CMA World Within Music
interview+photography by Jorge Perezchica
Dive into the musical soundscape of Mike Lavish, an artist who blends hip hop, rock, and grunge, creating a unique narrative inspired by the lifestyle of the desert. Imagine Guns N Roses, Nirvana, and Drake converging in a sonic realm, and you get Mike Lavish—with a twist directed by Quentin Tarantino.
Despite his Bay Area roots, Mike Lavish’s trajectory took an unexpected turn with a transformative summer vacation that anchored him in the Coachella Valley. This shift not only shaped his identity but also laid the foundation for his distinctive artistic expression. During his youth, music became a refuge as Mike Lavish fused poetry and instrumentals in high school, gradually evolving into a multifaceted blend mirroring the desert’s surroundings. His music isn’t just a playback; it’s a canvas that vividly paints scenes, inviting listeners into a world that springs to life in their imagination.
Beneath the music’s surface lies a narrative shaped by his personal trials and tribulations. From the challenges of constant relocation to grappling with bullying and ultimately making the pivotal decision to drop out of high school, his adversities became teachable moments, building strength and forging an authentic, unfiltered approach to storytelling. Through his music, Mike Lavish offers a reflection of life’s ups and downs, resonating with audiences navigating their own struggles.
The recent release of his single “Turbulence” peels back new layers of Mike Lavish’s artistry. This track introduces a fusion of rock and hip hop, incorporating trap beats, live drums, and a prominent guitar lead—a unique composition that defines the “Mike Lavish special of music.”
In three succinct words, Mike Lavish describes himself as energetic, grungy, and a rockstar. Through his music, he aims to deliver a message of resilience, assuring his audience that they’re not alone in their struggles.
Read on for our interview with Mike Lavish.
Coachella Magazine: Can you introduce yourself and tell us about your background in music?
Mike Lavish: I make hip hop/rap infused with rock and roll and grunge. I’m really inspired by a lot of different bands, rappers and hip hop artists of all different types. Just to name a few: Guns N Roses, I would say Nirvana, one of my favorite bands. There’s a newer band called Turnstile that I really like. Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osborne. Then rappers like Drake, Kendrick, Travis Scott, Kid Cudi, Kanye West — put all those music artists in a blender and you’re gonna get me with a twist directed by Quentin Tarantino. That’s kind of like my elevator pitch.
I’m really inspired by Tarantino films. And within my music, I really try to create a world within its own. So I like to add a lot of different sound effects and soundscapes. If you were listening to one of my albums that I have coming out, if you close your eyes, you can picture everything going on around you.
I was writing poetry when I was in high school, and eventually, I would read my poetry to instrumentals that I downloaded. And I realized that I was kind of rapping. Then, I started formatting my writing into songs more than poems. And ever since, I’ve just been evolving and just finding myself as an artist.
CM: Have you always been a solo artist, or were you ever in a band?
ML: I’ve always been a solo artist. I really want to get a band to back me when I release my projects, ’cause it’s gonna really bring that band inspiration to life that I have. But I’m a part of a music collective from the desert called Caspian Pink. And it’s a collective of different solo artists, producers, sample makers, photographers, videographers, and together we all help each other create music and art.
CM: How does your music reflect the local culture of Coachella Valley?
ML: I make a lot of references to things in the desert, things that I do. I feel it’s just a big part of my inspiration, because this is where I found myself as an artist in Coachella Valley. And I just really like to be inspired by the desert landscape. My music, all of my music takes place at nighttime, in the world that I created. Everything’s at night. So I really like to go out to the desert at nighttime, sometimes take a walk by the cross in Palm Desert, and just get inspiration from the nighttime in the desert.
Facing Adversity, Forging Strength
CM: What was your experience like growing up in the desert?
ML: I was actually born in San Jose, California in the Bay Area, but I moved here when I graduated eighth grade in Northern California. I came here for summer vacation and then I ended up just having to stay here, not by choice. And I ended up really loving the desert, but I always moved around my whole life, so it wasn’t always easy to find friends. But the friends I did have were really good friends. It was really hard for me growing up here in high school, because I was bullied a lot. I had a lot of bullies from all different types of factions of people and kids. And I ended up dropping outta high school, because I couldn’t focus on my schoolwork, because there was always a bully trying to catch me slipping outside of class or trying to jump me out on the bus.
