Move over Ed Sheeran, there is a new favourite red head in the music scene! Mike Waters, a once web designer is now better known for his musical abilities and catchy indie-pop tunes. Mike has had an incredible journey, keeping his talent for songwriting a secret from even his friends and family for several years until he was ready to unleash his sweet acoustic melodies upon the world.
Revel in the sweet LIFE with Mike Waters. A beautiful and humble debut effort, why Mike ever kept his talents a secret for so long is the real mystery.
This Melbourne based singer songwriter is best known for his single Gambling Man, paired with a creative unexpectedly low budget film clip. The film clip is raw and simplistic based on painting a picture of oneself and pulling away at the layers; “That I don’t think myself a gambling man, but I take chances every now and then.” A song about faking it until you make it, yearning for something so desperately and not being sure if it will all work out but still trying anyway, plunging headfirst even if the odds are against you.
Many of Waters’ shows have been sold out well ahead of time with the release of the debut EP LIFE earlier in May. After only two years of serious singing and writing it is shocking to think how Waters kept his musical talents hidden for so long. With a vast array of diverse musical influences such as Vance Joy, Bastille and blink-182, it’s clear that Waters will be adding his own new flair to the indie-pop scene and has already recently worked alongside names such as John Castle for LIFE.
The EP cover artwork is also quite amazing and conceptual with an underlying story that resonates with Mike’s bare bones songwriting, the artwork when looked at closely is symbolic of being a product of your own experiences and how those experiences give you purpose and in result can define oneself. When looking at the cover art from right to left the illustration symbolises the sum of all parts and how the little things add up to one bigger picture. Though when looking from left the right the cover art also depicts how the pressures of life can slowly break down and separate.
Feels Like Home is about having everything you ever wanted but being unsure if it’s really what you desired after all with a sense of misguided purpose. A sense of always wondering if it is going to all work out and if it is really worth it in the long run is brought across through “What if I’m a lost little face in the crowd? What if I don’t often enough work it out? What if I don’t want this, but it’s moving so fast I can’t slow down”. Eventually Waters finds his purpose and passion through music paired with catchy lyrics straight from the heart; “It feels like home. Lost in treble, beat, bass, tone”.
Waters packs his songs with real and emotional lyrics straight from the heart. Dreams is more than just a bunch of lyrics put together. It pulls on the heartstrings through the raw and intimate experiences of being lost and missing a loved one. It’s a different perspective of the usual songs about missing someone and feeling lonely, while learning to move on and live life by fulfilling his dreams. Waters sings of family love and loss with a bittersweet indie-pop song that will make you smile.
You can catch Mike on tour in June on the following dates.
Thursday June 11 – The Wheatsheaf, Adelaide
Friday June 12 – Oxford Art Factory Gallery Bar, Sydney
Friday June 19 – Shebeen, Melbourne
