Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Mike Racanelli of Hollywood

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Mike Racanelli. Check out our conversation below.

Mike, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
Right now, wandering. I think both are necessary, especially when you’re a creative person. Often I’ll start with a question, something that just appears in my brain, and that will send me wandering. Those questions don’t always lead to an answer and most don’t lead anywhere at all — but I’ve learned to be okay with that. Sometimes while I’m wandering, the direction will become clear, and I’ll see something interesting off in the distance. That will send me on a path to get there. There’s not always a direction, but it’s best to just get lost and see where you end up.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Mike Racanelli, I’m a multidisciplinary artist, Emmy-winner, idea-machine, and obsessive builder of beautiful things. I create stories that move people — art, films, brands, music, apps. I’m always working on some project or another. Right now I’m getting ready for my LA exhibition on October 18th and about to launch a new social network that I’ve been working on the last few months. I also started playing drums a year ago, which is the one instrument I’d never played in a band, and have been putting out drum covers on YouTube for fun.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
I was an artist. The earliest memories I have of myself are drawing or painting. Whether that was coloring at my grandparents house, or entering elementary school art fairs. Eventually I got heavily into music as a teenager, and then filmmaking and photography in my 20s. I grew up in a very blue collar area of Chicago, in a very blue collar family. I always felt like the black sheep, as I never subscribed to the 9-5 commuter life.

What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
There have been a lot of papercuts. The most defining moment was when my father passed away from lung cancer in 2014. We had a very strenuous relationship growing up, and my parents divorced in my early teens. In the few years prior to that, we had repaired our relationship and were close. I was with him as he passed and that process changed my entire perception of life. Afterwards I had PTSD and went to grief therapy for a year. I indentified with that trauma for a long time, finally, 5 or so years ago, I was set on a path that brought me to where I am. I stopped dragging that weight with me, and am a much happier and self-aware person.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
That talent will always rise to the top, if you keep working hard enough. I know plenty of people who are insanely talented, that have never gotten the recognition they deserve and have left the industry they’re in. I also know people that have very little talent, that have managed to attain some level of success they definitely do not deserve. I think the phrase “fake it ’til you make it” really created an ocean of mediocrity.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. When do you feel most at peace?
Drinking coffee at 5:30 in the morning. I love to take the mornings slow and let my brain wander.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mikeracanelli.com
• Instagram: @mikeracanelli
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Racanelli/61578551403085/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mikeracanelliart
• Other: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mikeracanelli.com
  Threads: https://www.threads.com/@mikeracanelli