(Photo Credit: Monty Limon)
My mom forced me to go and see a musical in first grade. Up until that point, I was the kind of kid that was in sports year-round, so I surprised everyone when I looked her dead in the eyes and said I wanted to give the next musical a try!
How would you describe your sound?
I would describe myself as a mainstream pop artist with a bit of an R&B influence.
What artists do you look up to right now?
I look to Nick Jonas, Zayn, Justin Bieber, and DNCE for a lot of my inspiration.
You just released your new single “Give It To Me”. How did this song come about and whats the meaning of the song?
“Give It To Me” was originally written as a complete joke. I went into a session with my producer/co-writer Dan Whittemore and we didn’t exactly have a plan for the day. He started showing me some tracks he had been working on over the weekend, and I immediately fell in love with the demo that would later become my single. We started throwing around topics to write about, and Dan decided to poke fun at the fact that I hadn’t met any new ladies in a while. I laughed and decided to go along with it, thinking I would never release the song…but here we are!
Do you plan on releasing any more new music soon?
Yes, absolutely. There is a lot of new music coming down the pipeline for 2018. Stay tuned!
Are you planning to go on tour to promote your new songs?
I have no immediate tour plans, but once a few more of my songs are out I will absolutely be gearing up to hit the road.
How do you prepare for a live performance?
I always take it easy on a show day. I warm up slowly over a few hours and generally don’t like to see people! If I see people, I talk to people…I can’t help it. So I have to shut my door and stay quiet until I’m ready to hit the stage.
Have you had a peformance that has stood out to you above all others?
I would say that the single release show for “Give It To Me” was the biggest solo performance of my career to date. I almost sold out the main stage of a venue I’ve wanted to play for years – Hotel Café in Hollywood. I’ll never forget that show!
Whats the feeling you get when performing live in front of your supporters?
Honestly, I would say that I have the best fans in the world. During “Give It To Me”, I always ask the crowd to sing along during the “Oh oo woah-oh, oh oh oo woah-oh” that happens every chorus. Theres no better feeling in the world than turning your mic out towards the audience and hearing people shout your song back at you!
Does your fanbase have a name?
There’s no official name as of yet! People have jokingly thrown around the term “Fancusos”…but I don’t know if that will stick. I decided that I would wait until my fans came together and named themselves!
How do you want your relationship to be with your fans?
I want to be highly interactive with my fans. DMs, tweets, pictures on the street, meet-and-greets, surprise visits…the whole 9 yards. These are the people who are making my dreams come true. I want to thank them for their love and support in every way I possibly can!
What was the craziest fan encounter you have had?
I wish I had an insane story, but all of the fans I’ve met so far have been super cool, chill and level headed! I’m always humbled when people tell me that they drove multiple hours to see a show, or that they flew.
What social media platform do you use most to stay connected to your fans?
Definitely Instagram. I post all of my music/career updates on my page – @michaelmancusomusic. I’m also a dork and, more often than not, have some funny clips of my friends up on my story!
What’s an average day for you look like?
I work out 5 days a week and try to do yoga as many days as I can. I always see friends, and usually end up watching a movie or a friend’s show at night.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I like to have people over, hang out by the pool, read a good fiction book, play some fortnite, and sing some karaoke every now and then.
What impact do you want to have on the music world?
I feel like there hasn’t been a new male pop vocalist to really break through to mainstream pop in a few years now. I’m looking to be the next guy to build a platform where I can not only share my music, but also speak for causes that are important to me such as social justice and our impact on the environment.
What goals have you set out for yourself in your career and in your personal life?
In my personal life, I am trying to really push my boundaries this year. I’m a creature of habit, and I’m consciously breaking as many as my patterns as I can. We don’t grow when we’re comfortable, unfortunately. For my career, I’m hoping to be touring the world by the middle of 2019. That would mean that I would have a solid body of released work, and that It has performed well enough to warrant my time on the road!
How has this whole music career experience been so far?
It has been filled with ups and downs and I’m only just beginning. But I wouldn’t trade the experiences I’ve had for anything.
Do you have any advice for aspiring artists?
You’re going to fall on your face…a lot. You’re going to blow a few “big chances”. The songs you love might not do very well…and the songs you weren’t that excited about could be the ones that hit. No matter what, don’t stop trying. The industry is designed go weed out the people who aren’t 100% sure that they want it and would do anything to achieve their dreams. Make sure you’re in it for the long haul! I promise it’s worth it.
Do you have any last things you went to tell your supporters?
Thank you for helping me make my dreams a reality. I can’t wait to release the rest of the songs scheduled for 2018. Hope I keep making all of you proud!
