You may not know Mikey Wax by name, but you've probably heard his music.
His single, "Helium," was all over ABC TV, and his other single, "You Lift Me Up," was featured in a promo for Keeping Up With The Kardashians, as well as 50 NBA games on FOX Sports, TBS's NCAA March Madness, and MTV's Real World. Plus, two more of his songs, "Spaceman" and "Love Always Wins" appeared almost everywhere. iHeart Radio proclaimed him an "Artist To Watch."
Wax's latest single, "Big Little Life," is being featured on Spotify's New Music Friday playlist in eight countries, and the music video is highlighted on VEVO's 'Pure Pop' playlist. Even Aaron Rogers, quarterback of the Green Bay Packers, listens to Wax's music on game day.
So who is Mikey Wax and what makes him so talented? Popdust sat down with him to find out more about what makes Mikey Wax tick.
How would you describe yourself?
A laid-back, anxious perfectionist.
What's your backstory?
I grew up in Long Island, NY, and started playing music when I was 8. I learned every Beatles song on the piano and then started writing my own songs. Went to college in Nashville, then toured the country for a few years playing small house concerts and opening for some pretty big artists. I now live in Pasadena, CA, and am writing and recoding lots of new music.
What is the most trouble you've ever gotten into?
I was a pretty rowdy kid, I was always pushing the limits with my parents. Hard to recall one specific thing. I once drank from my parents' liquor cabinet, then filled the bottles back up with water. That was dumb and got me into some trouble.
What's your favorite song to belt out in the car or the shower?
I like to annoy my wife in the car by singing loud with lots of vibrato random jingles such as the Kit Kat Bar song..."give me a piece, give me a piece, break me off a piece of that kit kat bar"
Who is your favorite music artist?
Tough to pick just one. I go through spurts where I get obsessed with an artist or a type of music and then I don't listen again for a few years. My tastes are all over the place. I write pop music but I'm more likely to be found listening to jazz, classical, oldies.
RantLifestyle Magazine named you one of "15 Musicians You've Never Heard Of Who Deserve A Grammy," labeling you a "piano prodigy." When did you begin playing the piano? Are you classically trained or what?
I started playing when I was 8. I learned a lot of classical music but I never knew how to read music. I had a really great piano teacher who understood I could best learn by slowly watching what he was doing and then mimicking it, playing by ear. When I was a kid, I would play for hours and hours, and I admit I was very good. I don't have the same patience to practice like that anymore.
Do you consider yourself a piano prodigy?
No. I consider myself talented and think I am a unique player, but not a "prodigy." I went to the Newport Jazz Fest one year and that's where you'll find piano prodigies.
You're renowned for playing the guitar and the piano simultaneously, which sounds hard as hell to me. Is it difficult? And when did you begin doing it?
It's not that difficult for me because I'm a pretty active/heavy left-handed piano player. With my right hand I'm sort of open string picking the guitar like it's a piano, and on the left hand playing bass piano. It makes a full sound, but it probably looks harder than it is if you're familiar with both instruments.
What musicians influenced you the most?
I was heavily influenced by a few musicians at different points in my life.As a kid I was obsessed with the Beatles, Billy Joel, and Elton John. I knew by heart or could figure out on piano most of their catalogs. In high school I got deeply into Dave Matthews Band, and other "jam bands." I would pretend to be a member of the band, playing 20-minute long songs on piano with them.John Mayer was another influence. In college my tastes were all over the map. A lot more indie rock, alternative stuff.
How, if at all, do your musical influences shape and impact your music?
It's a similar concept to "you are what you eat." If you're digesting lots of Dave Matthews' music, you will literally start playing chords, singing, and writing melodies that infuse Dave Matthews. I've always been a pretty moldable songwriter, able to jump genres pretty easily by getting into another artist even for a brief period.
How would you describe your style of music?
It's evolved over the years, but I think the underlining style is pop music with honest and sincere lyrics.
When you decide to write a song about a particular topic, do you make the decision consciously – "I think I'll write a song about that" – or does it just happen intuitively?
When you're in the writing room, you are thinking of concepts that are interesting or a twist on the stuff you hear a thousand times. I used to be more of an intuitive writer. I'd have a gut feeling about something and need to write about it. That works for a while, but after some time you end up a little bit like a broken record, singing about the same concepts, using words and lyrics you've already used. Nowadays I try to think "what would I normally not write about" or "what lyrics would I normally not sing."
What is your songwriting process?Do the lyrics come first, or the music?
I touched on this a bit above, but for me it's most always a melody or a beat I hear and then the lyrics come after. Only a few times have I had a lyrical title or concept in my head that I had to sing about. My new single "Big Little Life" is an example of that. I thought it was a cool play on words and my starting point was literally those three words and the melody for that part.
I really like your new music video, "Big Little Life." Who came up with the concept for the video?
Thanks! I worked with a talented team who came up with the concept (Maria Jorjezian and Lucas Pitassi), which was built around the lyrics and theme of the song. We filmed it in my actual house. Cleared out all the furniture and put it back piece by piece to film it. It was a pretty crazy few days.
Right now Spotify reigns as the middle man in the music world. Albums are deemed passé and collaborative singles are all the rage. What do you think of the current state of the music industry?
I'm cool with it! There is so much access to good music, and also more opportunities for songwriters. Making an entire album is great but it's also a timely and expensive project. Getting deep into just a few songs and really perfecting them, not just the production but the lyrics, chords, etc. I prefer that.
You're a social media phenomenon. Do you work hard at it or did it just kind of happen?
Social media is a combination of a lot of things. I do have a good manager who stays on top of me. I have very loyal fans who interact. Those aspects make it easy and help social media to grow.
Will you be touring this summer?
I have no immediate tour plans this summer as I am booked in the studio and writing sessions all summer. It's looking like I'll be back on the road this fall/winter.
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Randy Radic is a Left Coast author and writer. Author of numerous true crime books written under the pen-name of John Lee Brook. Former music contributor at Huff Post.