Rising Stars: Meet Michael D. Bowers

Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael D. Bowers.

Hi Michael D., thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I always tell people that I was born to sing! I was born into a musical family. My Mom, Grandmother, Aunt and Uncles are all singers or musicians and as you can imagine, there was – and still is – always singing going on. Growing up in a musical home and in the church, of course, laid the foundations for me as a singer and an artist. I would spend hours listening to and imitating my family members and my favorite artists. After singing in college, musical theatre productions and professional tours, I decided to pursue becoming a recording artist. Harmony Samuels – one of my favorite producers – hosted a workshop in 2016 in L.A. and I was so inspired by the visit that 6 months later, I was an official Angeleno! Since making the move, I have been afforded with the opportunity to connect with some amazing people and get some fantastic opportunities to create and perform. Most recently, I was able to release a single and music video – “The ONE” featuring Sevndeep and Kevin JZ Prodigy – from my forthcoming EP, “Studio 69” and I’m really excited about it!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
A smooth road? LOL. Well, interestingly enough, some aspects actually flowed very smoothly, while others definitely did NOT! Aside from the typical rollercoaster of emotions and financial difficulties that often come with following your dreams, I think the biggest challenge for me was learning how to navigate as an artist.

My transition into L.A. living was very smooth thanks to family and friends, but navigating people was a challenge because I learned that some of them definitely try to exploit the naïveté of newer artists. I’ve dealt with promoters not paying me for shows, engineers not being professional with communication or deadlines, other artists stealing my intellectual property… all of it! After that, I think the biggest challenge that the WORLD faced was the Covid-19 Pandemic. I mean, it really changed life as we know it. In some cases for the good, in others, the bad.

Each challenge, however, taught me very valuable lessons that I use to operate today. When you know better, you do better, right? The knowledge and confidence I gained allow me to align myself and my vision for myself with the right people, places and things. Honestly, I look at the challenges I faced as pressure. Pressure makes diamonds and diamonds are FOREVER!

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As an artist that loves and specializes in soul, dance, disco, r&b, pop, funk and gospel music, I’m so proud of my latest single – “The ONE” featuring Sevndeep and Kevin JZ Prodigy – and the music video (my very first official one) to support it! It’s an R&B and Dance-inspired Pop single from my forthcoming EP, “Studio 69”!

In 2021, while experiencing pandemic lockdown fatigue, I told myself that I wanted to hear and make music to dance to. Thus, Studio 69 was born. I wanted to make fun, positive, spirit-lifting, affirming music that makes you want to get our and leave your worries on the dance floor. I was tired of hearing the banal music with the lo-fi beats, the 3-5 note whisper singing and the depressing lyrical content. For the productions, I purposely wanted drums, bass, horns, strings… the WORKS! I knew that I wanted to sing with dynamics, vocal acrobats, range and power. I wanted to create lush background arrangements with lots of harmonies and counter-melodies. I wanted to make sure that this project showcases that I’m a SINGER that’s SINGING. Lol! Creating it was like therapy for me, because as a singer-songwriter, I was able to put some real-life situations into the music. Those experiences are ones that people of every walk of life can relate to.

In addition, I’m excited about being able to showcase my creativity and versatility in the forms of creative direction, ensembles, costuming, visuals, live shows… you name it! I’m an artist that is fully involved in every aspect of my artistry. I love the glitz and glamour, of course, but I love learning new elements and definitely don’t mind putting in a little “elbow grease” to fully execute my visions. I think that’s one of the things that sets me apart. I don’t shy away from doing the work. I’m an eternal student of the arts and that’s what keeps me constantly inspired.

What I’m known for – and ultimately most proud of – (aside from my talent) is my ability to be myself, unabashedly. It shows up in my presentation that I put time and effort into. I’ve always marched to the beat of my own drum and don’t have any plans of stopping. I show up as my authentic self in my life, in my art and my expression. When the end is here and I face the final curtain, I can say for certain that I want to let the record show that I may have taken some blows, but I did it my way! If living my life and crafting my artistry and music on my terms inspires someone else to do the same, then it will not have been in vain.

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Networking is a powerful thing. It’s not what you know, it’s who you know. My advice for networking is to reach across as well as up. People often think that you have to only network “up” to be successful. While networking up can be beneficial, I think it’s just as important to network with peers on your that have the same common goals, hunger and work ethic as you and build from there.

As far as mentors, I think finding a mentors is necessary. You want to find people that excel in the areas you are looking excel in and learn all you can from them. The great thing about living in a social media age is that we don’t have to know all of our mentors personally. Many of my mentors are people I don’t know… from the present AND the past. Whether your mentors are ones you know or not, it’s imperative to learn from them. Glean all of the knowledge that you can and use it as a guidebook for yourself and whatever you do in your respective field. The goal is to be lasting and have longevity. Outside of putting in your 10,000 hours, networking and mentorship are two of the biggest tools necessary to accomplish this.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mdbsings.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/mdbsings
• Facebook: Facebook.com/officialMDB
• Twitter: @MDBSings

Image Credits
Photos by Dee Mock and Trey Love