Mylo Interview

Conducted by Bethany M

I am an 18 year old Caribbean-American composer, pianist, and artist from New York that combines my passion for soundtracks, videogames, anime, and the music I grew up listening to ranging from reggae, 2000s hits to classical to jazz music. My music is fitting to be described as a slice of life [or so my friends say:)]. A lot of it is made spontaneously, while drinking a cup of tea, while I'm supposed to be practicing for my recital, or ensemble and so on. It is a soundtrack that's quietly cinematic... until you hit shuffle and find yourself wondering if you are listening to the same artist. Whether collaborating with animation, film and game developers, or creating for myself, I combine my love for the visual and sonic arts, bending the limits of genres, and everything in between. And the dream? Let's meet the world, one note at a time.

What is your goal?

I hope to become a film/videogame composer that helps shape someone's universe and childhood the same way pieces of media such as the Studio Ghibli films, Mario Franchise, and musical upbringing have fondly fostered mine. I want to be part of something like that.

Why do you make music?

To continue where words trail off. It is a universal language that allows me to communicate and become friends with the world in a beautiful way.

What artists inspire you?

I have so many. To list a few, we have Barry Harris, Samara Joy, Yoko Kawaguchi, Maurice Ravel, Duke Ellington, Laufey, Leonie Biney, Buboy, Grentperez, Flawed Mangoes, Lindsay Chia, Outkast, Minnie Riperton, INOHA, Kensuke Ushio, Joe Hisaishi, Tyler the Creator, Wave to Earth, Hiroyuki Sawano, Eve, Kenshi Yonezu, Suiet, and Essence Martins..

What is your creative process?

Go go go! I see or think up a group of words that are aesthetically pleasing to me- boom song title. I am walking around campus listening to the birds chirp as the sun goes down- I record the background noise and ponder at the piano later. A lot of the practice rooms at my school have windows so I am always daydreaming and thinking on the keys. All in all, it is something spontaneous that remains thoughtful and hopeful of reaching and resonating with others.

Who or what inspired you to start writing and like pursuing music?

I would say that happened around four to five years ago, when I was in the start of my high school, my freshman year, and I started watching a bunch of Studio Ghibli films. They're so great. It's some of my favorite movies till today. And the composer, Joe Hisaishi, I really admire all of his music and what he does. Because everyone always says the films that they watch, whether it be like Ponyo or other movies it's just really engaging. You feel like you're part of the scene and what's happening, so I want to be able to tell the same kind of story throughout instrumental music and music with lyrics as well.

What is like a song or track that you've written that most feels like represents you as a person?

I have a track called "Our Friends Across the Sea." It's very playful. It's sort of inspired by Peanuts music, the composer Vince Giraldi and also inspired by the Studio Ghibli composer Joe Hisaishi. It was very playful sailing along the sea. I feel like that encapsulates who I am because I'm just a really go with the flow type of person. So although it's instrumental and doesn't have any lyrics, I feel like it really just shows how laid back and chill I am.

What is the most surprising thing that you've learned about yourself through songwriting or like composing music?

I feel like anything could really pop into your brain and it's up to you to like to realize it and make it a product that actually exists. And the most interesting thing I found out about that is actually it's not that easy. Just because you hear inside your head doesn't mean it's any easier to make it into something real, which is crazy. Kind of funny, but it's like something that I didn't know before. I thought maybe instead of because, you know, how people make covers of songs and stuff. I'm like, maybe it's easier to do your own song since you're singing in a comfortable voice. Things are made for you. But no, it doesn't feel easier, actually.

Do you face, like, any challenges both in the industry or internally as a smaller artist?

Yes, something that gets me a lot is the social media aspect of it. I had social media accounts like COVID because I just wanted something to do. So I started posting like any drawings I did or any piano covers of popular songs. And it was like fun and stuff. But for social media, I feel like once I start making my own stuff, it's like 10 times harder. I don't like having to promote it. I just want to make it and like to show people. I don't want to have to be like, listen to this new song, you know what I mean? But I'd say that the most difficult part for me is definitely the social media marketing stuff.

What's your favorite part about being like a smaller artist?

My favorite part is being able to do whatever I want to do. My favorite part is I can just say whatever I want to say without having to worry about image or this or that and like being expected to do stuff. Not that I'm going to say something super out there crazy, but it's just complicated. It is comforting knowing that I have this small small community and I practically can know and speak to everyone personally or I can get to know people on a deeper level than I would if I had like a bigger amount of listeners.

If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be?

it would definitely have to be Laufey or Wave to Earth. Those are my two favorite artists out there. It just has to be one of them. I just really love her instrumental music. Like, years ago, I found "Valentine." It's not instrumental, obviously. But I found "Valentine," and I was just listening to it while cleaning. And I literally felt like Cinderella. I was just dancing around and it felt so nice. It sounded like an old jazz standard. I love how she blends jazz, classical music, and a whole bunch of other genres that she has delved into in her new album. I just really like the time she takes to orchestrate each of those instrumentals, because I'm sure it takes a lot of work and her voice as well is very astounding, so I just love all her music. Wave to Earth too, they're so good. I already like the name from the get-go, it's just such a unique artist name, so I love that band.

If you had a piece of advice for your younger self, what would it be and why?

I would probably quote one of Laufey's songs from "A Letter to My 13-Year-Old Self," where she says, keep on going with your silly dream. I would tell my younger self that just because I didn't have a very conventional learning method growing up, because I didn't have lessons or anything. I taught myself to play piano and other instruments. As I got older, I started playing in a jazz band orchestra and it was a really fun experience. It definitely was a little different to get there, especially when people tell you that you're not going to get there, because you didn't have lessons to help you reach that level. That's what I would probably tell my younger self.