Music Spotlight Dylan Michael

Dylan Micael by tiajonesphotography.com 

Dylan Michael is releasing a new album entitled " Vandalized"  as a follow up to his debut EP
 " After Love". In following him and getting to learn more about him ...Dylan's passion for his music is evident and so is  his creativity as an artist. Not only is his music credible...his fashion choices/chances also caught my attention with this self proclaimed " pop princess" on the rise. He is ready to get his piece of the music pie and as far as I am concerned he is a few steps ahead of the pack. His music is upbeat, danceable all without being too predictable. He also has a unique voice making sure only  to be inspired by his idols while not trying to  emulate them resulting in a sound that is very Dylan Michael.
Check out the video and interview  below to get to know him ...you won't be able to look away and the way I see it ...that is exactly what he wants. Xx Billy Charles

BC: Tell me about all about your  EP " After Love" and how that came about...

DM: I released "After Love" about a year ago, and it was my first venture into music. I really wanted to showcase what I was about, musically. I recorded like 20/30 songs and just decided on my top 5 (6, if you include the little outro) that I felt best showcased me and my style. I'm this big clusterfuck of influences, both stylistically and musically, so you might hear some Ke$ha, some Britney Spears, and even a little Usher in there. Some of the songs may be a little more r&b than others, but all of my music stays within a pop vein. 

BC: What has been your favorite song that you have recorded so far and why?

DM: My favorite song that I've recorded so far..................that's a tough one. This new album "Vandalized" is full of so many great songs that I hold near and dear to my heart, but I'd probably have to say the title track "Vandalized" is my favorite. It's just so hard hitting, fun to sing, great to dance to, and the rap by Billy Hood gets me right together every time.

BC: How did you first become involved in music?

DM: Well, I started performing at the age of like 7, when I made my entire family sit down and watch me perform "Macavity" from the musical Cats. And from then, it never stopped. I did theater for 6 years through high school and college and, while I liked theater, I really only liked MUSICAL THEATER. In the 2 years that I was in college, I did a lot of soul searching and came to find that it wasn't theater I was drawn to (I'm an awful actor btw), it was the music aspect. So, I left college, moved to Atlanta, and started writing songs, networking, and here I am, two and a half years later, talking to you :)

Getting Cruelafied....with a Dylan TWIST :)

BC: Who are your inspirations?

DM: As I said earlier, I'm a big clusterfuck of inspiration. Stylistically, I pull from rappers, New York club kids, Annie Lennox, a little bit of Marilyn Manson and high fashion runways. Musically, my top 4 inspirations are P!nk, Kelly Clarkson, Ke$ha and Panic! At The Disco. 

BC: Do you write your own lyrics?

DM: I do, for the most part. I was lucky enough to stumble across a guy named James, who is an AMAZING songwriter, and he has helped me so much in my career, from refining my songs that I've already written to completely writing me masterpieces from scratch. He has the ability to read my mind and know exactly the feel that I'm looking for in each track. He gets my musical aesthetic, and just knows. He just knows. :)

Dylan Michael performing...loving the shorts!

BC: Where have you performed?

DM: I've been performing anywhere and everywhere. I do a lot of PRIDE festivals; I just recently did Pittsburgh and Knoxville PRIDE(s), with 3 or 4 more lined up. I'm working on gigging at more mainstream places now. I don't want to be labeled as a "gay artist", not that there's anything wrong with that, but that's not my goal. 

Never Been Touched ...Dylan Michael Music

BC: What do you like about performing?

DM: I like sharing my art with people. It always amazes me to find out which songs touch people. One song may do nothing for someone, but it could mean everything to the person standing beside them. I made a girl cry with my song "Part Time Lover" at one show because she was going through the exact same thing I did. I also like the validation that what I'm doing is worthwhile. Any musician who says "Oh, I do it for the art" is full of shit. They want people to tell them that they're doing a good job and that they like their music, etc, etc. 

Hope that didn't come across too bitchy :)

BC: Not at all ( both laugh) ...what struggles do you think you face as an openly gay artist?

DM: Being openly gay, you're instantly roped into a category of "gay artist", as opposed to "artist who is gay". As I said early, I don't think there's anything wrong with being a gay artist, but that's not my goal. My goal is to be mainstream. I want to be a Britney, a Beyonce, a Cher; a household name, that no matter gay, straight, white, black, young, old, you've heard the name and know who I am. 

BC: Where do you see yourself going and what drives you to get there?

DM: I see myself going to the Grammys and winning, girl! I see myself touring the world, launching a clothing line, selling out arenas, but still grounded and not forgetting where I came from.  As far as driving factors, my friends are the people that inspire me to get where I wanna go. My boyfriend is so supportive and pushes me even when I don't want to push myself. And as much as my friends and boyfriend help, it's the people that don't believe in me (my un-support group, if you will) that provide the biggest push. Every time I go out on stage, my goal is to make everyone who didn't believe into a believer. I want to leave the stage with them going "Ok, I enjoyed that."

Promotion for an apperance...

BC: What's coming up next for Dylan Michael ?

DM: The next big thing for me is my  VANDALIZED album release/benefit concert of July 27th. It will be held in Atlanta, and it is a concert benefiting Lost-N-Found Youth, which is the only nonprofit organization in Atlanta that helps homeless LGBT youth get back on their feet through housing, HIV/STD testing, and GED programs. It's an amazing cause, and I'm so glad to be partnering with them on this event. After the concert, we got more gigs (Charlotte, NC - August 25, Savannah, GA - September 14, Roanoke, VA - September 21), a reality show to film, a clothing line to start on, more music to make, a tour to do. Basically, anything and everything you can think of, I will be doing it! Expect to see my face a lot  more ;)  

For more on Dylan Michael please follow him on Twitter @TheDylanMichael and vist his official website :

www.DylanMichaelMusic.com