We were lucky to catch up with Mikey Wells recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Mikey thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
As a young child, I was always intrigued by ambient sounds and movie soundtrack music. Whether it was the sound that leaves make while a breeze is blowing through them, crickets chirping on a warm summer night or a cinematic score to a movie, I was always amazed by it. I started to experiment with music on a keyboard my sister owned when she wasn’t using it for school. I started to play tunes that were familiar to me and eventually taught myself how to fully play with both hands.
I didn’t really know what I was doing until I joined my middle school band. That is where I had my first lesson in reading music. I started off in the percussion section of the band where I learned rhythms, and eventually keys and notes as required on the bells. I was able to apply this to what I was doing at home and eventually caught on to being able to read sheet music I would purchase at music stores.
I started to get bored with just playing on the keyboard and explored how to record it to cassettes. I would record so many songs and then I would start to sing to my recordings. I guess you can say this was when I first started to realize that I was producing my own music. Mind you, I am still in 7th grade or so at this point. Soon after, I started to do more singing. I had many friends who also sang and I would hang out with them on weekends and we would sing all day long and record ourselves on karaoke machines. I have listened to some old recordings and oh man, I was pretty terrible. I was not that star child you read and hear about that can do miraculous things, vocally. I had to really practice at this. This led into high school where I started to take it more seriously. I stayed in band, but I would sing in a group outside of school. I lost interest in band and joined the choir in my junior year and finished in my senior year. I grew in this craft and wanted to take another shot at recording my own music.
I started to produce music on free trials of production softwares and really made some nice stuff. I started to produce music for close friends of mine who happened to share this passion with me and also for myself. We had such an amazing time with this and have made memorable content. It wasn’t great, quality-wise, but the experience is what made it great to us.
Once I started college, I remained diligent about creating. I took some music theory and improvisation courses which allowed me to grow and gain a little more exposure. By this time, I was ready to start performing. I made it my mission to sing at clubs, bars, quinceneras, birthday parties, weddings, funerals, baptisms etc., and did not take “no” for an answer. To this day, I cannot believe I had that much drive when I wasn’t even that good. I do laugh at myself on the inside but, the reality is, that it made me really force myself to be the best I can be.
A good friend of mine and I auditioned for a reality show in 2008 which was produced by a major network and we passed the auditions. I was so excited and believed this would be our big break! We had the amazing experience of being flown out to Los Angeles to film the show with a celebrity host, all celebrity cast and other amazing contestants. We made a huge impact, but eventually did not make it to the final round. We did go a long way though!
I knew at this point, I had it in me to pursue this dream of mine. However, I started to do well at work and that slowly started to take over my life and I didn’t have much time for music. I stopped performing, singing, producing and eventually lost the interest. I tried to start up once again then I experienced a computer crash and lost every single thing I had ever created. It was a difficult time for me and I lost all motivation to start over.
Fast forward 10 years to 2020 and a significant person in my life had enough faith in me to help me get started all over again. I was gifted some equipment to start producing and eventually gifted another system to start recording again! I had absolutely no excuse whatsoever to not make music. The really amazing thing about starting over is that my skills had actually improved. I guess my ear over the course of 10 years had matured along with my vocal abilities that I have made the best music I have ever made. Since then, I have even been able to publicly release my first ever EP entitled “Phases” along with a number of singles available on all major streaming platforms. I do not know what I would even be up to had someone not had the faith in me that they did. I am forever grateful. I am back in the game along with a new endeavor of practicing Real Estate!
Mikey , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am known as a recording artist but what most people may not know yet is that I, in fact, produce my own music and write my own lyrics and I am also a licensed REALTOR in Texas! I am able to apply what I create musically into my advertising for my Real Estate business, as well. I have collaborated with other producers and songwriters on the projects I have released but what sets me apart and what I am most proud of is my ability to do all of these things on my own. I create my own videos and all other promotional content. I am a one man show! Mikey Wells is a brand of musical artistry and Real Estate.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
Often times, there tends to be a lack of support from non-creatives. I have learned that we are often seen as “lesser” than others because of what they feel is a lack of being based in reality. We as creatives do realize that bills have to be paid and nothing is free. At this point, I cannot solely rely on my crafts to sustain the life I want. I do have to work to support myself. I do feel a bit judged at times when I put music on a list of priorities as if it is just some fantasy that will never happen. The thing is, I am making it happen. I have been contracted and paid to create content for other artists and creatives and I am also producing music for a new TV series that will soon be announced. I am never just sitting back and doing nothing. I wish there was more time in the day to juggle everything so there will “appear” to be more consistency, but to think that we are “not busy” is simply inaccurate. In 2022, I resigned from a popular fortune 200 company where I was making a very decent living. That “career” somehow became one of the darkest and most stressful times in my adult life. I wish to never experience that level of toxicity ever again. I chose to be happy and less stressed even if it came to making less money. I know some day soon, I will be able to rely on my gifts and talents full time to support the lifestyle I truly deserve.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
One of the challenges I face is that the friends and family of artists and creatives are most likely the very last ones to show support. I get more love and support from complete strangers and people I don’t even know than I do from most of my own friends and family. I think this is where some of us actually lose faith in ourselves. They say it all starts in the family or at home, right? Well I happen to have a mother, sister, niece, partner and just a few more friends and family who have been extremely supportive. Society can start by supporting those in their family who happen to be walking a similar path. It really makes such a difference when people believe in you. Each person in my life that has believed in me has resulted in something quite magical from going hollywood, producing for a tv show, making and releasing music, to even financing some of the endeavors. Not all support is the same, but even sharing a post can make all the difference.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/mikeywells33?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=5a4f57f5-b2c2-4e19-b86d-50ffc267a0df
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikeywells33/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mike.wells.395
- Other: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/mikey-wells/1607177189 https://open.spotify.com/artist/36LYjmyJF6k6cD5vz0iAUa?si=OcuzJGkGT-2vtKf5ojXygg https://www.harvestagents.com/
Image Credits
Taylor Michelle