Mikaela Attard, is not only a talented musician and a brilliant artist but an influencer that people eagerly await to follow and interact with. Mikaela has made a great name for herself as an Extreme Metal vocalist. I recently had the privilege to interview Mikaela, delving into her thoughts, her music, and her highly anticipated new material. We sincerely hope that you find this interview with Mikaela Attard as captivating as we did. Without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, Mikaela Attard…
**Interview by Georgina Strilakos
THE METAL PIT: (Georgina) How long have you been singing?
Mikaela Attard: I started first with classical voice and piano training at around 7/8 years old and really just continued to pursue my musical education and ventures continuously from then on. I trained with Nashville’s Brett Manning (Taylor’s Swift, Hayley Williams…), with UK Pop Idol’s voice coaches, Berklee College of Music in Boston where I auditioned and got accepted to do the vocal performance courses and later on finished a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Production with Summa Cum Laude. It’s been total fun! I’ve always been into rock, blues, jazz and metal really and partying obviously at a later stage then childhood so I did go ahead and go for some advanced jazz and blues courses whilst at Berklee.
Was your family supportive in your early life with your music passions?
Yes of course, they are always there to give their support in my music endeavors and practices from the start. Both Mom and Dad are actively extremely passionate when it comes to the arts and music and are also very creative in their daily lives, my Dad is a car sprayer and car part builder and my Mom is a tailor and she has sewn a lot of my stage clothes and also aside.
Who are some of your top three musical influences?
Hard one! There’s plenty of musical influences that have left a mark on my heart, mind, body and soul as an artist and they come from a myriad of genres, cultures and countries. I do interest myself in everything and I listen to everything, be it metal, rock, classical, techno, metalcore, blues, deathcore, grunge and all that lies in between. I’m very open-minded and I have no restrictions as to checking out new stuff and liking new genres or cross-genres which I’m myself very fond of. Way of the future. So let’s pull out a few of my definite all-time heroes. No doubt I do have to start with Black Sabbath. This band is honestly like a religion to me; from the music itself, the message carried through their lyrics and lifestyle to the perspective on life pin general as it showcases in their works and influences on generations of over the decades. Truly inspirational. Another band that has stolen my heart is Opeth; I have formed a deep love for this band right at first sight, I believe it was at Hellfest and since then stayed on as an avid fan. The mix of contrasts, night and day so beautifully integrated and transported to the people through their works have been so influential. Bring Me The Horizon, is another giant machine, I’d have to mention that I admire of a band or of a brand, might I say, that have shaped how metal can be infused with literally anything, I love what they come up with and I’m always so excited to check out the new world the bring.
If I had to infiltrate this thought through my vocalist intent of viewing, my top three of vocal inspirations would definitely entail Ronnie James DIO, Janis Joplin and Mikael Akerfeldt. Obviously add a little more heavy-weight leverage, it’s Phil Bozeman, CJ McMahon, Chuck Schuldiner. Piano point of view? Rachmaninoff, Einaudi and Keith Emerson. It never stops and it’s wonderful.
Can you tell us a little about your hometown and where you reside? How big is the Metal Scene there?
I’m Maltese, that is I am an island girl from the islands of Malta from the jewel centre of the Mediterranean Sea but I attend mostly to shows in London, I live with immediate family here in the UK and I just love checking out so many bands and so many favorites that always go through the UK; keeps my heart beat and my mind safe.
If you could collaborate with any musician in the future, who would it be and why?
I’ve had the pleasure to collaborate with Marco Minnemann on my debut album on drums and I also featured on the title track for his album ‘My Sister’ and ‘Working Town’ on the same album, and on the latest album Their Colors Fade on the track ‘EggNog’ also with Alex Lifeson from Rush. It was so cool to collaborate with the Butcher Babies on stage when we toured a few years back round Europe, the crowd went mad and can’t wait to re-collab again. If I had to pick sights of interest, it would definitely be sick to collaborate with Oli Sykes from BMTH, Fred Durst from Limp Bizkit, Heidi from Butcher, Phil Bozeman from Whitechapel, Maria Brink from In This Moment, Tatiana from Jinjer and wow, maybe Rob Halford from Judas or Dave Gahan from Depeche Mode!
How would you handle traveling and being away from home for an extended period of time while you were on tour?
Absolutely never been a problem, touring is what I like and it doesn’t bother me at all traveling and visiting different places, more so, I love exploring and adventuring into what our world has to offer.
What venue around the world would you like to play next?
Sky’s the limit. Lots of cool venues and festivals that I would absolutely love to hit and dig. I do have to share from the lots of response I’ve had from my original work and the most merchandise that it went to was the USA, Germany, UK and also a lot of reach went ahead to Mexico and Columbia, and Australia, it’s definitely a blessing to consider going everywhere just out of fan’s feedback, Europe, USA are the two continents sought after along with others!
Have you received any music awards and accolades?
Yes I have been honored and acknowledged with awards and nominees in the past such as the MMA’s Best New Artist in 2010, onto the winner of Best Female Artist award in 2011, Malta’s Export Artist in 2011, Vodafone’s Upcoming Artist 2011. I have won the Berklee Singer-Songwriter in 2011 during my studies there in Boston and then recently, onto winning the Best Metal Band Metal award in 2019 during Lovin’ Malta Awards.
Can you tell me about the best concert you ever saw and what made it great?
