There is a temptation, when an artist begins to scale quickly, to frame the moment as a breakthrough or a pivot. Miist resists that language entirely. What she is doing in early 2026 feels less like a reinvention and more like a steady widening of a circle she has been drawing for years.
That circle now has a name: The Love Project. Anchored by the forthcoming single “Love Will Show Us the Way,” written with legendary Italian producer Mauro Malavasi, the project connects Miist’s music to a larger ecosystem of storytelling, mental health work, and community participation. The song arrives this spring, but its reach is designed to extend far beyond a traditional release cycle.
Miist first drew global attention with “Could You Lend Me a Smile,” a multilingual collaboration inspired by the story of a young man in Tokyo who died alone, unnoticed for weeks. The song became a worldwide effort involving artists across five continents and dozens of languages, generating millions of views and setting multiple world records. It also set the tone for what Miist would do next: invite people in, rather than performing at a distance.
That same approach defines the video for “Love Will Show Us the Way.” Instead of casting actors or centering herself, Miist has asked fans to submit short clips showing simple acts of kindness in their daily lives. A hug, a smile, showing up for someone who needs it. Selected submissions will be edited into the official video, turning the release into a shared document of small, real moments. “Let’s show everyone we can change our world,” Miist wrote in her call to fans.
Her belief in everyday participation also shapes her connection to the GRAMMYs. For the second year in a row, Miist is giving away two guest tickets to fans whose personal stories resonate with her. Last year’s winners were chosen based on the meaning the experience would hold for them, not their proximity to the industry. As awards season approaches again, she is reopening that invitation as an exercise in connection rather than access.
Outside of music, Miist has quietly built one of the country’s most listened-to mental health podcasts. Make Me Smile with Miist currently ranks among the Top 10 U.S. mental health podcasts, blending personal reflection, research, and original music. Each episode ends with what Miist calls a “15-second action,” a small step listeners can take immediately, without preparation or performance.
Those ideas will soon take printed form as well. A forthcoming book, also titled Make Me Smile with Miist, adapts the podcast’s framework into short, approachable chapters designed for readers who feel overwhelmed by longer self-help formats. Music is woven directly into the reading experience, blurring the line between listening and reflection.
Across every medium, Miist returns to the same idea: meaningful change does not begin with transformation or scale, but with presence. The Love Project asks listeners, readers, and viewers to slow down and participate. In an era that often rewards volume and spectacle, that restraint may be its most radical quality.
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