Exclusive Q&A with Mickey Blue

Mickey Blue

We had a chance to speak with Mickey Blue, a Toronto artist who is quickly on the rise. You can hear his latest track “Give Yourself Away” on Sound Cloud. If you haven’t heard Mickey already.. keep your ears open. http://soundcloud.com/wearetheschool/mickeybluegiveyourselfaway

Read the Q&A Below

How did you become interested in creating music?

• Heavyweight right out of the gate. I was in a dark place prior to discovering/acknowledging my musical inclination. I never want to go back there. At a point I was convinced there was nothing else for me, music allowed me to speak freely and on my own terms. It is the healthiest form of self-medication that I am aware of. Creating music was and continues to be ‘my way out’.

Who are your inspirations and do you think any of their influence shines through in your music?

• My single biggest inspiration is my father. I’m unsure if this question was specifically intended to reference another musician, but I’m going off the board regardless. This man is essentially everything I hope to be 30 years down the road, only on steroids. He’s tough when the going demands it and nurturing when needed. He’s a provider, a joker, a loving husband and his work ethic goes unmatched. What I love most about my father is his selflessness. He knows he’s good; he just doesn’t want to hear about it. I’ve never seen a man endure more difficulty receiving gifts or kind gestures.

‘Incorporate little bits of the best and become your own beast’

– Mickey Blue

Top 5 artist’s right now/all time

(In no particular order)

• James Brown
• Kanye West
• Drake
• Marvin Gaye
• Dallas Green (City & Colour/Alexisonfire)
• Justin Timberlake (before he started straightening his hair)
• Frank Sinatra

Has there been any talk of collaborations with other artists? Has anyone reached out to you?

• There have been discussions. Nothing worth mentioning, but there have been inquiries back and forth. When a proper opportunity presents itself, we’ll know.

Where did the name Mickey Blue come from and is there a meaning behind it?

• Not to be confused with the late 90’s mediocre Hugh Grant film ‘Mickey Blue Eyes’, my favourite beer is Mickeys and my favourite colour is blue. Let’s not complicate things anymore than they need to be.

If you could collaborate with anyone dead or alive who would it be?

• Kanye West. From a creative standpoint, he’s the only person I’m afraid of. I want to be pushed. I want to face my fears. I feel as though he’d bring something out of me that I’m unable to access alone. Not to mention, I’m a much stronger vocalist so the experience couldn’t possibly be too humiliating.

What can we expect from Mickey Blue in the future?

• You can expect either an EP with 6-8 tracks or a flurry of 6-8 singles by this upcoming June. I don’t want to give away too much. We’re being watched.