Miriam Lieberman is an Australian singer-songwriter and kora player whose music weaves together contemporary folk, West African rhythms and rich vocal harmonies. Having spent time studying with traditional musicians in Guinea and Mali, Miriam has developed a distinctive sound that combines the shimmering tones of the 21-stringed kora with poetic storytelling and songs exploring love, loss, motherhood, nature and connection.
Her trio features Lara Goodridge (FourPlay/Baby et Lulu) and Susie Bishop, whose soaring violin lines and close-knit harmonies bring a rich and evocative dimension to Miriam’s compositions. Together, they have built a devoted following for their captivating live performances, balancing intimacy with exuberance and groove with depth.
Her previous album Just Transforming was named among The Guardian’s Top 10 Australian Albums of 2021, while Birds of the Moon was ABC Radio National’s Album of the Week.
Miriam is currently releasing music from her new album Bridge in Time, a collection of nine original songs exploring love, ancestry, connection and transformation. Produced by Josh Schuberth and featuring the trio’s signature interplay of voices, strings and kora, the album is due for release in February 2027.
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There are albums that have moved me so deeply they’ve become lifelong companions, but some have stood out through time. Here are five that have stayed with me.
Aretha Franklin – Aretha’s Greatest Hits
Nothing quite beats the soulful sound of Aretha Franklin. Her rendition of Spanish Harlem went straight to my heart when I first heard it as a teenager and has stayed there ever since.
Jeff Buckley – Grace
I love long car rides accompanied by the sometimes dulcet, sometimes so wildly alive it feels as though it could break through into another hemisphere, voice of Jeff Buckley. Grace is one of those albums where every single song feels like a masterpiece.
Tracy Chapman – Fast Car
I’ve played this record over and over and over again. Fast Car takes me straight back in time. Her deep, emotive voice and songwriting cut right through, telling stories and giving voice to so many who are not heard. There’s such honesty and humanity in her music. I’ve learned to play many of her songs and have learned so much from.
Her unflinchingly honest song writing.
Toumani Diabaté – The Mandé Variations.
Toumani was a dear friend and beloved teacher of mine. His kora playing and musical arrangements are utterly transporting. Listening to his recordings I’m taken back to the first time I heard him play. It was as though he were conversing with unseen angels. His music feels to me a portal to some heavenly realm.
That he invited me to study under him, and the months I spent in his family compound playing kora hour after hour, fill me with immense gratitude for all he shared with me. I feel so privileged to have learnt from him and to have been given even a small window into the extraordinary legacy of traditional West African music.
There are many albums of his that I love, but The Mandé Variations is the one I return to when I need space and clarity in my mind. I literally listen to it on repeat while I’m working. It brings me a deep sense of calm and helps my thoughts settle.
Stevie Wonder – The Definitive Collection
What a genius! What soulful, joyful, get-up-on-the-dance-floor music, bursting with groove, heart and love!
I turn to Stevie when I need the groove to lift me out of the daily grind, when I need to celebrate, reconnect or just get up and dance.