.

.

JESSIE MONK
unveils
MIS O’ THE MOUNTAINS
a concept album weaving
myth, loss, and transformation

.

.

Jessie Monk proudly presents Mis O’ The Mountains out today 14th May, a deeply personal concept album inspired by the ancient Celtic myth of Mis, the legendary namesake of the Sliabh Mis Mountains in County Kerry, Ireland. Through a fusion of myth, personal grief, and evocative storytelling, Monk reimagines the tale of Mis—a woman transformed by loss into a winged creature of the wild, ultimately restored to humanity by music and love.

.

.

The album draws striking parallels between Mis’ metamorphosis and Monk’s own experience of grief following her father’s passing. Each track reflects this journey, moving through dreamlike states, raw emotional landscapes, and intricate musical arrangements.

The opening instrumental track, “The Dream”, sets the tone with Paul Santner (piano) and Fabiana Striffler (violin), accompanied by Brian Trahan’s layered production. Featuring varispeed tape effects and reversed vocals, the track mirrors Monk’s vivid dream the night before her father’s passing—an unsettling vision of her and her brother hurtling through the sky in a floating room.

Emerging from this dreamscape, “I Was An Eagle” introduces listeners to Mis’ world with spacious, mystical textures. Inspired by a dream where Monk swam alongside a pod of orca whales, the song reflects on death and transformation, drawing from Khalil Gibran’s philosophy and the myth of Eros and Psyche. The final lines evoke the ecosystem of grief, likening the loss of a loved one to the feeling of a great mother tree in a weeping forest.

Lighter moments emerge with “I Agree”, a playfully intricate track infused with Tropicalia-inspired rhythms and jazz improvisation. Inspired by Rainer Maria Rilke’s The Book of Hours, the song embraces surrendering to life’s more excellent rhythm and features an unexpected Irish whistle solo by Conor Conningham.

.

.

The album’s narrative reaches a crucial turning point with “Gold Flowers”, a track inspired by One Hundred Years of Solitude. Here, Mis attempts to retrieve her father’s soul, only to fail and spiral into a monstrous transformation. The accompanying music video, choreographed by Lily Harding and directed by Christy Chudosnik, visually explores the destruction and self-erasure inherent in grief.

.

.

This metamorphosis reaches its peak in “Metamorphosing/Bardo Thodol I”, a monolithic composition mirroring Mis’ transformation into a monster and her father’s soul’s passage through the Bardo Thodol—the Tibetan Book of the Dead’s 49-day transition. The track’s chaotic shifts, tape-speed manipulations, and layered voice notes of Monk’s father, Robert Monk, encapsulate the disorienting, fractured loss experience.

“A Constellation of Voices” marks the album’s descent into the underworld, embodying Mis’ transformation and the raw textures of grief. Borrowing its title from Rainer Maria Rilke’s Sonnets to Orpheus, the track signals the album’s final act—a journey through darkness that eventually leads toward reconciliation and healing.

At its heart, Mis O’ The Mountains explores grief’s monstrous nature and the possibility of re-emergence. Just as Dubh Rois’ harp called Mis back from her exile, Monk’s compositions guide listeners through the depths of sorrow toward the distant light of transformation. This album is not just a reimagining of myth—it is a sonic healing ritual steeped in history, memory, and deep personal catharsis.

.

Track Listing for 
Mis O’ The Mountains :

The Dream 
I Was An Eagle 
I Agree 
Gold Flowers 
Metamorphosising 
Bardo Thodol I 
A Constellation Of Voices 
You My Beloved 
O’ My Love 
Drop Each Leaf 
Bardo Thodol II
Father 
Shadows

.

Jessie Monk (currently performing in Hadestown), in collaboration with acclaimed dance artists Jareen Wee and Sebastian Geilings. Sprouting from the seed of Monk’s sophomore album Mis O’ The Mountain. Premiering on Wurundjeri Country, the performance invites audiences into a poetic ritual space that explores grief, metamorphosis, catharsis, and belonging. Live music is performed by Jessie Monk (guitar, vocals), Arlon Faria (piano, vocals), Aidan Ryan (electric guitar, vocals), Jamie Lena (guitar, percussion, vocals), and Claire Abougelis (bass, vocals), with movement and choreography by Wee and Geilings. The production is further enriched by the designs of Char-Lee (costume), Elvy Swan (sound), and Elekis Poblete Teirney (lighting). Presented for one night only at Dancehouse (150 Princes St, Carlton North) on Sunday, June 1 at 7:30pm, this special event invites the community to gather through song, story, movement, and silence—to honour the goddess Mis and mark the release of Monk’s powerful new album. Tickets Here

.

.

Jessie Monk is currently performing in Hadestown, the acclaimed Tony Award–winning musical by Anaïs Mitchell (Bonny Light Horseman), which is running at Her Majesty’s Theatre from May to July. This powerful production reimagines the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice through a genre-blending score of folk, jazz, and blues, and Monk’s involvement in the show reflects her deep connection to myth, music, and storytelling—elements that also inform her own artistic work.

.

.

Follow JESSIE MONK
Facebook – Instagram

.

AMNPLIFY – DB