For a long time, Mike Mago paid a lot of attention to people’s opinions. Especially from those within the music industry. Something, that on starting out would seem pretty natural to do as you seek to create your own unique sound. Mago points out there were a couple of things he learned from this. People, no matter how experienced, are just people and no opinion is sacred. Everyone talks from their point of view, personally or business wise. One big shot at a label might hate your track, the next thinks its a potential hit. It’s vitally important to take these opinions with a grain of salt.
“Hardest thing when you make music is that everyone has an opinion on it. I truly believe that as a musician and during the process I should stand above an opinion from someone who…didn’t make it as a musician and now works in the industry telling people what works.”
Highlighting how he never shows his track midway in the process anymore. Learning from past experience, where he would simply stop working on a track when implied to not having much potential. We caught up with the artist off the back of his highly anticipated release “Recognise”. A single created through a single session in collaboration with Tom Powell.
A style that is diverse by the artists own admission, and always has something personal within. This is Mago’s definition of finding balance his “way of walking the line”.
Finding the Right Mix
Mago feels its really important to find people in the music industry that are akin to the music you want to produce. Going onto explain making music can be a lonely process and its really good to have people you know to share your thoughts with.
The artist admits he has been enormously fortunate with the support and help he has received from a range of different artists.
“It’s not just one person that got me somewhere. Its Zombie Disco Squad pitching my first track to the guys from Defected, It’s Bart B More showing me how to fatten sounds, Its Black Sun Empire showing my loads of smart production techniques, It’s The Magician constantly supporting my music in the early years, It’s Danny Howard playing my tracks on BBC1 Radio, it’s Bakermat guiding me through the business side of this industry, It’s Oliver Heldens giving feedback on my productions, the list goes on.”
However, for all these artists involvement, there’s one person Mago holds as his key support above all else. His girlfriend Yasmine, who the artist proudly points out has been a rock in supporting him through-out his career. The artist highlights how his boost came a long time after they met. Explaining before this time, he didn’t have income. Something the artist is very quick to note as pretty special when someone still supports and encourages you to follow your dream, when there’s a big chance there’s nothing to gain.
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