After more than fifteen years on stage and a decade with Century Media, Stitched Up Heart is stepping into a bold new chapter. With the band now signed to Judge and Jury Records, they have unleashed Medusa—a fiercely personal album inspired by mythology and rooted in betrayal, self-discovery, and empowerment. Written without the pressure of a label deal, the record gave the band creative freedom to experiment, collaborate with guests like Conquer Divide and Butcher Babies’ Heidi Shepherd, and turn pain into strength. In this conversation, singer Mixi opens up about the journey behind Medusa, setting boundaries, confronting fear, reconnecting with her younger self, the spiritual threads woven through the music, and why she believes the band’s next chapter should be even bigger and more ambitious.
Welcome to Mixi Demner from Stitched Up Heart
Thank you again for making time. How are you?
I’m so good. It’s always great talking to you.
A lot has happened since we last spoke. There is a new album, a new label, new singles, new videos—everything. I want to start with your signing to Judge and Jury Records. Congratulations!
Thank you. We’re very, very grateful.
“We were dropped by Century Media…”
How was the transition, and how did you manage to secure this deal?
We had been with Century Media for ten years and released three records with them. I think we eventually reached a point where we were staying together for the kids. It was like being in a relationship where nobody was really happy anymore, and we were simply going through the motions. It was only a matter of time before we had to move on.
We were dropped by Century Media, although I already knew it was probably going to happen about a year before it did. It was very much an emotional journey. I knew it was inevitable, so it felt like knowing that a relationship is ending and allowing it to continue until the very last moment.
Stitched Up Heart: planning an independent release
It was a very emotional time, and that came through in the lyrics. We started working on an album that we initially planned to release ourselves. We thought we would simply arrange distribution and move forward independently.
I tried to keep everything together and stay strong. My job within the band is to make sure everyone knows that we can do this. Our management and Monster Energy were also very helpful in putting this record together.
A faithful meeting
Then I was offered the opportunity to do a feature for Dead Rabbitts, Craig Mabbitt’s band from Escape the Fate. They are signed to Judge and Jury, which is connected with Howard Benson, Neil from Three Days Grace, Grady Benson, Melody, and many other great people.
It was such a great team, and it was very easy to work with them. It was a relief. I didn’t know whether they would be interested in our records, but we sent the album to them, and they loved it. We then decided to work together. It has been a pleasure.
Shedding an old skin
It sounds as though the band went through a deep emotional journey, not only because of the changes within the band’s situation but also because you had to find a new label. If you begin with the idea of releasing the album independently and only look for distribution, getting a record deal afterward must have been a surprise. It is also painful to hear that Century Media chose to drop you.
They went through a lot of changes within the company, and I think that is part of being in a band. I see many stories about people changing labels, management teams, agents, band members, and crew. Everything changes—that is simply life.
Ten years is a very long time to be with one company, so, when you think about it, perhaps it was simply time for a change. I’m very grateful that Judge and Jury appeared when I jumped.
“Embracing and acknowledging the darker parts of ourselves”
There are a lot of songs and lyrics on this record that show I was going through betrayal and dealing with a lot of difficult experiences. I was doing a great deal of shadow work and shedding old skin throughout the creation of the record.
The album is very much about embracing and acknowledging the darker parts of ourselves without completely shutting them out. You have to allow those parts to be released so that you can shed that skin and move on to something lighter.
Stitched Up Heart and the mythological figure of Medusa
There is resilience, self-discovery, healing, and personal empowerment in all of that. I can also feel how this change played a major role in Medusa. When you consider the mythological figure of Medusa, she was betrayed, cursed, and treated as a monster—as though she were not good enough or worthy.
I feel that I have been treated that way, and I think many artists probably feel the same. You can feel betrayed, pushed down, or treated like a doormat in this industry.
I am always trying to help people grow, whether they are crew members, band members, or others who are entering the industry. I try to hire people who have potential and who have not yet had the opportunity to take their first steps in the industry.
Stitched Up Heart: “I need to know what works for me and what is right for me”
However, sometimes, when you help people, you end up being treated like a stepping stone. There is a lot of that in this industry. I have learned that sometimes you can be too nice, and you have to establish boundaries for yourself.
That is the main thing I am learning right now: I need to know what works for me and what is right for me, rather than constantly trying to appease everyone else.
The lyrical backdrop of Medusa
You are never too late to learn how to set boundaries for yourself. It is difficult, though, because there is this perverse mechanism of feeling guilty.
Exactly. You become so used to trying to make everyone happy that you forget to make yourself happy.
