12 Questions with Mickey Callisto
We spoke to Mickey Callisto ahead of his headline gig on the 29th of January at Liverpool’s kazimier Stockroom about life,music and what 2022 has in store for one of Liverpool’s newest hottest talents!
Mickey’s music will take you through time and space with instantly recognisable melodies combined with a truly grandiose production of soaring synths , heavenly harmonies with vocals that can not be easily forgotten. The influences are clear to see in his songwriting and performance combining Abba-esque melodies, the psychedelic feel of Tame Impala, 80s synthwave topped off with a voice like Freddie Mercury.
Artist Bio Credit: Mickey Callisto
NSG: Hi Mickey and welcome, how have you been, what have you been up to today, and how’s that going?
MC: Hi guys I think great thanks I’ve just been in the middle of getting together my set for my headline gig on the 29th of January at Liverpool’s kazimier stockroom and I’ve also been mixing and recording my next single. I also cooked a very nice Massaman curry for the 1st time which turned out great.
NSG: How is 2022 looking for you?
MC: So my plan for 2022 is to basically get out and about and gig as much as I can to create awareness of my act and brand in addition to this I also aim to release my 3rd single and also my Ep in which I can take to my live set and also hopefully play some festivals and get on a tour the back end of the year.
NSG: So you’re originally from Sunderland via Manchester and ending up in our lovely Liverpool? That’s a lot of moving lol. How did you end up here?
MC: So basically after I graduated from University me and my flatmate decided to move to Liverpool to start a psychedelic rock band with his friends who went to LIPA. The band lasted 2 years and i had an amazing time playing some gigs with them but it was always my aspiration to perform as a solo artist as Mickey Callisto which I’ve been pursuing for nearly a year now.
NSG: Listening to you and seeing you live I can not ignore the similarities your sound has to the late, great Freddie Mercury! Did you always sound like him or did you have to train to get that range and sound?
MC: It’s no secret that I love Freddie Mercury and what better showman to take influence from. Before my voice broke I self taught myself to sing opera. As my voice was transitioning I found it very hard to retrain technically to sing that genre. When I was looking for new influences my school was putting on the musical we will rock you which I got asked to audition. Upon this, I found Freddie mercury on youtube and the rest is history! Singing his songs tirelessly as a teenager helped me retain my strength and give me a dynamic singing range.
Mickey Callisto’s upcoming show!
NSG: We’ve been listening to your single ‘This Is The Real World’ and we love it! Can you tell us a bit about this song? What’s it about? When did you write it and what was your recording process?
MC: Thank you! This is the real world is a dig at overprivileged kids and students who are unappreciative of the things they’ve got and not grateful for their position in life. As someone who has been very self reliant and independent and not having a comfortable financial childhood, it’s basically telling them what the real world is like and what to expect when you have to rely on yourself. I wrote it a year ago and the recording process is basically most of the instruments are played on a keyboard in my bedroom. The bassline takes influence from the Jams ‘A town called malice’ which was played amazingly by Finlay Lovett.
NSG: How did you start out in your music career?
MC: I discovered I could sing when I was 7 when my teacher was asking me to audition for a play. Since then I trained myself to sing and play the piano. I would always sing at school assemblies and plays.
NSG: How has it been not being able to gig much because of the pandemic? What gigs have you got coming up?
MC: Like all performers and artists it has been miserable and frustrating. But we are on the home stretch hopefully. And my next gig is a headline gig at the kazimier stockroom on 29th January in Liverpool.
NSG: If you could pick a venue to play, anywhere in the world, what would that be and why?
MC: I would play the stadium of light in Sunderland. Obviously the biggest stadiums and audiences the better. But Sunderland is my hometown and my heritage and hopefully, I would be able to see all my friends and family I grew up with and sing for them just like I used to in school or their living room!
Mickey Callisto
NSG: Apart from Queen and Freddie, Can you describe your sound to us? Who are your influences?
MC: I like to keep my music sound separate from Freddie. I have a range of influences. I take my melodic influence from The Beatles and Abba. The psych element from Pink Floyd, Connan Mockasin, and Tame Impala. The synth wave and 80s from Italo disco and the harmonies from bands like The Beach Boys and obviously Queen. My sound I would say is a cocktail of all the classic artists you’ve heard to form my own unique sound without sounding too self indulgent
NSG: What has been the most enjoyable gig you’ve played and why?
MC: My most enjoyable is my first gig as Mickey Callisto for the unusual art sourcing company at the bombed out church. That’s when I felt like a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly. It was a sit down gig but still managed to get people standing as my job is to make people feel just as a part of my show and be who they want to be.
NSG: Ok fun question, If you could sit down for dinner with three artists from the past or present who would they be and why?
MC: Well obviously Freddie as we would have a ball and a party that would last a lifetime, Amy Winehouse as again we would have an amazing party and duet with her and Little Richard because he would have me in hysterical laugher the whole night!
NSG: Thank you for taking the time to be interviewed, is there anything else you’d like to add?
MC: No that’s all, just following on from before everyone go out and have a party and just be yourself!
To follow Mickey Callisto on social media and buy tickets click on the links in pink below!
