Q: Hi Michael! I love the vibe of “I’m done falling”; your vocals, lyrics, and catchy instrumental are all amazing. What was your favorite part of creating this track?
MICHAEL GIRGIS: I would say I have two favorite moments from the recording process. The first one is that lead line you hear at the start of the song. I knew I wanted to create something to catch the listener’s ear, so I combined my guitar and my voice to make that unique sound that really only I would notice. The second thing is recording the drums with my friend Josh (AKA Galaxy Shores). He was the one to suggest a halftime groove at the end of the song to give a different variation to the chorus that you’ve already heard twice.
Q: From the lyrics, I’m assuming this song is based on a real-life event. What was the inspiration behind “I’m done falling’?
MICHAEL: Yeah, it was based on a real-life event. I, just like a lot of people, have been in a good amount of very toxic relationships. Some of those left a big impact on my life and it wasn’t until I wrote this song that I started to realize the deep hurt that I haven’t really processed. I don’t remember why I chose to write about my experiences with toxic relationships, but I do remember wanting to write a song about finally getting over someone. To me, finally getting over someone was realizing that I was finally done letting them take up real estate in my head. And that’s where i’m done falling came out of.
Q: I’m always intrigued by musicians’ journey to where they are now. Do you remember at what age you decided to delve into the music world/what first made you fall in love with music?
MICHAEL: I’ve been singing since I was a little kid. I grew up in a multicultural house and half of my family is Filipino, so karaoke played a huge role in my music journey. But I didn’t start taking music seriously until 2019. I had taught myself guitar when I was 15 but I was mostly just doing cover songs and singing in church. But for some reason, in 2019, I started writing my own music. And, I’ll be honest, it was bad, but it was the start of me getting into production and songwriting.
Q: If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only have three albums with you, which would they be?
MICHAEL: For sure “Hand of God” by Jon Bellion, “love is not dying” by Jeremy Zucker, and “+” by Ed Sheeran.
Q: Can you walk me through the writing process of “i’m done falling” (and what your writing process usually involves)?
MICHAEL: It started out with that lead line I was talking about in that other question. Usually, my songwriting process is just me and my guitar and I’ll come up with lyrics first, and then dive into production and finding cool sounds and samples. But, this time, the lyrics came last. It was a weird experience for sure just because it was something I wasn’t used to. But I think it helped the writing process so much more because I was able to match the lyrics to the feel of the instrumental. I wrote the chorus first and worked out the lyrics from there. Once I recorded the chorus vocals and did the background vocals, I had a good feeling about the song.
Q: Being an up-and-coming artist who has already created a loyal fanbase, what advice do you have for other artists trying to get their names out there?
MICHAEL: Don’t waste your money on marketing, ads, or even bot streams just to reach a number. Yes, numbers feel great at the moment, but there’s an even better feeling when your die-hard fans message you about how your song made them feel something. Engage with your fans and create content you want to make, not what’ll blow up. Once you learn how to stay true to yourself, the right people will be drawn to you.
Q: Hopping off of the previous questions, what is the best advice about the music industry you’ve received?
MICHAEL: One of my friends once told me I was making mediocre music that no one would want to listen to and he was right. I was making music I thought people would like instead of making music that I would like. Because I didn’t even like the music I was making. So out of that conversation came one of my favorite songs I’ve put out “Friend Zone”.
Q: Thanks for speaking with me today! Tell everyone to read what exciting projects are coming up for you in 2023!
MICHAEL: Along with “i’m done falling”, my debut album, “made in LA” is out now on all streaming platforms. It’s a concept album that follows the story of my life up until now. It deals with love, friendships, family, loss of loved ones, and mental health stuff. No upcoming releases are scheduled at the moment but I’m working on being more consistent with releasing this year.
Interviewed by Melissa Cusano
FOLLOW MICHAEL GIRGIS:
