Miles Jenson shares new single ‘North Star’

Miles Jenson’s “North Star” is an ambitious and striking piece of songwriting that transforms political unease into something deeply human. Orchestrally arranged and produced by Vincent Ott, the track finds Jenson looking beyond personal experience to examine the forces that shape division, resentment and fear in contemporary America. Yet for all its weighty subject matter, “North Star” never feels like a lecture. Instead, it is an emotionally charged invitation to question the narratives that keep people divided and to consider the common struggles that might bring them together.

Written during Jenson’s time in Austin, Texas, the song grew from his reflections on political extremism, immigration, trans rights and the increasingly fractured nature of public discourse. Its central argument is both pointed and compassionate, suggesting that economic insecurity and a pervasive scarcity mindset can create fertile ground for fear and resentment. Rather than accepting division at face value, Jenson looks beneath it, exploring how class inequality and racial politics can become intertwined. The result is a song that challenges its listener while retaining a clear belief in the possibility of something better.

Musically, “North Star” is every bit as expansive as its themes. Jenson’s jazz-informed songwriting is enriched by sweeping orchestral arrangements, creating a cinematic backdrop for his incisive observations. His influences, ranging from Donny Hathaway and Otis Redding to James Blake, Radiohead and Fiona Apple, can be felt in the song’s combination of soul, sophistication and adventurousness, but the track ultimately belongs to Jenson himself. There is a sense of theatrical scale without losing the intimacy that has become central to his work.

What makes “North Star” especially compelling is its underlying sense of purpose. Jenson does not present criticism as an act of rejection, but as evidence that the things we care about are worth challenging and improving. Beneath the song’s political concerns is a fundamentally empathetic message about people who are often encouraged to see one another as opponents rather than neighbours. That perspective gives the track an emotional dimension that extends beyond its immediate political context. It becomes a song about the human desire for security, dignity and a future that feels attainable.

With “North Star,” Miles Jenson continues to establish himself as a songwriter unafraid to connect the personal with the political. The track is sophisticated without becoming distant, socially conscious without sacrificing musicality, and ambitious without losing sight of its emotional core. Following the acclaim of Sunshine Goldmine, it signals an artist entering an exciting new phase, one where orchestral colour and jazz tradition provide an even broader canvas for his ideas. “North Star” ultimately lives up to its title, offering not an easy solution, but a fixed point toward which we might still choose to look.

Stream it now: