Miz Korona

Miz Korona, born Paula Smiley, is a performing artist, photographer, and activist hailing from Detroit, MI. She was groomed for a life of creative expression early on by her father and founding member of the 1970’s R&B group ‘The Floaters’ who would instill the importance of confidence and showmanship. Korona eventually would discover her gift as a lyricist and storyteller through close mentorship with local producers and earned experience in cyphers across stages from St. Andrew’s Hall to Lush Lounge, both venues pivotal to the developing folklore around the Detroit Hip-Hop community and the promising futures it would create for many of her hometowns beloved artists. One such artist is Marshall “Eminem” Mathers, whose superstardom would grant him the opportunity to bring production of a feature film inspired by his life story to his hometown.

Miz Korona is counted among an impressive list of now independent superstars from Detroit to appear in the film 8 Mile but stands out against her peers in the iconic “lunch-truck” scene. With her name attached to an Oscar-winning film which also cemented her status as an emerging artist in hip-hop, Miz Korona capitalized on her hard-earned reputation and well-deserved acclaim as a lyricist to secure opening performances for national touring acts including Scarface and Run DMC. Miz Korona has released several independent albums in the time since, as well as often appearing alongside creative peers for collaborations, international tours, and art exhibitions. Her growth as an artist has extended to the mediums of photography with her business Trigger Finger Visuals where she is the principal photographer and community activism through projects with Allied Media, Liv6 District, and more. Miz Korona uses these extensions of herself to create music that is socially conscious while still pleasing listeners with lyrics that are hard-hitting, timely, and timeless.