With Medusa, I wanted to twist her story. I feel that her spiritual energy is emerging in many ways on this planet right now. I wanted to present a comeback story—a sequel. It is about getting revenge, seeking justice, and setting the record straight.
The video of Medusa
In the video, she even turns back into a goddess. She becomes the beautiful goddess she has always been on the inside. I think we can embody both sides of that duality. We can be dark and light. Nobody is only one thing.
We often pretend that we are perfect all the time, but that is not true. We all have complicated and messy aspects of our humanity. That was a major part of what this record embraces: the messy parts.
Stitched Up Heart and Conquer Divide
Medusa is a very powerful and cohesive album. It contains ten songs, and I still remember the first single, Glitch Bitch, featuring Conquer Divide. What perspective did you bring to this album?
Everything fell into place perfectly, including the artwork. I met Conquer Divide because we have a song called Conquer and Divide. When I discovered their band, I realized that we had a song with the same name, and we eventually became friends. They are also connected with the label I am now working with.
They came to us about a week before the Glitch Bitch video shoot. It was so much fun to develop the concept. We wanted to bring all the baddies together, include Jesus—the original influencer—and feature Satan.
Shooting the video of Glitch Bitch
The woman I hired to play Satan has since joined us on tour as an emotional-support human, ironically. In the video, everyone is being pulled in different directions. They have choices to make: Do we go this way or that way? Do we do the good thing or the bad thing?
One choice sounds very seductive, but the other seems like a better idea. We are constantly being pulled in different directions and tested by the choices we make. The video represents a glitch in the system—hence, Glitch Bitch.
“To the Wolves was the beginning of the process—the beginning of the angry Medusa“
When I think about To the Wolves in relation to Medusa, it feels like the beginning of a completely new chapter…
Absolutely. To the Wolves was me already knowing the future. I believe some people have a strong psychic ability to sense how things are going to play out.
The song is about being thrown to the wolves. That is where Medusa came in. I already knew I was going to be thrown to the wolves, and I already knew I would have to deal with certain things.
I am good at reading energy, so I had a sense of what was going to happen. To the Wolves was the beginning of the process—the beginning of the angry Medusa. It was about being thrown into difficult situations and having to deal with everything. I believe much of the material that eventually became the Medusa album began with To the Wolves.
The visual concept of Medusa
This album also shows different facets of you as a singer. I really like the visual aspect as well. Visuals are an important part of the entire package. In the latest video, you use a serpent, which also connects to Medusa and the snakes traditionally depicted around her.
It is interesting that the snake concept emerged. The Year of the Snake was last year, while the album was actually written a year earlier—or even before that. I had not consciously thought about the Chinese Zodiac, but I do believe that things are released when they are supposed to be.
“Many people are afraid of snakes”
Many people are afraid of snakes. I know I am. I once had a moment when a huge snake got into the bathtub and started circling me. I thought, “I’m going to die. This is how it ends.” Then I thought, “Well, at least the song might go viral.”
The snake that was wrapped around my neck for the video was actually very sweet. When it was handed to me, I could tell that it was terrified. Its energy was so frightened that I immediately wanted to protect it and keep it warm. I was worried about it the entire time. I was petting it while it hid its little head.
Discovering that…
It showed me that sometimes things that look frightening are not as scary as we think. If we confront the fear, meet the snake, and get to know it, we may discover that it is not so frightening after all.
I also find the spiritual history surrounding serpents fascinating. Serpents, dragons, Leviathan, and similar figures appear in many traditions. In the Chinese Zodiac, there are also dragon and snake figures with wings. I feel that the serpent represents a powerful and protective energy.
Twisting the story (and the taboo) of the snake
Perhaps we have twisted the story of the snake in the same way that we have twisted the story of Medusa. We have made snakes into one of the most feared creatures, alongside mosquitoes. Maybe they are not as bad as we think, and perhaps we should give them a chance.
There is certainly a taboo surrounding snakes. We tend to see them as dangerous and forget that they also play an important role in the ecosystem.
Yes, and I was surprised that the snake was afraid of me.
“The snake was afraid of me” [part 1]
You are a big human being.
Exactly. I’m a big, giant human. The snake has no legs and cannot fight. I think snakes usually bite when they are defending their babies or nests—similar to a shark.
Actually, maybe not a shark. All animals have their own characteristics. Spiders are another example. I recently found a black widow in the tree outside my house, but I have not wanted to kill spiders lately. I have started thinking of them as souls.
“The snake was afraid of me” [part 2]
If we were reincarnated, perhaps we could become spiders and have spider friends. Or we could become birds and have bird friends. I have been looking at animals in the same way as I look at the snake—as beings with souls.
