2009, she also acted in a movie called Bran Nue Dae and sang on its soundtrack.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Melissa Morrison Higgins was born in Melbourne, Australia, on 19 August 1983. Her dad, Christopher, was a doctor, and her mom, Margaret, ran a childcare center. She has an older sister, Nicola, and an older brother, David.

Missy started learning classical piano when she was six. But when she was about 12, she realized she wanted to be a singer. This happened after she performed in a school musical called Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. She found piano practice boring back then and stopped playing for a while.

Later, she went to a boarding school called Geelong Grammar School. There, she started playing piano again, but this time she played jazz. She even performed with her brother David's band on weekends. Missy was a bit shy, and playing the piano helped her feel more comfortable at boarding school.

When she was 15, she wrote a song called "All for Believing" for a school assignment. She finished it just hours before it was due! The song got an A, and she sang it for her classmates. She then worked with a project called Kool Skools, which helps students record their music.

In 2001, Missy's sister Nicola secretly entered "All for Believing" into a competition called Unearthed. This competition is run by a radio station called Triple J for new artists. Missy's song won, and it started playing on the radio!

Music Career Highlights

Starting Out in Music

After winning the competition, two record companies were interested in Missy Higgins: Sony and Eleven. She chose Eleven because they promised she wouldn't be forced to become a "pop star." They also let her take a long backpacking trip to Europe, which she had planned with a friend.

Missy's manager, John Watson, also managed the famous rock band Silverchair. He said he knew Missy was special after only 90 seconds of hearing her. While Missy was traveling in Europe in 2002, her song "All for Believing" started playing on a radio station in Los Angeles, USA. This caught the attention of American record labels, and by the end of the year, she had a deal with Warner Bros.

First Album Success: The Sound of White

Higgins performing in 2005

In 2003, Missy Higgins opened for popular bands like The Waifs and george on their Australian tours. She then went to the US to record her first mini-album, The Missy Higgins EP, which came out in November 2003.

Her song "Scar" was released in July 2004 and immediately went to number one on the Australian charts! Her first full album, The Sound of White, came out in September 2004 and also debuted at number one. This album sold over 500,000 copies.

At the ARIA Music Awards of 2004, Missy was nominated for five awards for "Scar." She won 'Best Pop Release'. Her second single, "Ten Days", came out in November and reached number 12.

In January 2005, Missy performed at the WaveAid concert in Sydney. This concert raised money for victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. In March, she won 'Breakthrough Artist of the Year' at the MTV Australia Awards. Her third single, "The Special Two", was a big radio hit and reached number two.

In May 2005, she won 'Song of the Year' and 'Breakthrough' awards from APRA for "Scar." In October, she won five more ARIA awards for The Sound of White, including 'Album of the Year' and 'Best Female Artist'.

On a Clear Night and Global Tours

Higgins performing at Live Earth concert, Sydney, 7 July 2007

In 2006, Missy Higgins took a break from music and lived in Broome, Western Australia, for six months. This peaceful time helped her write new songs. The beautiful landscape inspired her song "Going North." She then toured the United States and South Africa, writing more music along the way.

In September 2006, she went to Los Angeles to record her second album, On a Clear Night. The first song from the album, "Steer", was released in April 2007, and the album followed two weeks later. Both "Steer" and On a Clear Night debuted at number one in Australia.

On 7 July 2007, Missy performed at the Live Earth concert, Sydney in Sydney, which was a global event to raise awareness about climate change. She sang her own songs and joined other musicians for the song "From Little Things Big Things Grow", which became like an anthem for the event.

Missy then focused on sharing her music in the US. Her song "Where I Stood" was featured in popular TV shows like Smallville and Grey's Anatomy. In 2008, she toured the US, supporting artists like the Indigo Girls and Ben Folds.

New Directions: The Ol' Razzle Dazzle and Oz

Higgins performing in 2012

Missy started writing her third album in 2009. After many years of touring, she took a break to explore other interests. In 2010, she studied Indigenous cultures at the University of Melbourne.

Her third album, The Ol' Razzle Dazzle, was released on 1 June 2012. It also debuted at number one on the Australian charts, making it her third number-one album in a row!

In September 2014, Missy released her fourth album, Oz. This album was special because it featured her singing cover versions of songs by famous Australian artists like Paul Kelly and Slim Dusty. She also released a book with essays related to the songs. Missy explained that she chose songs she felt she could sing with her own voice while keeping their original feeling.

Recent Music: Solastalgia and The Second Act

Higgins, performing in 2016

In 2016, Missy released a song called "Oh Canada" in response to the sad story of Alan Kurdi, a young refugee boy. All the money from the song went to help refugees.

Her fifth album, Solastalgia, came out in May 2018. The album's name and songs were influenced by feelings of sadness and worry about changes happening to our environment. In November 2018, she released her greatest hits album, The Special Ones.

In 2019, Missy's music was used in an Australian TV series called Total Control. This music later became a mini-album, also called Total Control, released in March 2022. This album explored themes of female empowerment and taking control as a woman.

On 23 February 2024, Missy released "You Should Run," the first song from her sixth studio album, The Second Act. This album was released on 6 September 2024. The songs on The Second Act talk about the feelings that came after her marriage ended in late 2021.

Musical Style and Influences

Missy Higgins grew up listening to different kinds of music. Her older siblings liked artists like Mariah Carey and Queen. When she went to boarding school, she discovered alternative rock bands like Nirvana. She taught herself guitar and started writing her own songs.

She often uses the piano, her first instrument, in her music. She also plays guitars, especially when touring because they are easy to carry. Sometimes, she even plays a keytar, xylophone, and melodica during her shows.

Missy's songs often come from her own feelings and experiences in life and relationships. She has said that music is her "emotional outlet." She has been inspired by artists like Patty Griffin, Paul Kelly, and Sarah McLachlan.

Activism and Helping Others

Missy Higgins is very active in supporting important causes. She speaks out about climate change, animal welfare, women's rights, and Indigenous issues.

Caring for the Planet

Missy has always been a strong supporter of the environment. She tries to make her music tours "carbon neutral," meaning they don't add to climate change. She was even named one of Billboard magazine's 'Top 10 Green Artists' in 2007.

She has helped raise money and awareness for many environmental causes. For example, she donated money from her song "More Than This" to help protect the Kimberley Region in Western Australia from industrial development. She also performed at "Save the Kimberley" concerts to protest against a gas refinery.

Missy also spoke out against the Adani coal mine in 2017. Her 2018 album Solastalgia was even named after a feeling of sadness caused by environmental changes.

Helping Animals

Missy Higgins has been a vegetarian for many years. She supports People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and their campaigns against fur.

In 2012, she lent her voice to radio ads for Animals Australia to stop battery-hen egg production. She also supported the 'Oscar's Law' campaign, which fights against "puppy factories" where animals are bred in poor conditions. Missy has performed at concerts to raise money for animal welfare and conservation, including at the Melbourne Zoo's Twilights concert series.

Supporting Refugees

In 2016, Missy released "Oh Canada" to highlight the refugee crisis. All the money from the song went to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC), which helps refugees. She became an ASRC Ambassador in 2017 and has spoken about the importance of treating asylum seekers fairly.

Empowering Women

Missy's music for the TV series Total Control was called an "outspoken fight for equality." The songs were inspired by important events and themes of female empowerment. She wanted to show how women can take control of their stories and power.

In 2021, Missy discussed women's roles in politics and the music industry on a TV show called Q&A. In 2022, she headlined the Wildflower festival tour, which featured only female artists, to celebrate women in music. She also wants to be a strong role model for her daughter.

Helping Indigenous Australians

Missy Higgins has studied Indigenous cultures and supports Indigenous Australian peoples. She joined the 'Close the Gap' campaign to improve health for Indigenous communities. In 2008, she helped re-release the song "From Little Things Big Things Grow", which included a sample from the apology to the Stolen Generations.

She believes that First Nations people should be treated as equals and that Australia needs to acknowledge its history. Her album Total Control was partly inspired by strong First Nations women.

Other Charitable Work

Missy has also supported other charities. In 2015, she donated all proceeds from a charity show to the One In Five Foundation, which supports mental health research.

In 2020, she collaborated with Tim Minchin on the song "Carry You" to support the Fred Hollows Foundation, which works to end avoidable blindness. She also performed at the 'Music from the Home Front' concert, which raised money for frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2022, Missy performed at telethons and events to raise money for children's hospitals and flood victims in Australia.

Personal Life

Missy Higgins during the Second Act tour. Melbourne, December 2024

Missy Higgins has been open about her experiences with mental health. She has supported mental health charities since 2003. She describes herself as an introverted person and has used songwriting as a way to express her feelings.

In 2013, Missy began a relationship with playwright and comedian Dan Lee. They had a son in 2015 and were married in March 2016. Their daughter was born in August 2018.

Missy and Dan Lee separated in early 2022. The songs on her 2024 album The Second Act were written during and after this time.

Discography

• The Sound of White (2004)
• On a Clear Night (2007)
• The Ol' Razzle Dazzle (2012)
• Oz (2014)
• Solastalgia (2018)
• The Second Act (2024)

Filmography

• 2010: Bran Nue Dae as Annie
• 2014: Unity – Narrator (Documentary)

Awards and Nominations

Higgins at the ARIA Awards ceremony, December 2013

Missy Higgins has won many awards for her music. Here are some of them:

APRA Awards

The APRA Awards celebrate Australian songwriters. Missy has won two APRA Awards.

ARIA Awards

The ARIA Awards are Australia's biggest music awards. Missy Higgins has won eleven ARIA Awards, including being inducted into the Hall of Fame.

MTV Australia Video Music Award

Missy Higgins won one MTV Australia Video Music Award.

See also

In Spanish: Missy Higgins para niños