Interview: Breakthrough with Michael Cimino

Interview/Photos by Yising Kao

 Read our March issue featuring Michael Cimino on the cover HERE!

‍ ‍ Following his debut EP, I’m somewhere out there, Michael Cimino released his Superhero EP last year, a soulful blend of R&B influences, harmonious melodies, and insightful lyrics. From acting in shows such as Motorheads and Love, Victor, while releasing music, Cimino has been making a name for himself as an artist over the past few years, and his passion for creating meaningful art through his work is evident and inspiring. I got to chat with him at his Los Angeles show, where he performed alongside Jayo and Johnny Valentine. Cimino performed a couple of new songs that sound amazing, and I’m already excited for them to be released!

First of all, I just want to say your EP Superhero is incredible.

Thank you so much, I appreciate it.

I really like how the title track is nostalgic and about growing up, and how all your lyrics are insightful. What inspired the theme of this album?

I mean yeah, I think Superhero is kind of just me trying to just like figure out my sound and who I am as an artist. I think throughout the process of making that EP which was again a long process I really feel like I found my sound and really pushed myself a lot creatively and with writing. I’m really, really grateful for that project ‘cause you know, obviously now I’m working on another project, and I feel like, already, so many of the skills I’ve learned in the last project, I’m applying to this next one.

How do you feel like you’ve grown as an artist from your journey from the I’m somewhere out there EP to Superhero?

I think now obviously with the newer music I’m working on, I think there’s a lot of new influences. I did this movie called Street Smart and there’s a lot of alternative music in that movie and I’m playing bass in it, so I was listening to alternative music everyday to get into character on my way to work. And I really was just like, wait I need to incorporate this sound, like I love this. And through that, I tried to write some songs for the movie and then I was like wait, I need to write this music for myself, I love this, this is fun. And that’s kind of what inspired this next sound ‘cause I really wanted to incorporate the R&B elements, the pop elements, but also just an alternative vibe which I’m really excited to flesh out.

Can you tell me about your experience collaborating with Nat Slater on writing the Superhero EP and your song “reminds me of you”? It’s a beautiful ballad and one of my favorites.

She’s actually out there in the audience right now. Nat is an incredible writer. She’s literally one of the best writers I’ve ever met in my life, and I’ve learned so much from her, from collaboration. Him over there, Nate Huff, I worked with him a lot. He taught me basically like, everything I know as far as melodies and harmonies wise goes. He’s one of the best people I’ve ever met in my life. In working with all these incredible people around me, I’ve been able to kind of like, take so many influences from all these people and you know, make my own thing.

You’ve mentioned that acting plays into how you focus on a storytelling perspective through your music. What’s it like balancing acting and making music, and do you want to put your music more into the films you make?
I mean, it’s definitely difficult, you know what I mean? It’s been a challenge and it’s a lot of work. But I have the fire for it, I love both. I want to do both; I want to be able to represent myself and also represent different characters. And I love playing characters, so I really want to be able to do both so that’s like my dream, to be able to like tour and go and film a movie, and then go and make music, and then go on tour, and do that. That’s literally my dream life.

That’s awesome. I’d love to see more of your music in maybe your own films that you act in.

Dude, a hundred percent. That is definitely the goal. I would love that!

Do you see yourself focusing on one or the other more in the future?

I think there’s ebbs and flows, you know what I mean? I think like certain times, obviously if I’m filming a job, that’s going to be my main priority at the moment because obviously I need to give all myself into that project. And you know, when I have free time, it’s like, that’s my music time. And I’d love to dedicate myself to that and it’s something that fuels my soul and satisfies something artistically in me that I think like, acting doesn’t, and vice versa, you know?  

For Motorheads, you’ve gotten to combine your passions for cars and acting, which is awesome. What was your favorite part about filming this series and what was the most challenging part?

Definitely, the most challenging moment was like in the first episode, you know like, when Mia and I are riding in the back of a truck. It was so cold! If you watch that back, do you see my nose is red? We’re driving like 35 miles per hour, and it was so cold, I was freezing my ass off. That was probably like, the hardest moment. And as for as like, the most fun moment, I’d probably say all the street racing stuff was really awesome, I loved it.

Did it inspire you to get more cars?

I mean, you know, I have a lot of cars, so it’s a problem. And I definitely need to get rid of some cars. I think the show kind of allowed me to like, fully commit to my addiction for cars and motorsports.

I have to bring up Love, Victor because it’s one of my favorite shows and it’s amazing how impactful it is for a lot of people. What was it like filming such an impactful show? And what was it like following Nick Robinson’s footsteps from Love, Simon?

Obviously, Love, Victor changed my life in so many different ways. The beautiful thing for me is that it changed so many other people’s lives. I’m so grateful for that show and I’m so grateful for what it meant to so many people. It means so much to me and I will forever cherish that job. I still meet people and it made a difference in people’s lives, you know, so it’s hard to compare that to anything. It’s the reason why we do art, it’s to make an impact and move people.

Yeah, and you’ve also mentioned how you love taking on projects that really have a special message so that’s very inspiring.

Of course.  Yeah, I mean, that’s the reason why I do this. Literally, I do this because I want to move people. You know, I don’t really care about the other stuff but it’s like, an inherent part of it. But my passion is like, moving people and my whole goal in life is just to make a difference in people’s lives.

I also have to say Never Have I Ever is one of my favorite shows, so I was excited when you joined the 4th season playing Ethan. How did it feel being part of such an iconic cast and getting to work in comedy?

I mean, it was super fun. I was just a guest there, you know what I mean, so I definitely like, respected their home, so to speak. But I really appreciated them being so welcoming. They’re an amazing crew and cast and they welcomed me so much and I was really grateful, and I had a great time. It turned into this whole other thing I really was not expecting, so I’m really grateful for it.

Did you watch the show before joining it?

I watched the first couple of episodes of the first season, like I was familiar with the show. But I never really got into it like that and then obviously the show happened and then the rest is history.

You played some new songs tonight. I really love “Break You Too.” That one’s really beautiful.

Thank you.

What upcoming projects can your fans look forward to?

I’m hoping to come out with a single in May. I can’t say which is the name of the exact single because I’m not exactly sure which one is coming out yet. But I’m planning on putting something out in May and I’m planning on kind of doing a small sort of rebrand sort of thing.

We’ll be ready for the new era!

Rapid Fire Questions

What’s a song you wish you wrote?

That’s tough ‘cause there’s so many good songs out there.

Or what’s your favorite song right now?

I gotta look at my Spotify. In Radiohead’s album, In Rainbows, my favorite song is “All I Need” and I love that song. If I could’ve written that song, I would’ve been very happy with that.

What was your favorite TV show to watch growing up?

Spongebob, easy.

Which artist or band would you love to tour with?

Honestly, Radiohead or Bruno Mars. That’d be the coolest thing ever in the history of the world.

Since you’ve starred in a couple of rom-coms, what’s your favorite rom-com right now?

 I love When Harry Met Sally...! That’s one of the best rom-coms.

It’s a classic.

It is a classic but it’s also so good and it has like such a beautiful soul to it, and it just makes me warm every time I watch it. 

I also want to add Girl Haunts Boy is so good, it’s underrated.

Yeah, I’m really grateful for that project. It was a mission to film it and I’m so glad that, you know, it turned out the way it did.

Stay updated with Michael Cimino!

Listen to his music here: link.me/itsmichaelcimino

Instagram: instagram.com/itsmichaelcimino