You know how hyped we get over good music and artists, and, oh honey, do we have a special one for you! If you haven’t heard of Micah McLaurin before, or if you are looking to learn more about this talented individual, you are at the right place. We got to interview the virtuoso pianist as he ventures more into the pop scene, and we just know you are about to enjoy this as much as we did.
Micah McLaurin has touched hearts even before starting to make pop music. His piano performances reach us on a deeper level, and we can only be grateful that he is expanding his music career. It just means there is double the magic we will receive from him now. And speaking of magic, have you listened to his new single, ‘Let’s Go To France?’ The song will teleport you and your imagination into the perfect dreamy setting, making you wish for that much-needed getaway. We won’t keep you in more suspense and will just say, check out our interview with Micah, and make sure to play his songs while you do so.
Listen to ‘Let’s Go To France’ here.
We are excited to welcome you to The Honey POP, Micah! Can you start us by telling us three things you think our readers should know about you?
They should know that I’m: blonde, love fashion, and I learn more about music and myself every day.
From an outstanding pianist to a now rising pop artist, have you always dreamed of sharing your art the way you do now? How did the decision to include your voice in the music you create come to you?
I think I dreamt of making pop music more than I realized. Most of my life I was solely focused on being a concert pianist and strictly on classical music, but I always had a penchant for the more easy listening and short classical pieces. During COVID I had time to explore other genres of music and was searching for more artistically, so I got into arranging and jazz. While working on my piano covers album, I had a few writing sessions in LA with some amazing songwriters, and that was an exciting process to me. I kept dipping my toe in a bit more and then decided I should actually sing the songs I was writing. That’s why I started singing.
What are some of the similarities and differences you experienced when recording your new songs versus your piano pieces?
I think the biggest difference is the amount of preparation time required before recording classical piano music, which is endless. It’s more of a perfectionist and purist art form, so you have to be prepared to play it to the level you want it heard. Recording vocals is also hard in some ways, but there’s more room for doing multiple takes and editing, so it’s not all about giving a one take and done vocal performance, as much as it is about the song as a whole. I mean, if I had to sing perfectly in tune to an A440, it would be extremely challenging, but we love autotune and melodyne! At the end of the day, they’re both very similar because I’m interpreting, even if it’s my own song, the music and lyrics, but they have different styles. It’s like an actor playing different characters and adapting themselves for the character.
If you had to pick one thing that makes your music and you as an artist stand out, what would it be?
Hmmm… I would probably say my knowledge of music. Because that informs everything I do, and it gives me flexibility and freedom of expression. That way I’m not boxed into one style or genre, because I feel more than that. Some days I’m in the mood for Rachmaninoff, and others for Madonna. But I wanted to be able to play the music when I was in the mood for pop, the way I can when I play classical.
Your single, ‘Don’t Give Up On Love,’ has such a bright and elevating message and sound! When did the idea for it first arise? What is something about this song that makes it special to you?
It started with the piano theme in the beginning of the song, and I shyly played it for my producer Nick Patrick. He said “that sounds like it should have lyrics?” and so I asked him about co-writing sessions. This song is special to me because of the way it makes me feel. I’m always looking for music to give me butterflies in my stomach, and when I heard the song in the first stages of production, it did that!
The song features quite an artistic and captivating choreography. We hear you’re new to dancing, so can you tell us what was the most difficult part of this new challenge?
I think the hardest part was not giving up. I felt the song needed to be danced to and sometimes when I have an idea, there’s no stopping me from seeing it out. I wanted to learn how to use the body to express music and free up some of the restraints I learned in the classical world, which emphasizes showing less outward expression.
‘Don’t Give Up On Love,’ ‘MOONS,’ and ‘Let’s Go To France’ have disco elements in them. What captivates you about the disco genre the most?
Disco feels like classical music with a beat. It uses amazing harmonies and chord progressions, and has a groovy bassline, catchy melodies… There are some songs that are so complicated that I’m like “how on earth did they make that work and have mass appeal?” and it does.
Do you have favorite disco pieces? What other artists or songs are regulars on your playlists?
Basically everything Donna Summer, the Bee Gees, and ABBA. Songs like ‘Stayin Alive,’ ‘Dancing Queen,’ ‘The Visitors,’ ‘MacArthur Park,’ and ‘Last Dance.’
‘Let’s Go To France’ gives dreamy vibes and also pokes at our imagination in the best ways. Is there a behind story about this captivating track?
It’s about living a fantasy lifestyle where you can do anything you want. You have all the resources, and nothing can stop you from dropping everything to live your life with no strings attached. There’s something really freeing about the thought of just jetting off without packing and then living in Versailles. Don’t we all have such fantasies?
The song paints such glamorous scenes that we want to have our own little spontaneous Paris escape. If you had to pick, which lyrics do you think will feel the most alluring to listeners?
Well, I might say “don’t need to pack no bags, we’re leaving with no plans”… but that might give some people anxiety. But we don’t need plans because we can live opulently, is what those lyrics are saying.
How did it feel to shoot the visuals for ‘Let’s Go To France’ during Paris Fashion Week?
I was very cold because a lot of the outfits were revealing and it was February, but it was fun during fashion week because of the spectators and reactions everywhere. I wanted to at least capture a small essence of what the lyrics say…
This track beckons for a lovely Paris getaway. Why did you pick Paris in particular? What other cities would you go to, to escape reality for a bit and recharge?
Paris is just so magical and has the history and the architecture and the opulence, and the pastries. I could also pick Venice or somewhere in Spain. I haven’t been to Spain yet.
We are looking forward to more of your music already. Without giving out too much, what can we expect from you this year? Any plans or goals you aim to achieve by the end of 2024?
More songs and more live performances! I’m excited to perform my own music, which is special because I’ve always experienced performance being the interpreter, but not the composer. But now I can!
Your music hits just right and raises optimistic feelings. As our final question, can you leave a sweet and positive message for our readers?
Go with your gut, take chances, and be passionate.
Well, Honeys, how did you like our interview with the radiating talent Micah McLaurin? We definitely loved the insights we got on his music and his own determination. Tell us your favorite parts from our interview, along with Micah’s songs you are obsessed with. We’ll anticipate those answers on our socials @thehoneypop, Facebook, and Instagram.
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TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MICAH MCLAURIN:
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