We had the pleasure of interviewing Mikalyn, and here’s what she had to say:
Q: I love your vocals! What’s your favorite vocal warm-up?
MIKALYN: My favourite vocal warmup has to be lip trills. I’m a music teacher as well, and it’s a fun one to teach! It’s not only good for warming up your voice, but making sure you’re using proper vocal technique as well.
Q: How long did it take to write “Better Habits”? What inspired it?
MIKALYN: The demo for Better Habits was done in one songwriting session. It was a super fun one to write, and it came pretty naturally. My co-writer Murray and I had been talking about how it’s hard to change when you’re comfortable in your ways, and that is what sparked the song!
Q: What do you enjoy most about making music?
MIKALYN: I really love the writing process. It’s like a puzzle, but you don’t know which piece is the right one until you try out a few. It’s so rewarding when you find the right line. I also think writing is such a great emotional outlet, in a way it’s my therapy. The whole process is fun though, and tracking harmonies is a close second. I was a choir kid for years, so adding backing vocals is really fun for me.
Q: What do you do to get your creative juices flowing when you feel stuck while creating a song?
MIKALYN: I think space sometimes helps – I’ll take a step back and maybe start something new so that I can come back to the initial idea with a fresh set of ears. Usually, it comes naturally after that. I also like to switch up my environment, or change instruments. It can help bring new ideas forward.
Q: In what way(s), do you think your sound has evolved since you started making music?
MIKALYN: My sound has changed a lot for sure since I started making music pretty young. In a way, it’s grown up with me. I feel like I’ve finally settled at this point (for now, at least.) I used to only do piano ballads, and as you can tell, Better Habits is not that. I’ve allowed myself to be more experimental, and started writing lyrics about topics I wouldn’t let myself touch before. I am a sucker for harmony stacks and synths though, and I don’t see that ever changing.
Q: Did you always know you would become a musician? At what point did you reach this realization/conclusion?
MIKALYN: I knew I wanted to be a musician as far back as I can remember. In kindergarten, we had a day where we dressed as our future career. I would have been 4 at the time, and I came to school with a microphone and sparkly shoes. I’ve also loved reading and writing my whole life, so songwriting was a natural progression for me. It’s always been what I’ve loved and wanted to do!
Interviewed by Zoey King
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