Izzy Hunter
We all know his voice from TikTok, but his raw and beautifully unique songs bring a whole new level to Michael Aldag. After releasing his brand new track Ghosted, Izzy Hunter sat down with the singer and songwriter after a live session on the University of Nottingham campus to discuss all things music, social media, and live shows.
“I started singing when I was seven years old, I had a solo in the nativity as a shepherd singing Silent Night.” Aldag explained as he described his musical journey to where he is today. “From there I joined choirs and by the age of 14 I started writing my own stuff- and producing by the age of 16. I just want to keep making music and writing songs!” Aldag laughed, reminiscing on his time in youth choirs and his very first gigs.
Ghosted is about social media and about the difference between people in real life and online
When asked about his two recent tracks, Ghosted and Tonsillitis, Aldag explained the meaning behind each and the moments that inspired the sounds. “Tonsillitis is a very sad song, which is about a break up I had over a year ago,” he stated, followed by a laugh and reassurance that “it’s all good now!” He continued, “That was a very personal song that I wrote at the end of lockdown, but then Ghosted is a lot more upbeat and that’s why I wanted to release it after [Tonsillitis] as I didn’t want people to think I only make miserable ‘funeral march’ music!”
Even when discussing topics of heartbreak and emotional vulnerability in his music, Aldag’s witty and charismatic personality shines through. “Ghosted is about social media and about the difference between people in real life and online, all about how we portray ourselves. I say that [message] through a narrative of me getting pied off by a girl, which I feel is a common theme through a lot of my songs!”
I’ve got a lot to thank TikTok in particular for
On the topic of social media, Aldag has sky rocketed to TikTok fame with his comedy videos. With around 650,000 followers on TikTok alone, Aldag’s platform is continuing to grow every day. When asked about his social media presence in relation to his music, Aldag stated: “It’s given me a big platform to get the support I have now, without it I don’t know where I’d be! I’m sure I’d still be making music but it’s definitely helped so much. I’ve got a lot to thank TikTok in particular for.”
He continued to describe his journey to fame on social media; “It happened by accident, I was just on the app trying to promote my music but the first videos that started doing well and gaining traction were my comedy videos. I’m always working to introduce people to my music and see if they like it.”
The 1975, Bastille, and The Killers are Aldag’s “biggest three” when it comes to inspirations for his unique sound. “I love synths, so a lot of my music is synth based. I saw The 1975 and The Killers live and I just thought ‘Wow’. That’s when I really started to write and produce my own stuff. They definitely shaped a lot of how I wanted to sound.” He goes on to add, “Bastille too, I want to try and copy his voice a lot in my music, but obviously he does it better than me!”
Recently, Aldag embarked on some huge live shows, including a headline show in London and with BBC Introducing. “It’s nuts, really cool, so different as well! Just seeing so many people, obviously most of my songs were written in lockdown and then coming out and being able to play them to everyone, I just can’t understate how good that feels! It really reminds you why you started making music in the first place, and it’s really good.”
The things I’m writing now are a lot more reflective of who I am
The future is looking especially bright for Aldag, as he continues to flourish through his music. When asked about where he sees his sound in the next year, Aldag stated; “I just want to keep writing and keep developing really. I feel like a lot of my songs that are out now, I wrote over a year ago, so I’ve definitely grown as a person since then. The things I’m writing now are a lot more reflective of who I am, so I’d like to start releasing more regularly so people can be up to date.” Reflecting on the industry as a whole, Aldag continued; “I guess that’s the nature of music, it’s always going to be a bit behind what you’re feeling!”
It’s obvious that Aldag pours his heart into his music, and is soaring through his musical journey with each new release. We can’t wait to see what the future holds.
Izzy Hunter
Featured image courtesy of Chuff Media. Permission to use granted to Impact. No changes were made to this image.
In-article images courtesy of @michael.aldag via @instagram.com. No changes were made to these images.
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