I don’t know why people just didn’t like me ’cause I was different, dressed different, you know? But eventually, you just learn from that. You become a stronger person. And here I am. I don’t feel like dropping out has held me back at all in life. I feel like I’m on my career path, I don’t need a diploma for anything. Everything I do is self-taught.
CM: Do you play any instruments?
ML: Yeah, I play the bass guitar. I’m learning the acoustic and electric, it’s a little harder ’cause it’s more notes and more strings, it’s really hard on your fingers in general playing guitar. My next goal is to learn how to play drums. I really love the drums.
CM: As an artist, what challenges do you face building your a name and reputation?
ML: I haven’t released a lot of music. I’ve been just kind of honing my craft and trying to find that sound that I feel is truly me…So holding back for so many years from releasing all of the music I have, was really difficult. And just finding yourself and your sound and perfecting your process has been such a journey. And I’m glad now, that I actually waited, because I’m so in love with the music that I’m making now.
A Desert’s Influence
CM: Do you attend the Coachella festival every year?
ML: I love to go to the music festival. My first one was actually in 2011. Kanye West was a headliner when he was performing his my Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy album, I believe. And yeah, I kind of snuck into that one.
CM: What is your favorite performance at Coachella?
ML: Man, it’s so hard to say. I think maybe one of the most memorable performances I witnessed was, well, first of all, seeing Dr. Dre and Tupac. That was crazy. Remember the Tupac hologram? That was really memorable. One of my favorites was getting to see Kid Cudi for the first time there. He gave a really cool speech. I felt really inspired by his words. I got to see Eminem, that was one of my favorite rappers growing up. I think I’ve seen every one of my favorite artist live performing. So it was really fun. I loved going to the festival every year. Usually I would car camp, get down and dirty camping for four days on the festival grounds is a lot of fun.
CM: Is there anything specific about festivals that influenced your live performances?
ML: I think I will say this, you know, the Desert Trip festival. The three-day festival with all the old rock star legends like Rolling Stones, The Who, Neil Young, Bob Dylan. I went to both Desert Trips weekends and I went to that show thinking like, yeah, “I want to be a rapper.” And by the end of that show I said, “I want to be a rock star.” Because I was so inspired by these bands and these guys like Jagger just performing that stage at his age and still absolutely killing, it was so much more inspiring to me than like any rapper could be. And that’s what kind of really made me shift into wanting to be more inclusive of rock in my music.
CM: What role does the Coachella Valley play in your creative process and overall artistic identity?
ML: I really embrace the desert lifestyle. It’s hot, it’s dirty. There’s a lot of great bands. And seeing a lot of those bands has also inspired me too, to go more in the band direction as well. But no matter where I go in life, no matter how big or popular I get, no matter where I end up moving to — I’ll forever say that Coachella Valley’s my home. I’ll never forget it. I’m not gonna move to LA and just say, I’m from LA now. It’s not, ’cause my heart and soul’s here in the desert, and that’ll always be within my music.
CM: Are there sufficient venues in the desert for artists to showcase their talent and perform on stage?
ML: I feel like it’s growing.
CM: How have you seen the local music scene evolve?
ML: I’ve seen it evolve a lot. I remember when it was just dive bars and The Date Shed. But now we have people throwing different cool events. I think one of my favorite venues, quote unquote venues and events is Desert Underground. It’s put on by a guy named Coachella Angel (Angel Chavez). He’s @coachellaangel, that’s his handle on Instagram. And he was inspired by the lack of a stage for artists and also inspired by Coachella Festival to make his own local experience, by locals for locals and anybody else that wants to come and enjoy it. So I think Desert Underground is my favorite venue/event to perform at. I was blessed enough to perform at the very first Desert Underground and it was a lot of fun, and I just performed at the most recent one that they had.
“Turbulence”: Unveiling New Layers
CM: You recently released the single “Turbulence.” Could you provide insight into the inspiration behind your latest music and what motivated its creation?
ML: “Turbulence” was inspired by going through pain in life, but being like, “I’m just gonna have fun. I’m gonna turn up and I’m just gonna enjoy life anyways.” And so that’s where I made Turbulence, from those feelings. There’s a line where I say, “Life was getting rough, made it through the turbulence.” Like, life gets hard, but you gotta make it through the turbulence at some point.
CM: How is Turbulence different than your previous music?
ML: It’s different because this is the first song that I’ve released that incorporates that rock and hip hop element to it. It’s got trap. It’s got big 808s, but it also has live drums and percussion mixed in. And it also has a guitar as the lead. So it’s kind of like the “Michael Lavish special of music.” And so this is the beginning of that direction. That’s what I think separates it from a lot of the past music I’ve made.
CM: In the process of crafting a song, do you think about how it will resonate with your audience?
ML: I try to be somewhat conscious of what people are gonna think and how they receive it, but I never ever let that dictate what I make, because ideally, I’m making music that I want to hear in the world. I’m making the music that I love. I listen to my music on repeat so much. And it’s not because I’m like full of myself or anything, it’s because I just genuinely love the music I make. So when I start a song like Turbulence, I finish the beat, I put it in Pro Tools, I put the mic on, and then I just started free-styling. And what ended up becoming was Turbulence, the first lines that came to me was like, I was feeling a little kind of not heartbroken, but just kind of, not the best, you know?
So this song’s about singing all your problems. I’m gonna go on vacation and just live it up. And I feel like for the audience, it’s a song that they can just kind of like forget about their problems and just still have fun, but know that you can still get through whatever you’re going through and enjoy your life.
CM: What about you stage name Mike Lavish, how did that come about?
ML: My first name’s Mike, and the Lavish, if you look up the definition of lavish, it means abundance, generous. There’s like the extravagant definition where it’s talking about luxury and things of that nature. But I feel like, I embrace more the abundance and generosity. So, when you think lavish, like Palm Springs or the lifestyle, and don’t get me wrong, I’m striving to have a lavish lifestyle, you know, just like everybody in the world. Like that’s the end goal. But I really embrace the struggle. So I get down and dirty and I really love the grunge of life. It’s not always about just lavish, you know? So it’s kind of like a juxtaposition.
CM: Can you share the feelings and connection you experience while performing live for an audience?
ML: I feel like I truly become alive when I’m on stage. I just love performing, I like to actually express that music live. A lot of the times when I’m making music, I think about how it’s gonna translate when I’m performing live. So I really like to be interactive with the audience. I like to talk to them, rile ’em up, build them up to a song or something like that.
I have this song coming out soon called “Gimme the Stemi.” And every time I perform it, people love to start mosh pits because it’s just so high energy and people just like to lose their minds to it, you know? So I like to really connect with the audience and talk to them and inspire them when I can, as well as just, be an entertainer, because that’s what this is, that’s what I do. I’m an entertainer at the end of the day, so I gotta be entertaining.
CM: And you never get stage fright?
ML: I don’t get stage fright, but I usually get a little nervous before shows. But that’s because I care. And anytime I’m a nervous in any situation, I just tell myself that I’m excited because it’s the same feeling. So I feel like the day that you are not nervous before a show, that’s the day you just don’t really care anymore. Or maybe you’re just so comfortable with what you do, but I think it’s good to be nervous before something like that.
AI and The Future
CM: What are your thoughts on incorporating AI technology into music? Do you see it as a useful tool or something to avoid, and how do you feel about its role in music creation?
ML: I think AI has its place in music. It definitely does. It just depends on how you use it. AI has actually been around in music for a lot longer than people think. Like there’s music programs that use AI to help you create patterns. Like Autotune is based off of an algorithm that helps regulate the notes of your vocals, and then there’s the more extreme AI now where you have those songs where it sounds like Drake, but it’s not, it’s just AI, you know?
But I think that AI can have a really cool place in the music industry. Like, for example, songwriters, people that write music for other artists, usually what they do is they write a song and then they’ll send a what’s called a reference to that artist, where it’s them, the songwriter records their vocals and then sends it to the artist, and then the artist will re-record the same way. But with AI, the songwriter can record the vocals and then use AI to make it sound exactly like that big artist. And so now, it’s even easier for that big artist to hear the reference and record it a certain way because it’s literally in their voice. And I wouldn’t be surprised if some big artist would hear one of those references and just say, “Hey, that’s good. Just like that. It sounds just like me and how I would say it. So I’ll release it like that.” So I think AI definitely has its place in the industry. It’s just gonna change the rules and laws a little bit. That’s all
CM: And somebody else could take your voice and create a Mike Lavish song too?
ML: Yeah, they could, but I’m gonna need my percentage. <Laugh>
CM: I read that Paul McCartney is releasing another Beatles song using AI to revive John Lennon’s voice.
ML: Dang, yeah. He really could do that. Or I feel like it’s a touchy subject for a lot of bands or artists, you know, because some of those people aren’t here anymore. But we could make new Nirvana music because we don’t have Kurt anymore and we could write a song that we think Kurt might write and then make Nirvana type music or like Dave Grohl and Kris (Novoselic) could get together and do that. But I doubt that would happen. But it’s possible.
CM: But the genie’s kind of already out of the bottle.
ML: Yeah. It’s just a matter how are you going to use that. There’s people really using it as a tool and then there’s other people abusing it, you know? But the genie is out the bottle, like you said.
CM: How do you envision your future in five to 10 years?
ML: Have some plaques hanging on the wall. Have have some tours under my belt. You know, definitely have a lot of success in my music career and inspire people. I don’t do this because I want to be famous. I do this, because I just genuinely love music. Fame is a byproduct of just becoming successful at something you love no matter what it is. And so, I don’t care about the money, I don’t care about the fame. Like I said, it’s just a byproduct. So I really just hope to be successful. And on a global scale, in five to 10 years.
CM: If you were to attain fame and fortune, how would you make use of it?
ML: I would definitely take care of my family first, you know. Help out my friends that have always been there for me. I’ve got friends that have been there for me when I was in my darkest moments, and I’ll never forget the people that were there for me in my darkest moments, and I’m gonna make sure to take care of them once I get there.
And I also want to do good things. I want to give back to the community. I want to help inspire people. I would love to eventually open up my own music venue, or create programs for music in the desert for adults and kids like me that want to make music, but don’t have a way to do it.
CM: What message do you aim to deliver to your audience through your music?
ML: I want people to realize that they’re not always alone with their struggles. I’m releasing a lot of high energetic banger, rage music, where you just kind of party. But most of my music that will release eventually is about the pain and struggles I’ve been through. And I want people to not feel alone going through heartbreak, going through depression, life’s struggles. I want them to know they can get through it and make the soundtrack to their life, if you will. You know, something where they’re feeling sad and down. They could put on a Mike Lavish song, something where they’re feeling excited and happy, they could put on a Mike Lavish song and turn up, you know? So I want to make something for everybody.
CM: How would you describe yourself in three words?
ML: Energetic, Grungy, and Rockstar.
Beyond Music: A Creative Spectrum
CM: I notice you do photography at local events. Is that another creative outlet?
ML: Yeah, I’ve always had a love for photography and so I just kind of do it for fun. I would always do photography for my friends when they perform. Some of my friends that model, I’ll shoot them too. And you know, now I make a little bit of money shooting other different people.
CM: Are you interested in working more behind the scenes and producing music?
ML: A hundred percent. I really am looking forward to producing for more artists, aside for myself, mixing and mastering for more artists. You know, just in the background while I’m doing the music thing, ’cause being a music artist is always gonna be my number one. But everything else associated with music, I like to be involved in one form or another.
A Message of Resilience
CM: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned since starting your music journey?
ML: Always be true to yourself and don’t try to be like everybody else. Find your own voice, your own vision and stick with it. And most of all, don’t care what people think. I’ve had times where people try to tell me like, “Don’t do this, don’t do that.” Just follow your own gut. Trust yourself.
CM: Is there’s anything else you want to add that we haven’t mentioned?
ML: Let’s say, shout out to everybody that supports me as an artist. Everyone that shows love. I’m really thankful for everybody streaming my music and helping me share it. You can’t do this alone as an artist. Your audience and your fan base is actually what blows you up, not necessarily yourself. So I’m really thankful for the people that are riding with me and my day-one fans. It means a lot to me. Shout out to my team. Shout out to Kid Capone. Shout out to Spaceboy Uno, Joy Road, Jonesy and Jaeyln, Cassian Pink. And also shout out to Coachella Magazine.
WEB: mikelavish.com
SOCIAL: @mikelavish