about
“Somebody” is a multi-genre music/art project about empathy and recovery, recorded in Marfa in 2020 and released in 2021. You can order the vinyl here or stream it on all major music platforms. I’m working toward releasing an art+lyrics book to accompany the album. You can also remix and play with my the songs on this interactive stems player I created.
background
I wrote these songs while I was struggling to come back from a really low point in my life. I had secretly been dealing with a loss of faith and identity crisis, and made a series of bad choices that hurt a lot of people. The fallout left me feeling hopeless and isolated. At the time it felt like nobody understood what I was going through. People were quick to offer advice or judgment, but what I needed most was to hear someone say:
“It sucks, and I’m sorry you’re going through it. But I’m here for you, I don’t think any less of you, and I love you.”
For the few friends who were able to say that to me, it felt like coming out from underwater for a big deep breath. I was still uncomfortable, still in the struggle, but I knew eventually things would start to be ok.
That’s why I made this art and want to share it— for you or the person you care about who’s struggling to know that I’ve been there, and it sucks, and I’m sorry you’re going through it. But I’m here for you, I don’t think any less of you, and I love you.
message
The chorus to the title track, “Somebody,” is the theme of the album: “Everybody wants to be somebody.” It’s the idea that we all have a deep desire to be seen, known, and loved by others.
We live in a polarized, judgmental culture that teaches us to hate or ignore people from our perceived opposition, or who make certain mistakes. It’s a disappointing exercise because it keeps us divided and misunderstanding each other when all we’re really wanting is connection and acknowledgment.
We can’t move past this unless we learn to let our guards down, let go of whatever moral hierarchy we think makes us better than anybody else, and lead with vulnerable, authentic love.
The last line of the title track is “Everybody is somebody.” That’s where the journey has led me so far, to realize that ultimately we’re all the same. Trapped in different selves but underneath that same magic that makes us human. So when you hate or hurt others, you’re really just hurting yourself. When you love others, you love yourself.
It’s ironic we fight so hard to prove that we’re a “somebody” when it’s already true. You are important, unique, and have a lot to offer the world. If you can accept that, you can start to love yourself and people around you— reminding every person, regardless of politics, skin tone, religion, culture, vocation, history, you are important, you are unique, you have a lot to offer. You are somebody.
—
Michael