This month’s highlight is on Johnnie Mikel, a Bowling Inexperienced native who occurs to be an unimaginable singer songwriter and musician who’s making main waves within the music trade since dropping his 2017 debut single “Include Me.”
For those who haven’t but heard this multi-talented artist’s stylistically eclectic pop/rock magic, you’ll quickly sufficient. Johnnie’s a worldwide streaming sensation with a whole lot of 1000’s of listeners on Spotify. His breakthrough 2020 singles “Revolution” and “Nothing to Lose” amassed a mixed whole of over 1M streams. Huge stuff, certain, however these kickin’ viral tracks simply set the stage for his breakthrough in 2022 with “I Hope It Hurts,” which scored a number of radio airplay and broke into the Prime 50 at Billboard.
Johnnie was additionally probably the most added impartial artist at radio and continues to land within the prime 100 on the mediabase radio chart. You possibly can have all of the Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and TikTok success you need, however hitting Billboard is just about the best way the powers that be within the biz measure success and long-term viability. So yeah, it is a huge deal. Taking him to the following degree and all that.
Additional proof of that is who our good friend is collaborating with. Previously, he labored with Tommy Lee and Nash Overstreet (Scorching Chelle Rae) and opened for the late Charlie Daniels, Little River Band and Josh Turner. Johnnie wrote his newest single, a fiery, funked out energy ballad “Fallen Angel” with Lauren Christy, finest identified for her trailblazing work with songwriting and manufacturing group The Matrix.
This trio was huge within the 2000s, successful seven Grammy Awards and scoring mega-hits with Avril Lavigne (together with her breakthrough “Difficult”), Christina Aguilera, Jason Mraz, Shakira, Britney Spears and Korn. For those who haven’t heard Johnnie’s vibe earlier than, “Fallen Angel” is an efficient place to begin. It’s funky and horny “good lady gone dangerous” tune with swampy, bluesy guitar and vocals.
Johnnie’s additionally working with a serious producer on his upcoming debut album Purgatory. James Michael’s big- identify credit embrace Mötley Crüe, Alanis Morissette, Kelly Clarkson, Scorpions, Sammy Hagar and Meat Loaf. The album consists of “Fallen Angel,” “I Hope It Hurts” and Johnnie’s different current single “Obsessive about U.”
Today, artists largely drop singles to maintain followers’ consideration, and an EP from time to time if we’re fortunate. So the truth that Johnnie’s so prolific and has the imaginative and prescient to do a full size album is fairly unimaginable. Not solely that, however the entire venture is pushed by his want so as to add his artistic gasoline to the collective of progressive, socially energetic voices organizing for change.
Musically, the album’s robust to pigeonhole, however that’s a energy in a world of cookie cutter trifles. He additionally covers some heavy matters – every little thing from psychological well being within the music trade to the results of social media on youth, human rights and disillusionment in love and politics. Daring, super-heady stuff for a man who’s nonetheless an rising artist. However that’s Johnnie, whose deeply confessional lyrics additionally completely reverberate these loopy, anxious (however hopeful, at all times gotta be hopeful!) occasions.
You possibly can observe him at…
https://www.instagram.com/johnniemikel
https://www.johnniemikel.com/
-by Jonathan Widran
In regards to the Creator: Jonathan Widran is a veteran music journalist and public relations and enterprise author who will be reached by way of his assessment weblog The JW Vibe (www.jwvibe.com).
