After establishing themselves as a pair of bright and invigorating names on the rise in recent months, emerging artists BALTHAZARD & Mik Ivy now team up for their glittering new single 'Prince'.
Capturing more of that smooth and alluring alt-pop sound they are both building for themselves, 'Prince' makes for an incredibly fun and enjoyable listen. With its bright and vivid textures perfectly elevating their dreamy vocal performances throughout, this new one will have you up and out of your seat in no time.
So with the new single available to stream now, we sat down with them to find out more about their origins and what has been inspiring them most over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
MIK IVY: It was definitely the guitar, specifically electric. I remember walking into a guitar shop at 12 years old, seeing a red Stratocaster on the wall and thinking, "Damn, I need to have that in my life." Ever since then, it's been one of my favorite songwriting mediums.
BALTHAZARD: When I was about 3, I would look in the kitchen for all the pans and pots I could find to create a drum kit. My mom remembers that I was being very specific with the sound and dimensions of each item. That year I received my first small drum kit and spent hours messing around, just having fun. 20 years later, and I still feel the same excitement whenever I sit behind a drum kit.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
MIK IVY: To be fair, my parent's music is the first thing I was exposed to in my early days, so I guess a lot of it stuck with me throughout my life. The Rolling Stones, The Cure & Gun’s N Roses, as well as a little bit of Nina Simone here and there.
BALTHAZARD: My first idols were Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Celia Cruz, and Carlos Santana. Then I quickly became a huge Led Zeppelin fan.
What was the first album you remember owning?
MIK IVY: I remember buying "The Essentials" album by Michael Jackson when I was about 10 years old. Bear in mind this was on the iTunes store in 2013; I didn't own any physical music until my recent vinyl obsession, haha.
BALTHAZARD: The first album I bought on my own was "Ready To Die" by Notorious B.I.G. I was about 13, and I remember learning the lyrics despite not being able to understand English.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
MIK IVY: I think "My Propeller" by Arctic Monkeys is just one of those songs that tick all the boxes for me. It feels overwhelmingly raw and dark while maintaining an energetic and driving sound that hypes you up as soon as you run the track. From the arrangement to the enthralling lyricism (Alex Turner is the GOAT after all), it's definitely one that makes me pause it midway through and think, "Damn, why the hell didn't I write this!"
BALTHAZARD: Some of Quincy Jones's arrangements always seem magical to me. Timbaland's bounce is also one of these things that makes me think, "How could you ever come up with something so fresh and so new?" I always feel like it's getting hard to innovate in music after all these decades of great creatives, but the quest to find a new sound or come up with something unique is really motivating.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
MIK IVY: Definitely trying to get in the most relaxing and familiar environment possible. I'll generally start watering my plants and setting the mood right in the room before I sit down and go through my notes or voice memos to find my most recent ideas. Not gonna lie, though, most of the songs I write happen when I get the idea in a frenzy at 2 AM, and I have to jump out of bed to record it on my phone as quickly as possible.
BALTHAZARD: Listening to some of my favorite records, trying to understand why they make me feel in such or such a way. Also, going back to some specific moments in my life where I felt a certain way. That helps with getting in an inspired state.
Who are your favorite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
MIK IVY: Lots of TV Girl & Men I Trust at the moment! Specifically, "Billie Toppy," which has been on repeat for the past couple of weeks. Absolute tune, in my opinion.
BALTHAZARD: Right now, I can't get enough of Seal. Just saw him live at Montreux Jazz Festival, and it was mind-blowing. Some albums like "Songs In The Key Of Life" by Stevie Wonder, "Scorpion" by Drake, or "Silk Sonic" are always part of my rotation. Gabriels and their album "Angels and Queens" is probably my biggest musical discovery of the year; every time I go through it, I feel a deeper connection to their sound and universe.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
MIK IVY: I vividly remember going to watch Dayglow last year and being super impressed with their set and showmanship. Would definitely dream to open for them or The Backseat Lovers one day!
BALTHAZARD: Probably Anderson .Paak, maybe The Weeknd or JMSN, but I got a long way to go!
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
MIK IVY: I think it's the continuous search for your musical identity and hearing your sound change over time. It really helps you reflect on your evolution as a human being and the different emotional turmoil life puts you through as time goes by. I'd go as far as saying it's a core part of being a musician and makes the journey worthwhile a lot of the time.
BALTHAZARD: Thinking that your music could help someone go through something, maybe brighten their mood or help them express their feelings is amazing and scary. I think that's where my focus is at the moment: finding purpose not in the achievements or numbers but in the message you're able to deliver through your work.
And what is the most frustrating part?
MIK IVY: The search for consistency and seeing the bigger picture. It's a wonderful feeling to see where you want to be at in the next 5 years, but seeing the colossal amount of trials and tribulations which await you on the way can feel a little overwhelming sometimes. It is, however, necessary, and I'm looking forward to putting that work in, haha.
BALTHAZARD: To me, probably the patience needed. As the years go by, I start to understand how important it is to keep trusting the process and put in the right amount of time and effort to evolve and reach new musical/personal heights. It's a matter of years and years of making small progress, of setting everything up to be able to leverage any opportunity and build something on the long term.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
MIK IVY: "Don't ever try and pretend to be something you aren't because some people would kill to be who you are and have what you got." Given to me by the wonderful BALTHAZARD during one of our many late-night conversations. It opened my eyes to the fact that in a world of wannabes, it's essential to stay true to what you are.
BALTHAZARD: Trust your guts! At all times, when playing drums, producing, mixing, performing, you need to be in tune with what you feel, and that will show you the way. I'm trying to trust that gut feeling and understand that if you don't truly resonate with something, it's not worth pursuing. It's all about the feeling.
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BALTHAZARD & Mik Ivy's new single 'Prince' is available to stream now. Check it out in the player below.