They have their own ecosystems and their own worlds. Humans tend to think that our little world is the only ecosystem, but snakes have their babies, eggs, and partners. I have been watching birds outside and imagining that they are having full conversations. It is as if the parents are telling their children to come home for dinner, go to bed, and get ready for school.
I have started looking at every animal, insect, and tree as having some kind of soul or consciousness. I even feel that way about the clouds—especially the clouds. Perhaps we could be a snake in our next life. Hopefully not next year!
Stitched Up Heart: “I did not think Heidi would say yes”
I also wanted to mention your collaboration with Heidi from Butcher Babies. I enjoyed the single and the video. What strikes me about this album is how open you were to input from your guests. Usually, a guest vocalist simply performs a part that has already been written, but here it feels as though you invited them to contribute and accepted their feedback and ideas. The album feels very collaborative.
I did not think Heidi would say yes. I was so excited, but it took me weeks to ask her. The song felt perfect for her. It was made for her to have fun with it—a real “man-eater” moment. I thought, “Let’s just kill the boys and bring on the matriarchy.”
Working on the video of CANNIBAL
I did not think she would agree, even though we are on the same label. Eventually, I asked her, and she was incredibly enthusiastic. Sometimes you simply have to face your fears. I was afraid of being rejected, but I asked, and she was completely open to it.
It worked out perfectly, and the video was so much fun. We used a lot of sweets. It was filmed around Valentine’s Day, so I was able to get red and pink bakery products, cupcakes, cherries, and similar items. The blood was actually strawberry syrup. It was very tasty and very sticky for a murder scene.
The most important takeaway from Medusa
You spoke earlier about setting boundaries and facing your fears. Thinking about the entire Medusa project—the album, the visuals, and the changes in your career—what is the most important lesson you take away from the experience?
I would definitely say shadow-self recognition and acceptance. It is important not to ignore or deny that part of yourself, treating it as if it does not exist.
Once you are able to embrace and understand yourself more fully, including your darker elements, you can shed that skin and become more connected to your soul. Your soul grows through fearful and difficult times, through setting boundaries, and through the challenges you have to face. However, you first have to face the fear of yourself.
“It is interesting to see how music has played a role in that journey”
Those are deep and important words. It is a journey toward yourself, and, like every journey, it contains challenges and obstacles. Understanding our shadow side and shedding that skin takes a lot.
It definitely does. I highly recommend doing it, although it is quite an adventure and a real process. I am on a major spiritual journey right now, as many people are. It is interesting to see how music has played a role in that journey. Recently, I went back to songs I had written when I was fifteen. I was sitting in my hammock in the backyard and singing songs I had not thought about in years.
It almost felt as though my higher self had written those songs through me as a fifteen-year-old, so that I could return to them later and remember who I was.
Revisiting old songs
That is amazing. What was it like to revisit songs you wrote at fifteen and listen to them through the eyes of an adult woman? It must have been quite confronting, if I may use that word.
When I first started writing songs, I used an acoustic guitar. I was fifteen and had learned a couple of power chords in guitar lessons, but I simply wanted to sing along and make my own songs.
“I was a fifteen-year-old girl who thought that her childhood was all she had”
I still remember some of them. They are simple but very deep. I was a fifteen-year-old girl who thought that her childhood was all she had—that it was already in the past. Even though I was still in high school, I thought I was already becoming an adult.
Now I look at those songs and realize that I was writing about my childhood, but I was also writing for my future self. I was reminding myself where my head was at that point in my life, before everything I have since experienced.
It is beautiful to come full circle like that. Maybe I will release some of those songs. I have never released them, but perhaps they will come out one day.
I hope so. I think there could be something very interesting in those songs. They are part of you, but they also belong to another period of your life.
It is strange to think about. It feels as though that person lived a different life, or was almost a different person. It is just a memory now. The way we perceive it today is not necessarily the way it actually happened.
“I think we go through cycles”
It is difficult to imagine yourself at that age. You were going through struggles, finding some sense of belief in music, and now you are revisiting that material as an adult.
I think we go through cycles. Our first record with Century Media was Never Alone. Many of the lyrics on that album came from a bright-eyed, newly sober version of me. Our record deal had finally happened, and I was incredibly excited about the world.
Then time passed, and the next album arrived during the period when the world shut down. We had experienced so much success, and then COVID happened and everything stopped. After that, I had to go through difficult experiences again.
