Miel de Botton

Swiss singer-songwriter and clinical psychologist

Miel de Botton is a Swiss singer-songwriter, art collector, clinical psychologist and philanthropist. She is the daughter of Gilbert de Botton and granddaughter of Yolande Harmer. Her brother is Alain de Botton.

## Early life

[edit]

Born in Switzerland, Miel grew up in Zurich and studied law at Oxford University. She subsequently qualified in clinical psychology, later practicing in Paris with a focus on the treatment of drug addiction.

## Musical career

[edit]

After relocating to London from Paris, Miel began to write and perform her own music,[1][2] in collaboration with producer Andy Wright. She has released two albums, Magnetic (2015) [3][4] and Surrender to the Feeling (2019),[5] and also performed at numerous festivals[6][7] as well as touring nationally with artists including Wet Wet Wet and Rhydian Roberts. In November 2022 she featured as a guest artist at the Hallenstadion, Zurich in support of Simply Red.

## Philanthropy and charitable work

[edit]

Miel's charitable and philanthropic work has included support for the cancer charity Maggie's, the Nordoff Robbins music therapy charity, the British Red Cross, the World Wildlife Fund for Nature, and the RSPB, as well as the Jerusalem International YMCA Youth Choir.

In 2021, following nomination as a WWF Youth Ambassador, her song "I was Given Nature" was chosen for its annual Earth Hour event.[8] In 2015 she was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Weizmann Institute of Science in recognition of her role establishing centres for protein profiling and marine science.[9]

## Other work

[edit]

Miel produced [10] the documentary film Yolande – An Unsung Heroine (2010) about her grandmother Yolande Harmer, an Israeli intelligence officer operating from the mid nineteen-forties, and whose work has been recognised in helping establish the modern State of Israel.[11]

She also produced the film Waste Land (2010), along with her former husband, Angus Aynsley, which chronicles the story of Brazilian artist Vik Muniz and his collaboration with a group of waste pickers (catadores) at the world's largest landfill site in Rio de Janeiro. The film was Oscar-nominated.[12]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "A magnetic connection | Miel de Botton, from soulful music to heartfelt philanthropy". 11 November 2020.
2. ^ "Banker's wife to singer: Miel de Botton on her search for love and". 12 November 2014.
3. ^ "Alain de Botton's sister Miel talks about music and fame".
4. ^ "Overton mum trades science for singing". 3 April 2016.
5. ^ "Miel de Botton releases new single 'Is It Enough?'". 25 January 2021.
6. ^ "No camping for Miel". www.thejc.com. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
7. ^ "Singer Miel de Botton to make festival debut at Camp Bestival". 27 July 2016.
8. ^ "Earth Hour 2021 breaks all records calling for action in crucial year for climate, people and nature".
9. ^ "Weizmann UK". 20 May 2022.
10. ^ "Miel de Botton". IMDb.
11. ^ "Extraordinary tale of Alain de Botton's 'heroine' grandmother". TheGuardian.com. 6 June 2015.
12. ^ "Waste Land – review". TheGuardian.com. 24 February 2011.

## External links

[edit]

Wikiquote has quotations related to Miel de Botton.

* Miel Music – official website

Authority control databases: Artists |

* MusicBrainz

|