Rising Stars: Meet Michael Barnum of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Barnum.

Hi Michael, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’ve always had a knack for storytelling from a very young age. I sort of knew that I was meant to do something that resulted in being creative. My mom, a proud immigrant from the Philippines, studied Vocal Performance and Piano when she was growing up, so I got the music and performing bug from my mom. My Dad on the other hand, he was and is the hype man, cheering me from the sidelines and my forever roadie. Ever since I was about 4 years old, I was singing on coffee tables and at family parties. If there was a mic, you could probably bet that I was holding it. I think a part of me always knew that music would always be a part of my life.

I’m a fellow Theatre Kid at heart, I’ve always had a love for being on stage and love performing. In 2016, I started my Livestreaming journey. Playing cover songs for random people all around the world. I amassed thousands of dedicated followers from all over the world who would tune in to hear me sing. This then lead me to take the leap and start writing my own original music and pursuing music full time for the next few years. When a producer reached out to invite me to audition for “American Idol,” I took this as a sign to finally leave my office job of 4 years. Spoiler: I didn’t make it to Hollywood. But what it did for me was ignite a fire within me to do this on my own. Without a label. Without big music Execs telling me what to do. I wanted full creative control over my art and ever since then, I’ve always been an advocate for Artists to get the most out of their career. I successfully crowdfunded 2 EP projects with the help of my dedicated online community which was the catalyst for me to tackle on music rather aggressively. I took every gig I could, every opportunity to play and get my music out there. I was on a roll. Or, so I thought.

In the summer of 2022, I noticed that my voice wasn’t operating normally. My voice would crack and even the simplest of notes were hard to sing. I got scared and after months of worrying in the dark seeking answers, I went to get checked by a medical professional. A visit to an ENT (Ear, Nose & Throat) Specialist would then reveal to me that my vocal chords were inflamed as a result of overuse of my voice as well as fatigue. I would then also learn that I had Acid Reflux.

As you can imagine, this put me on an ultimate spiral of thinking whether or not I would get my voice back. From then on, it would be ongoing visits for check-ups and taking on vocal therapy to get me back on my feet. In these rather dark moments, it felt like the one thing I felt I was meant to do was being taken away from me right before my eyes.

I’m now currently about to hit my mid 30s (Yikes!) and now in search of new creative endeavors and avenues. Thankfully, I can still sing and do have my voice, but in the quiet moments of reflection and rest, here’s what I’ve learned: I’m more than just a Musician or someone that loves music. Yes, that is a part of me, but it is not all of me. There are many hats that I like to wear creatively. I am an Actor, Voiceover Actor, a Podcast Producer, a Livestreamer to name a few, but ultimately a Creative Storyteller. The journey so far has taught me the power of the human voice.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
By no means has this journey been smooth. Running into roadblocks of self doubt and health scares really puts a lot into perspective for you. It is scary. Imagine the one thing you think you are meant to do being stripped away from you so suddenly. Feeling like the rug from under you was pulled suddenly. I won’t lie. It was a pretty dark time. I even started questioning my own faith and having streams of resentment. Asking God why he would take away the gift I thought I was given. But, as much as that time was so tumultuous, I think you do need the valleys as much as the peaks. You can’t truly experience joy fully without the sorrow. So you have to embrace all of it—the good and the bad. Joy is one of the emotions that makes you vulnerable.

Therapy has been especially helpful in navigating my mental health. If I were to describe my life right now, the best way I could describe my life lately would be feeling like my life is falling apart but coming together in a very unapologetic and brutal way. I’m being challenged to really fend for myself and swim in these uncharted waters on my own.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I feel like this is one of those job interview questions. I thrive in collaborative environments. I love being a part of a bigger story. There’s a line I say at the end of every episode of my podcast, “Finding Your Voice,” which was sprouted from my journey of navigating the downtime of healing my voice. I say, “You have a story worth telling and a voice worth sharing.” I truly believe that. If there’s anything that I learned from my journey of finding my voice, it’s that your voice (no matter how big or small) is worthy of being heard. Using your voice doesn’t just mean speaking or singing into a mic. It can also mean speaking up for marginalized communities, advocating for others, and being vocal about what you believe in, boldly.

If you or you know someone that loves to be around other creatives, who love storytelling, I invite you to slip into the DM’s (respectfully). Let’s connect. I’m in search of a new tribe as I feel like the trajectory of my life is shifting currently. I offer services in: social media marketing, personal branding or consulting to name a few.

If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I’m an only child. I was very timid and shy and would always be the good boy who kept quiet and kept to himself. My childhood consisted of me being surrounded mostly by family because the only time I could hang out with friends was at school. I didn’t have any siblings so it would literally be me against the computer in a rousing game of Super Mario Kart on my Super Nintendo. It was lonely. And I felt waves of that all the time.

I wasn’t really raised to speak freely about my emotions. Mental Health wasn’t something that was openly talked about. In an Asian household, usually you’re just told to stay quiet, be respectful and never talk back to your elders, even when you know you’ve been treated wrongfully. I now am a huge advocate for Mental Health and always encourage everyone to take care of themselves. You have to be willing to do the work. It’s hard and not every day is easy, but it ultimately will help you overtime. You’re not responsible for the traumas that are given to you, but you are responsible to heal them.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barnumichael
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@ITSMEMICHAELB

Image Credits
Professional Headshots: Stephanie Girard Photography