It’s A Smooth Mix With Rising Singer/Songwriter Mike Burke
Living in Santa Monica for eight months now, this rising musician is climbing the musical ladder one guitar strum at a time. “I saved up for a few years and just decided to make the push forward. It was very exciting, it still is, I love it,” singer/songwriter Mike Burke says of his move from the East Coast to California, to pursue his passion for music. He adds, “Everyone is so nice and friendly out here.” Speaking of friendly, Mike is the kind of guy you just want to share a beer with, while singing around a beach bonfire. With his one-of-a-kind musical style and his inspiring lyrics, there’s no doubt he is a rising star.
His unique flair pulls from a mix of different musical styles, including inspiration from Ray Charles, Bob Marley and The Frey. “I listened to Ray Charles a lot as a kid…Motown, soul stuff,” Mike says, who also adores Bob Marley, “I love reggae.” In his own words, Mike describes his music as, “A mix of soul rock, beach rock, relaxed, good messages and good vibes. All about loving life and helping others.”
TAKE A LISTEN – MOLLY’S SONG
The 100-percent Irish artist reigns from Boston, Mass., and recently took the plunge to dive into music as a full-blown career. He moved from New York City, where he was working on an extremely demanding schedule in finance. Although he studied economics and math in college, and went on to work at a successful company in finance, he always did music on the side.
He goes back home to the East Coast about every month for family or to play shows. His last trip consisted of a visit to his Grandmother’s assisted living home, where he walked into a sight he had never seen before. “It was awesome. It was like nothing I’ve ever walked into before, there were like 40 wheelchairs. They loved it,” Mike says. “I played stuff from 50’s and 60’s. Old Irish songs from back in the day in Boston and stuff. Everyone was singing and belting stuff out, and dancing in their chairs.”
Just talking to Mike is inspiring, and so is his music. But what inspires him? “It can be nothing, or it can be huge. Sometimes it’s day-to-day things…it can be different things I do, like different camps I’ve worked at,” Mikes says. “It’s pretty inspiring stuff, just to be around and be apart of, it’s stuff I take with me in songwriting.” His music is about sending good messages to help people, and no one can truly send a message if they don’t live it out. The Boston-native worked at Burn Camp for three years in a row. “And I’m going back, definitely.”
The Mid-Atlantic Burn Camp is a camp for kids who have been burned, either minimally burned or on a large portion of their body. “It’s a place they can go to go to the pool and take their shirts off, and not get starred at.” The organization is in the Blue Mountains of Virginia, and Mike says it definitely changed his life. “The kids are great, it’s pretty amazing. You go there thinking you are going to help these kids, but these kids really help me,” Mike says, “It’s like self-therapy.” After seeing just how strong the kids at Burn Camp are, it inspired him to make the ‘last kick in the pants I needed to get out of the door,” he says. As a camp counselor, Mike usually has the older kids. “They look you up on YouTube. We sing a lot of songs, campfire stuff, and a lot of different activities. It’s a great organization.” Mike is also apart of an organization called Musicians on Call, where musicians go to hospitals and play for children or adults by their bedside.
When I asked Mike about his hobbies outside of music, he paused to think about it for a moment. He says, “Working out, outdoor activities in different sports, especially water sports, going to the beach and going out at night,” are some things he enjoys, then he adds with a laugh, “I’m a night owl.” The singer/songwriter is also fluent in French! “When I was growing up our superintendent of our public schools was very into learning a foreign language. So my mother decided to put us (me, my older sister, and my younger sister) into this new program called French Emersion. And it does exactly what it says…you don’t speak English in school until 3rd grade.” So Mike took all his math, science, and reading classes in French. Then in third grade he switched to half-English, half-French, and finally in fifth grade switched into regular English-speaking classes. “I thought this was a normal program in all schools, until I went to college and people were shocked at this program. They asked if I was French, nope all Irish, or if my parents knew French, nope not a word, so it was pretty cool.”
Mike has an amazing debut album out right now, and he is currently working on his second album, which will focus more on acoustic songs. Looking forward to more great things to come from this rising and inspiring artist!
Find Mike Burke’s EP album on iTunes
Written By: Rachel Shapiro
