Today we’d like to introduce you to Mykel Pay.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I have been singing and performing for as long as I can remember. I trained in classical voice and musical theatre for 12 years in Salt Lake City, Utah. Touring companies, dance recitals, vocal lessons, showcases, the whole bit. I’d always resonated most with contemporary music, but it wasn’t until my senior year of high school that I decided to write my own song. Once I did, that was it. I wrote and co-produced my first EP with Brandon Jarrett (an LA-based producer) and from there we hit it off. I did a year of college in Utah, then bit the bullet and moved to Los Angeles at 19. I’ve now been writing for myself, others, music supervised and scored two student films, licensed my songs to TV (Lifetime Movie Network, Vanderpump Rules, Real Housewives, etc.), as well as been pursuing my solo artist projects. Along the way, I’ve sort of fallen into every category the music industry has to offer, and I’ve now been in LA almost four years haha. Wild.
Has it been a smooth road?
It’s been a whole rollercoaster. I would say leaving everything behind at such a young age all alone really motivated me to be successful out in LA. But figuring out how to be self-sufficient in one of the most expensive cities in the US with no degree was definitely a huge obstacle. I took on any odd job I could find. Nannying, being an extra on film sets, tutoring, teaching, interning, ANYTHING! But somehow I’ve made it work.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am an Independent Artist. But right now, I specialize in songwriting, music supervising, and music video directing.
I have produced and directed almost all of my own videos as well as various up and coming artists in the area. My amazing partner Francois Bittar and I have teamed up to make almost any music video vision come to life!
I music supervise student films on the side, one recent one (Also directed by Francois Bittar) was selected for the Los Angeles International Film Festival.
And of course, I continue to collaborate and song write with various artists and producers for solo projects, television, etc.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
LA is absolutely the place to be. But in the age of social media, if you want to be an artist or songwriter, my advice is to establish yourself on social media where you are first. Come to LA once you’ve either made some connections here or have the following that allows you to expand. But I’ve loved growing and building from the ground up here in LA. I’ve met so many amazing like-minded people and the caliber of talent here is unreal.
Pricing:
- Vocal Work/Demo Work – $150 per song (email for hourly rate)
- SongWriting – $500 per song if work for hire, (email for collaboration)
Contact Info:
- Website: www.officialmykel.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/britneymykel
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/officialmykelmusic
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/britneymykel
- Other: www.youtube.com/c/mykelmusic
Image Credit:
Samuel Douglas Miller, Francois El-Bittar, Kyle Thorn, Blair Thompson
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