Artist Spotlight is a segment that we started to introduce our readers to some deserving up and coming artists/bands. They have made an impact on us for all of the right reasons. We think they kick ass, and we hope you do too! Let’s shine the spotlight on a Canadian alt rockers Hotel Mira!
Hotel Mira are a Canadian alternative rock band formed in Vancouver. Their music is informed by frontman Charlie Kerr’s experience as an actor and playwright. He believes that acting, music, and writing are all the same thing: storytelling. Their song “Making Progress” is currently #3 on Media base’s Alt-Rock Canadian chart. Previous radio placements include “King Of The World” (#3), “Fever Pitch” (#6), and “This Could Be It For Me”(#2). Pity Party was featured on Spotify’ New Music Friday billboard in downtown Toronto (March 2025). Hotel Mira have appeared on the cover of Spotify’s ‘Ready to Rock’ and ‘Your New Alternative’ playlists, and have been featured on Rock Favourites ,Rock Now, Rock Me Up, It’s ALT Good, Apologies Amazon, and Your Alternative. With 33.6K Instagram, 88.6K TikTok, and 41K Spotify followers, the band has garnered a loyal fan base. Their album, Pity Party has over 1.2 million streams on Spotify. Hotel Mira performed seven sold-out shows on their 2024 North American tour, including Vancouver’s historic Commodore Ballroom. In 2024/2025 they supported Our Lady Peace on their arena tour, toured the UK, the US (headline + Rare Americans support), and numerous Canadian festivals (Oxford Stomp, K-Days, Khatsahlano, Phillips Backyard, Great Escape, Reeperbahn)
We sat down with frontman/actor/playwright Charlie Kerr for a short, but fun Q & A.
Every superhero or villain has an origin and a band is no different minus the radioactive spiders and secret government experiments. What is the origin of Hotel Mira?
Hotel Mira frontman Charlie Kerr: I’d say for the purposes of this interview we are four people who grew up and met in Vancouver with a dream of being in a big rock band after years and years of being in different projects. I also think I always felt like an alien and incredibly lonely. Music always was the only way I could express myself and communicate with much efficiency. I just seem to fall deeper and deeper in love with it.
Band names can have a meaning or it can be a name pulled out of a hat. What’s the story behind Hotel Mira?
Hotel Mira mostly is a beautiful name to age with. (Sort of so we don’t get into a beastie / backstreet boys situation) There is a cultural significance if you dig really deep but mostly it is meant to look good on a t-shirt / festival bill. It’s a reminder to the audience to focus on the music and lyrics rather than the name.
What are you currently working on?
Always writing, always trying to improve the live show. Excited to get new music out in the world. Then just trying to do our jobs on this tour.
Who was your first celebrity crush?
Natalie Portman. Which was also probably when I developed a weakness for girls with buzzcuts. And Rihanna.
If you have any tattoos, what was your very first one and does it have any meaning behind it?
I have the open birdcage that is the cover of a Kurt Vonnegut book. Supposedly it’s the last thing he drew before he died. His books kinda saved my life so It is meant to signify my love of his work and also being free from some traumatic situations of my past.
Connect with Hotel Mira online:
