Mikalyn started songwriting at the age of 6. Now, she’s 16 and has released 3 albums. This girl is unstoppable! We spoke with Mikalyn Hay to learn more about her goals and dreams.
Y: Hey, Mikalyn! Congratulations! Your track was chosen by our expert Don Grierson, who also discovered Céline Dion!
MH: Thank you!
Y: So, Don discovered Céline, and Don discovered you. Céline is Canadian, and so are you. Coincidence? Maybe not! 😉 Are you ready for a big career boost?
MH: I definitely feel as though I’m ready. I know I want music to be my long term career, and I would use the momentum to boost my social media. I’m also planning to release an album in 2019.
Y: Your motivation is impressive!
MH: I am having a blast and I know that success sometimes consists of a boring daily grind. At the same time, I have long-terms goals. I keep pushing myself to improve and work toward my goals.
Y: What are you currently doing apart from songwriting?
MH: I’m 16, so I am currently in school (Guelph, Canada). However, on a daily basis, I am doing music, specifically writing songs and singing, doing gigs, and recording as much music as I can.
Y: What was the first song you wrote?
MH: The first song I ever wrote was “Avery’s Song”, I wrote it when I was 9. It was a birthday gift to my childhood best friend, Avery. She was born prematurely and had a slim chance of survival, so I wrote about her. I’ve been taking piano lessons for years and writing “songs” since age 6. But this was the first one that I selected chords and wrote the lyrics, and recorded it with a proper microphone.
Y: What do you think about our platform? Is it artist-friendly?
MH: Everything about the platform is clear, in my opinion. I like it, and I feel it is easy to use and accessible for everyone. I think that with anything new coming to the market — once things get past the tipping point, everyone will head over, check it out, and get involved.
Y: What is more valuable to you — community support or expert’s help?
MH: Both are important to me for different reasons. Community support matters to me because when the community likes your song, it helps the song succeed, and also lets me know that my song is resonating with the audience. Experts’ help is also beneficial because they can give guidance and help your song become a hit. They can also notice the songs that slip through the cracks — the ones that are diamonds in the rough.
Y: So true! Have you ever performed live? How was it?
MH: I perform live all the time and have been doing it since I was 11. I’m super comfortable on stage. It’s one of my favourite places to be and I love it.
Y: What does it mean for you to become successful in the music industry?
MH: Success in the music industry is my career goal. I define success as being able to make an income doing what I love. Success for me would be growing a fan base to the point where I can do a tour and have fans in every city. I would love to have hit songs in the United States and, one day, move to Los Angeles — doesn’t everyone? 😉
Y: Keep going, Mikalyn! Your track “Gone” has already raised 20,881 YNK Bucks and reached its Soft Cap! This is fantastic news! We can’t wait to see Mikalyn grow with Younk! Stay tuned!
