Karl Michael has taken an interesting path to get to the place he is at today.  I found his journey to be not only interesting but extremely inspiring as well.  Karl’s perseverance, persistence and “never give in” attitude has helped make him a sought after songwriter.  But this budding pop star is ready to take center stage.

I spoke with Karl and asked him in this interview if right now – 2020, is the right time. Karl says, “This is the right time.  Definitely.  I think I’ve grown up as a person and quite honestly, I’m very immature for my age.  I think therapy was a big thing for me.  It made me understand a lot of things.  The way things were and not to put so much pressure on myself and just to enjoy the process.  You know, writing songs everyday or four times a week, it’s emotionally draining.  I just needed to have fun with it and I want to start having fun and seeing results.”

Karl has already accomplished many things in the music industry that would probably be enough for most artists.  With a couple recording contracts and an appearance The Voice UK behind him, you’d probably be correct in thinking, that might be enough to satisfy most hardworking musicians.  The thing is, he’s also written songs that have earned more than 100 million total streams on Spotify, including hits like “Can We Dance,” which he wrote with Bruno Mars for The Vamps and “Beautiful Me” for Dappy. 

There is no give in his fight.

Karl Michael is still out there hustling and determined to have the world to hear his amazing voice.  Very much determined that I get the feeling that he has his sights so focused that those other accomplishments may have to wait to be cherished or at least deeply reflected on.  I don’t mean that in a negative way – he’s aware of what he’s done so far but he’s not ready to recite the final chapter.  However, he also knows that to move forward sometimes you have to remember where you came from.

When I asked him about the moment that has given him the most chills so far in all of this, Karl takes a second.  He says, “That’s a really good question… If I’m being honest, before I signed to Riser House Records, I was sleeping behind my Dad’s sofa on the floor.  My Dad lives in a one bedroom flat.  So when Riser House offered me the deal..  Offered to move me out here and get a house.. I felt like I was saved.”  You can hear the emotion in his voice.

Karl continues, “I was working on a construction site listening to songs that I’d written being played on the radio next to me while all the others builders were around me.  If I would’ve turned around to them and said, Hey I wrote that, They would’ve been like – Yeah right.  I thought I was done.  That’s when I was 32.”

He finishes up, “Man.. I was done.  I was so depressed.  I was crying when I got home at night to my girlfriend at the time.  I couldn’t move my hands, my body was all stiff and I was like, I can’t do it.  So I went back to the building site and I worked a couple more months and I saved up some money and I went to Nashville.  That’s when I wrote “Highs and the Lows”.

If that isn’t inspiring stuff, I don’t know what is.  The crazy part is that I think his most successful days are in front of him.  This is not always the case when I interview someone.  Sometimes they know it and sometimes they don’t.  I don’t pretend to know the future and I’m not sure even Karl can really picture what’s ahead but I can guarantee you this: Karl Michael will not stop doing what he does best.  That’s writing songs and putting his otherworldly voice to use.  I’m just excited to see where he goes from here.

You can hear my entire conversation with Karl Michael by clicking on the link to your favorite place to listen to podcasts.  As an added treat you’ll be able to hear the studio version of his new song “Beautiful Creature” on the show!

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-Tommy Marz

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