I think it is important to appreciate the good times while you are experiencing them because they will happen again. Life has different seasons—some lower and some higher. Right now, I am in a very high season, and I feel very much at peace.
Stitched Up Heart: “Let’s do whatever we want. Let’s have fun.”
I can feel that in the album. It sounds as though you were having the time of your life while making it.
We really tried to have fun with it. We wanted to make music that people could simply enjoy.
I also think the fact that you did not have a label deal during the writing phase of Medusa helped you enjoy the pre-production and writing sessions more. If you had already been signed, you might have felt pressure, even if you had not consciously recognized it.
I completely agree, and I’m glad you noticed that. We did not have anyone to send the music to for approval. We could simply say, “Let’s do whatever we want. Let’s have fun.” We went feral, and it was a lot of fun.
“There was no pressure to please anyone except ourselves”
The producers, Cameron Mizell and Evan McKeever, are based in Nashville. I even brought my dog. It was a great experience. All the vocals were recorded within a month, at least from my perspective.
There was no pressure to please anyone except ourselves, and I think that made a real difference. You can hear that attitude in the album. It feels like I was saying, “I don’t care—I’m going crazy.”
Stitched Up Heart and touring plans…
That is exactly what I felt in the songs. So, if you do not have a record deal next time, you will not feel under pressure?
At least I know that the music will turn out really well either way.
You recently completed an important tour with LYLVC, Eyes Set to Kill and Lauren Babic. It was a strong three-band package in the United States, with great music every evening. And to forget, also with Infected Rain. Now that the album has been released, what does the band have planned regarding touring in Europe, the United States, and, ultimately, conquering the world?
The boundaries we discussed earlier also apply to touring. I have become very selective. The next tour we do needs to be a big one. We can play club tours all day long, but I want something bigger. I want the booking teams to work toward securing a major tour. If that does not happen, we will not go out.
“The next tour we do needs to be a big one”
My husband, who is the band’s guitar player, has also been working on film-composition music. It is a great opportunity, and he has been trying to break into that industry for a long time. For him to join a tour, it has to be something significant. I do not want to tour without him, although I have done so twice. The first tour without him was terrifying. I loved being with everyone involved, but internally I was quite depressed and sad. I was basically a hermit throughout the tour.
Touring and boundaries
Then we toured with Sebastian Bach at the beginning of this year, which was incredible, and Merritt was able to join us. He could take time off work for that larger tour. Two weeks later, we toured with Infected Rain, which was a perfect combination of bands, but Merritt could not join us. I brought Jules, the woman who played Satan in the Glitch Bitch video. She became my emotional-support human. She is essentially the female version of my husband, so she filled his role—not one hundred percent, but enough to help me enjoy the tour.
I am very codependent, so I need to have my person or counterpart with me. That is why I am being selective about the next tour. I know I can get Merritt to join if it is a larger tour, so I am waiting for that opportunity. If it does not happen, then it does not happen.
“I would join a European tour in a heartbeat”
I understand. In Europe, you can sometimes travel from Amsterdam to Munich the next day relatively easily, whereas touring across the United States can involve enormous distances. A four- or six-week club tour requires a great deal of travel.
I would join a European tour in a heartbeat. Put me on a shared bus, and I’m there immediately. The problem is that touring has become expensive. On our last tour, we spent an additional 3,000 dollars on gas alone. Merchandise and everything else are also more expensive, so it is becoming increasingly difficult for bands to tour.
We recently bought an RV to help reduce the costs. After three tours, it had essentially paid for itself, including maintenance. Now we can travel more affordably instead of renting vehicles every time. I just want the next tour to be something really special.
“However, I feel that it will happen”
Prices are also increasing here in Europe, so I understand where you are coming from. Touring is a huge machine, and even from the outside, it can be daunting to understand I really hope you come to Europe soon, and I hope you get the bigger tour in the United States.
Me too. I do want that. I simply want to make sure that it makes sense and that we are not just going out to pay everyone’s expenses.
The band has been active for more than fifteen years. To me, it does not make sense for you to keep playing small club tours. At this stage, you need to make a bigger jump and find a tour that stimulates and challenges you.
Exactly. That is where the boundaries come in. You have to set boundaries; otherwise, nobody will try to push for something better on your behalf. If it does not happen, then perhaps it was not meant to be. However, I feel that it will happen.
Closing words from Stitched Up Heart
Mixi, thank you for your time, as usual.
Thank you for chatting with me. It is always a pleasure. It is a pleasure and an honour for me as well. I am always very happy to speak with you. Thank you, and I’m crossing my fingers for that major European tour. I would love that. It would be a dream.