I met Tyree Miller in high school choir. He always had a big, beautiful voice, and he wasn’t afraid to use it. To sing. To speak. To feel out loud. Over the years, I’ve watched him evolve with care and consistency. Highlight feels like a deeper reveal—an extension of everything he’s always carried, now laid bare. There’s a moment in the song where he says, “Mommy, I miss you,” and it stopped me. That’s how he always referred to her. Never mom. Never mother. Always Mommy. There was something childlike and open about it, and hearing him carry that same tenderness into the music made it feel almost sacred. Not polished. Not performative. Just real.
Tyree’s voice has always been a gift — powerful, precise, capable of runs and tones most singers only dream of. But in this release, it’s not just his vocal ability that stands out. It’s the way he uses it — with care, restraint, and truth.
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Released on July 7, Highlight is a deeply personal tribute to Tyree’s mother. The song opens with memory: “I was just a boy, I still remember.” From there, it unfolds into a direct, unfiltered longing for connection. It’s raw in a way that doesn’t ask for understanding. It simply offers truth. Tyree sings about tenderness, protection, joy, even “wild little sassiness,” painting a portrait that feels both specific and widely relatable. There’s no attempt to universalize grief. This is just an honest account of it, and somehow, that makes it even more intimate.
Alongside the single, Tyree released a music video in collaboration with Philadelphia filmmaker Elijah Crawford. Known for immersive, emotionally charged work, Crawford brings Highlight’s themes to life through quiet, observational filmmaking. The video draws inspiration from the tradition of directors like Chantal Akerman, letting grief unfold through small, intimate moments. It doesn’t ask for sympathy. It invites empathy through silence, stillness, and a sense of presence that lingers. Crawford’s restrained direction gives the emotion room to breathe, allowing each frame to sit with the viewer instead of moving past them.
Highlight is grounded in memory and made with care. The song is Tyree’s offering, and the video carries that same emotional weight. Together, the song and video create space for reflection, connection, and real feeling.
Watch the Highlight video and hear the full single.