When I sat down with Mia Magdaraog — Fordham College at Lincoln Center ’26, who is better known as Mia Lorelei, a 19-year-old business student turned indie musician — all I could look at was her numbered jersey and cowboy boots. Lorelei cross legged, at first glance, looks like the average college student: coffee and phone in hand. The singer, whose namesake is that famed singer who even Ella Fitzgerald envied, has been around music since she was a child.
“He took me to my first concert when I was eight,” she said. “(Music) has always been a big part of my life,” she said.
Lorelei began her career in music at a very young age. In the fifth grade, she was given the choice to either pick an instrument for orchestra or simply not participate. From then on, she continued to take ukulele lessons until she picked up her first guitar. Soon, music became a part of her everyday life.
The student musician did not stop with the guitar. She continued to study songwriting in high school, a skill that has fueled her new EP, “All-Star,” which was released on Feb. 22. When it comes to producing and releasing her songs, Lorelei shared that she began on SoundCloud and tried to get any type of music out, no matter what.
According to Lorelei, creating music is a very emotional and personal process. “All Star” came from a time of ambivalent memories that Lorelei felt back in April. She said that she had to leave New York City to go back home to California. Lorelei added that coming to New York City was a pivotal moment in her music career as she was very far from home. Being in a new city inspired her to write more music.
Lorelei shared that she also had to leave her producer, Ben Coleman, whom she met during her first ever show in New York City. Coleman was the first producer that Lorelei had ever met in New York City. Lorelei said that she was sad to leave after her first year of college because she felt that New York City was her home. “I was kind of sad to leave him and the friend group, because I went home for the summer and it was like I got a glimpse of what my life could be,” she said.
“All Star” is a mixture of alternative pop and indie rock music. The album is full of sports metaphors that include jerseys, track stars and fields. When asked about the sports metaphors, she explained to me that she chose this imagery because the sports metaphors represented the relationship dynamics between her younger self and her aspirations. She chose a sports theme for the album because it captured the feeling of the songs the best.
Aside from the sports-related metaphors, the album is a collection of four songs related to California, where Lorelei was born and raised. One song titled “Safe Inside (My Skin)” is dedicated to New York City, what it was like attending a college so far away from home and finding her footing in a big city.
Lorelei said that she is her own manager at the moment and has found it difficult, yet educational, to represent herself as well as her music. She’s had to learn how to book events and publicize her own music all in order to one day get represented by a music company.
“I booked my own show on Thursday all by myself, which I’ve never done before. That was crazy,” she said. “I feel that there’s not many 19-year-old girls who do that.”
Despite the fact that Lorelei enjoys creating music and letting her creativity thrive, she is a huge believer in establishing boundaries for her creativity. She noted that, based on personal experience, it’s really important to know when to stop and when to distance yourself from certain creative projects to prioritize your mental health.
Lorelei shared that while she is new to performing, that hasn’t stopped her from trying to find a range of venues to perform in. The student musician doesn’t tend to become anxious, but when it comes to performing, she finds herself fearful because she tends to have self-doubt but feels that she is reassured by the presence of her friends and her former producer, Coleman.
“Compared to playing bigger venues with actual stages, it’s definitely a completely different experience,” she said. “But it’s fun because I always have my little support squad up in the front row no matter what.”
“It’s definitely been an interesting process to navigate, especially as music becomes a bigger part of my life. I’m learning how to set creative boundaries, even outside of school. (Music is) just something that’s so time consuming and energy consuming, but I also love how much it consumes.”Mia Lorelei, FCLC ’26
Although Lorelei is an aspiring musician, she is also a student balancing education and creativity. Recounting her schedule makes her smile — Thursdays tend to be the most creative, yet busiest days, during which she will usually go to her morning class and then to her studio in Brooklyn, where she records as much music as she possibly can.
“I’m a morning class girl,” she said. “I like to get the classes out of the way so I can have all of my other fun activities after. Then I trek to Bushwick. I have become an avid train stan.”
Prior to switching her major to digital technology and emerging media, she was a student at the Gabelli School of Business at Lincoln Center. She soon realized that she needed more flexibility in her course schedule, and changing her major allowed her to pursue a music career in a more creative space. However, Lorelei has found it hard to know when to put school or music first.
“It’s definitely been an interesting process to navigate, especially as music becomes a bigger part of my life,” she said. “I’m learning how to set creative boundaries, even outside of school. (Music is) just something that’s so time consuming and energy consuming, but I also love how much it consumes.”
The up-and-coming artist said that she hopes her current and future fans will remember to pursue their passions no matter what because one day, it will pay off. Lorelei also wants her fans to know that her music is their music too.
“In regard to live music, but also the songs that are coming out through streaming services, it’s not just my songs anymore, it’s whoever consumes it as well,” she said with a smile.
Lorelei shared that in the future she wants to continue making music and albums for whoever to enjoy. She also hopes to perform at bigger venues, even if it means booking them herself.
“At the end of the day, it’s just me and my guitar,” Lorelei said.
