Mia McIntosh – ‘Just Getting Started’ [EP] [Album Review]

Rising alt-pop singer-songwriter and producer Mia McIntosh unveils her debut EP, Just Getting Started, a collection of tracks embracing elements of pure pop, new wave, and R&B.

Self-produced and wonderfully imminent in the way debut statements often are, the EP traces Mia McIntosh’s story in vivid strokes: growing up listening to classic-rock and radio-pop songs, the Brooklynite experiments with studio players and visual collaborators, the artistically liberating jump to Berklee, and—finally—signing with Vere Music.

“I’m really excited to release this EP because I worked so hard on it with my friends from school, and I have been eager to put it out into the world for a while now,” Mia shares, adding, “I hope people enjoy the songs as much as I enjoyed making them!”

The behind-the-scenes narrative of how the EP came to fruition is found in Berklee’s high-achieving environment—formal training, constant collaboration, and a community of students who live in chord charts. A sophomore year spent in Valencia, Spain, reads like not only expanding your horizons but multiplying your perspective: two semesters’ worth of distance that can reveal what you thought you already knew.

It all began with a Maryland kid at a piano at five, then the inevitable pivot from playing to writing. The stream count—more than 25,000 and climbing—signals that people are already listening to her music. Yet her musical evolution has just begun. She has barely scratched the surface of her gifts. She is definitely an artist to keep an eye on.

Performance-wise, McIntosh’s resume includes a recent headline concert at Berklee’s Berk Recital Hall, singing the national anthem at multiple Cape Cod Baseball League games, and performances at Harvard and UMass athletic events and Boston’s annual Lighting of the Ship at Martin’s Park holiday event.

Next up is Berklee’s Summer in the City series, one of those vast, more-than-200-concert marathons that turns Greater Boston into a city-sized venue from June to September.

Mia McIntosh, photo courtesy of Mia McIntosh

Just Getting Started opens with “The Tree,” a low-slung, gently undulating song featuring a fat bassline topped by chiming, shimmering surfaces. There’s an inviting warmth to the melody, infusing it with charming, feel-good energy. McIntosh’s light and delicate vocals imbue the lyrics with velvety tones.

“Just Friends” rolls out on darker yet still dynamic pop colors and is highlighted by luscious, glowing vocal harmonies. The upbeat, pop rhythm conjures up suggestions of early Olivia Rodrigo.

On “Are You Sorry,” McIntosh slows things down, dipping into the realm of R&B laced with tinctures of pop and jazz production. Her voice takes on tighter phrasing, allowing hints of a jazz, neo-soul Diva to seep through. The luster of a braying saxophone hits the right note on the solo section.

“Lets Me Down,” the closing track, hums and oscillates on thrumming textures accented by ringing timbres. As good as the melody is, it’s McIntosh’s evocative vocals that make this track seductive because there’s room for her voice to breathe and convey inner emotions.

At once wistful and breezy, Just Getting Started showcases Mia McIntosh’s exquisite sound design, turning music into gold.

Just Getting Started Track Listing:

1. The Tree
2. Just Friends
3. Are You Sorry
4. Lets Me Down

Run Time: 14:28
Release Date: April 24, 2026
Record Label: Vere Music