Michael Medrano: "Life’s too short to pretend you’re not a Swiftie" | My Life In 20
12 January 2021, 16:00
Disco dad Michael Medrano reveals all in My Life In 20.
Remember that time when people used to go out and dance in close proximity with other humans until they were completely drench with sweat? *sigh*
It might feel like 84 years have passed since then but fear not because Michael Medrano is here to help with your withdrawals.
The LA-based songwriter has a thing for late night escapades, fleeting romances and dirty discos. A year ago, Michael's music would have been the perfect accompaniment to these activities but now, in this new context of pandemic lockdown, his rapidly increasing stack of bops is like taking a magic carpet ride in your mind back to the party. Just like a good novel can take you back to any moment in time, Michael Medrano will transport you back to the dance floor in a way few others can.
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Michael Medrano x Dance Yourself Clean - Sugar (Audio Visualizer)
Michael has been steadily building a niche and loyal following by documenting his journey on the LA nightlife and WeHo scene. His biggest breakthrough so far came in 2019 with the release of ‘Fluids’, a rambunctious disco-pop jam about shifting sexual preferences. The song was praised for its positive and joyous celebration of fluid sexuality, and it has gone on to gain over 700k streams on Spotify alone. Michael now has over 50,000 monthly listeners (the Medranhoes, as he likes to call them) which is a truly remarkable feat for an independent artist with almost zero playlist support or label.
Michael’s latest single, ‘Sugar’, a collaboration with Dance Yourself Clean, is another slice of pure pop escapism, this time finding Michael teasing the details of a secret affair with a mystery man ("let's keep it sleazy, no strings attached...that's how we do it down in Hollywood"). We'd pay good money for a DJ to play this track on our first night of freedom.
To celebrate the release of 'Sugar', we asked Michael to answer our My Life in 20 questions and we found out all about his teen crush on Twilight's Taylor Lautner, why he's a fully-fledged Swiftie, and his dream dinner party guests. Take it away, Michael...
20) Describe 2020 in a word.
Bittersweet.
19) What was your favourite album from 2019?
Lover by Taylor Swift. It perfectly encapsulates the feeling of being blissfully and completely in love. Also, life’s too short to pretend you’re not a Swiftie.
18) What was the most important thing to happen in your life when you were 18?
I decided to take a year off of college right after my Grandma passed away. I think it ended up giving me the clarity that I needed and set the stage for what I’m doing now.
17) Who was your crush at 17?
Taylor Lautner. It’s self-explanatory. 🔥 Also, we had a cardboard cut out of him at my school. Don’t ask why.
16) What can you remember about your 16th birthday?
I grew up in a household that didn’t celebrate holidays or birthdays, so my memory is foggy. I think my friends brought gifts to school though!
15) What did you hate at 15 which you love now?
Ironically, Disco. 🕺🏽💃🏽 Though I don’t think I ever actually hated it ('Forget Me Nots' by Patrice Rushen has been one of my favourite songs since childhood), I just didn’t wanna share a common interest with my dad at the time! 😂
14) What TV show were you obsessed with at 14?
I don’t think I was very into TV back then, I spent most of my time composing music or on YouTube. Probably watching Jenna Marbles or Charlie the Unicorn. 🤷🏽♂️
13) 13 is unlucky for some. Do you have anything that you’re superstitious about?
I’m really obsessed with astrology, if that counts! I don’t know if it’s real, but it’s really fun and sometimes scarily accurate. Sag sun, Taurus moon, Sag rising for anyone interested. 🌙♐️🔥
12) If you could live the life of any other person for 12 hours, who would you be?
Ariana Grande. I’d love to know what it feels like to have that kind of impact on the modern world. Also hello, who doesn’t wanna try out that whistle register?!
11) Who was your best friend when you were 11?
Her name is Eva, whom I’ve known since Kindergarten. She was always kind, funny, shockingly grounded as a kid, and always ready to play Mario Kart with me. Thanks for making my childhood so fun, Eva! I miss you dearly.
10) Where do you hope you'll be in ten years time?
I’m hoping I’ll have conquered the world with my music and be branching out into new, exciting creative ventures. I swear, I have years of my career planned out.
9) What was your biggest fear when you were 9?
I used to be really afraid of bees. Funny enough, I got stung by one that year and discovered it wasn’t that bad. Now I love them! #SaveTheBees🐝
8) When you were 8, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I always wanted to be in entertainment. I used to sing everywhere I went and make little movies on my camcorder. Deep down though, I knew I just wanted to be the next Britney and/or Justin.
7) Which of the seven deadly sins are you most guilty of?
Lust. Just listen to my music and you’ll get it. 😅
6) You can invite six people to your dream dinner party, who would you invite?
Harry Styles, Lady Gaga, David Bowie, Britney Spears, Beyoncé and Prince. I just wanna feel the energy of six music and fashion icons radiating from the dinner table. Could you imagine the conversations? 😭 Also I know Harry could feed my fish if I asked and I love that 🐠
5) Name five things you can't live without.
My Jeep, my friends, Diet Coke, Sour Patch Kids and obviously some great music.
4) Describe yourself in four words.
Ambitious, impatient, blunt, sexually-liberated 🔥 Does that last count as one word? 😅
3) What are your top three songs of all time?
Wow, this is hard. I’ll go with the top three that impacted me as a kid: 'Baby One More Time' - Britney Spears, 'Heart of Glass' - Blondie, and 'Lovefool' - The Cardigans. These were the first songs I ever remember loving. I used to sing 'Heart of Glass' in my car seat, my mom tells me!
2) Can you love two people at the same time?
Absolutely.
1) What or who is your one true love?
People. We need each other and 2020 has taught me that. Always keep your loved ones close to you and treat strangers with kindness, we’re all we’ve got.
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