Micayl – PRESHOW RITUALS

In this Preshow Rituals segment, the electro pop, Micayl, reveals what he does before taking the stage. You can check out the rituals, after the break.

Playing shows, regardless the amount of people I’m playing for, is kind of the crème de la crème when it comes to this job. It’s where everything you have been crafting and finessing for months gets to have a new life, one free from perfection. Since I spent a huge bulk of my creative life on the attention to detail and hours on picking the right snare drum sound, this is something I try to channel and focus on the most before I step on stage – it’s live, this does not need to be flawless!

Ever since I can remember, I have been super self-conscious about my voice, which is why I spent most of my time and focus before a show warming it up properly. My vocal coach would certainly slaughter me for saying this but to quote the legend that is Daniel Caesar: (I’m paraphrasing here) ‘Locate the highest note you are going to be sining that night – then go ahead and scream it at the top of your lungs for a couple of minutes, this should do plenty’.

Now, I wish I could be this cool, but the reality is, I spent about a good half hour going over scales and songs I know with my eyes closed, the ones you meant to be able to pull out on a random party when you’re asked to ‘show some of your stuff’. This is partly from my own catalogue, but also soul classics like Stevie, Ray or Chet. Also: Drink. A. Lot. Of. Water.

For a number of years now, I’ve been dealing with a chronic tendonitis injury in both my arms, so this requires me to really warm up my whole body and go through lots of stretching exercises to prevent further damage. I should probably use this opportunity to advice every musician to do this kind of warm up pre-emptively, cause I’m telling you, you definitely don’t wanna deal with this type of thing. Weirdly enough we’re all just excepted to roll out the tour bus, plug in and play a 2 hour set without considering the strain this has on our body – well, all I can say is there is nothing cool or rock ’n roll about chronic pain my friends.

Last thing I do is remind myself that this is the coolest and best job in the world and I’m just going to go out and enjoy every ounce of it, because you never know how long it might last. And then, obviously, I go and enchant hearts and/or tear the house down, whatever is expected.

Keep up with him on Facebook, Instagram and his website.