Q: We notice you are a multi-instrumental as well as a singer-songwriter. What instruments do you play and how does that help your songwriting and influence the music you make?
MICHAEL LANZA: My main instruments are the Violin & Saxophone. They are both lead instruments so I think they help a lot when it comes to writing pop songs. I fall back to my experience playing violin a lot of the time when I’m writing vocal melodies. I also play Guitar, Drums & Bass and that has made me able to produce a lot of different genres.
Q: Scoring a spot on the Billboard’s Dance chart is an impressive feat along with having your song on “Keeping Up With the Kardashians”. You have quite the future ahead of you, how did those opportunities present themselves?
MICHAEL: Thank you! Both of those achievements happened because I was prepared for the opportunity. A music supervisor working on KUWTK really liked the song and offered a placement in the season finale. The Billboard Chart presented itself because I had the right team in place and my fans have been so supportive. You just have to be ready for opportunities, otherwise they will all slip away.
Q: Who inspired you to make music?
MICHAEL: Ed Sheeran & The Weeknd were the ones who inspired me to start writing songs. I also feel really inspired when I watch my dad Steve Lanza & my Uncle Craig Fletcher play together on stage. They really know how to warm up a room and get people paying attention to the stage. My next challenge is becoming a great live performer so I’ve been finding most of my inspiration in live music settings lately.
Q:You racked up over 44,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, and are on endless playlists. How does it feel and what are your goals moving forward?
MICHAEL: It feels great, I’m happy that so many people are connecting with my music and taking the time to explore my catalog. My next goal is finishing the second album, which I’ve been locked in the studio working on, and playing more live shows now that venues are re-opening.
Q: What is coming up next for you?
MICHAEL: I have a bunch of collaborative songs coming out with some talented friends over the next few months, and the first single from my sophomore album coming later this year.
Q: What would you like to tell your supporters out there?
MICHAEL: I want my supporters to know how much I love them! I have a lot of new music on the way and live performances planned. 😉
Interviewed by Stephanie Pankewich
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