I think it was probably Ziggy Marley’s at Hollywood Bowl and Limp Bizkit at Wembley’s O2 last year! The whole place was rambling and vibing like crazy. Herbie Hancock’s show were also always to remember, Rush at the LA Forum, Jon Butler in Boston, Sting and Jamiroquai in Locarno for Under the Moon and Stars; of course I’ve watched Black Sabbath many times when I’ve had the chance, DIO with Heaven and Hell, Aretha Franklin was certainly extremely memorable, Green Day live gave vibe for days, Rammstein and Prodigy, BMTH, and a hell lot of darker stuff for most, like Whitechapel, Dying Fetus, yeah I love watching bands live.
How do you feel you’ve improved as a musician over the past five years?
Well you move on! That’s how you improve, accept it, believe it, live it and always move towards your goals!
What makes performing music rewarding to you?
The energy!
What drew you to the music industry?
I think you become part of it without you knowing, it becomes you!
Please explain your creative process.
Even when I’m not writing for an album, I keep phrases that come to my head in a book and any music ideas recorded with any device available at the point of muse, be it a rhythm part or be it a lick, an idea in general as a concept or really the melody that randomly pops in the head. If I’m writing for an album, I usually find these little daily ideas very handy, it kind of gives you a drift of how your time’s been between the last record, and I do consider albums like a close of a chapter, so somewhat a “phase” that lasts forever really but the songwriting mind would have already driving past it at the other edge of its whirly wind of a world with full speed. I find a new album writing as a new awakening so the creative process changes, the routine changes, obviously state of mind changes and so does the body and soul that represents it, the tastes, the aura somehow changes… I feel that somehow I have to enter into some kind of personal chaos in order to come out undone, find out and unravel what has been hiding within, you know life, unleash and cleanse energy that’s not supposed to be there and doesn’t belong and replace it with our own native natural energy, you become one with your present self again basically, unhinged in your own space of creativity and in a space where time doesn’t exist, everything just oozes around until sounds and words find you to be able express whatever has been sitting there to be said or felt or heard or needed to be let out… I feel at that point a sense of serenity takes over and that’s when you can truly detach yourself with your emotion that drove you to wrote those melodies and accept it. It feels like therapy, like you have sorted something out for good. You become at peace with yourself and that’s when production starts. That’s when you start to build your empire of sound until the releases and beyond. If you’re a creative it never really stops.
Your personal fashion style is unique. Who is your favorite designer?
Thank you! I appreciate that! Well yes I am into clothes and aesthetic, brand or no brand if I like it, I usually just pick things that couldn’t have their screams silenced when I look at them, let’s say the second time round just after giving it a thought if I should buy it the first time round haha! Designer like Prada, D&G, Cavalli, Versace, Michael Kors are my favorite but obviously I love sporting my New Rocks everywhere I go and all that’s latex, leather, vinyl, PVC and in between.
What’s an average day like for you?
Workout, music writing and practice, show, sleep on a tour day; would be preparing merch myself, still workouts, still traveling and still writing or watching shows on other days!
Is there a hidden meaning in any of your music?
The beauty of songwriting and its success is how it relates to other people and fans just as much as it does to you as the writer and it brings the utmost of bliss when that magic happens.
What was the premise and idea behind “Nocturne in Red”?
Well ‘Nocturne In Red’ speaks about states of mind as expressed through the different pieces on the album; songs written through nighttime hence ‘nocturne’ and in ‘red’ somehow the keys in A, A# or C# looked the color to me, apart from what people already referring to me with as such.
What is your favorite part about this line of work? Your least favorite? Why?
Favorite part is when it gets to the touring shows becoming daily routine. You know the office view. The least favorite unless on a nightlines is not knowing which bed you’re sleeping at!
Have you ever dealt with performance anxiety?
I think it’s normal to be anxious about something you love and want something to happen perfectly the most so yes however if you plan and envision, you’ll only focus on the fun then!
What advice would you have for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Don’t let anyone get in the way, if you love it, have it!
I’m patiently waiting for you to come to New York City in the USA 😊 What is next for you, musically? Tours? Releases?
I would love to return to New York! Such a wonderful place, lots to do! I remember I used to go running around Ground Zero with the view of the Statue of Liberty when I resided in Boston as we’d go to Manhattan in between my studies at Berklee on the weekends. As I might have hinted a few times on my socials, here I am announcing the works on the second album! Some exclusive information I can give Metal Pit is that the pre-production is done, the genre is an interesting one, quite a cross, the actual recordings are now taking place, and that there are some exciting collaborations on this one, looking forward to sharing all that’s in store when the time comes, which is soonly!
What is the most memorable thing a fan has done at a show?
Handing me beer perhaps! The fun does have to continue in liquid form apart from all the sweat, blood and tears doesn’t it haha!
Where can new fans find you online?
Merchandise: mikaelarocks.com/store
Facebook: fb.com/mikaelarocks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikaelaofficial/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mikaelarocks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikaelarocksmt
YouTube: YouTube.com/mikaelarocks
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2KU7b2XXNxGVUL6AuVSPNH?si=86ZOHLNPS1yQba9tqWpdYA
Apple: https://music.apple.com/au/album/nocturne-in-red/1535161815
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Nocturne-Red-Explicit-Mikaela/dp/B08L1HFSBT
Lastly, do you have a personal message you would like to give to your fans at this time?
Thank you for always giving me and my endeavors all your love and support from all over the world! More to come to welcome to the nation! Metal salutes and rock on! xx
**Photos used by permisson of Mikaela**