Interview: Michael Gabriel
April 15, 2023
Composer, Lyricist, Engineer, Producer, Instrumentalist: Michael Gabriel it has cosmic flexibility and an entire ecosystem of talent. The Big Takeover had the pleasure of interviewing him for his recent music video release ‘Sunday Afternoon’. You can read the interview below!
As a composer, songwriter, engineer, producer and instrumentalist, what is your favorite aspect of the music production process and why?
I love it all. My passion for creativity is what motivated me to explore all of this in the first place. So much of it works hand in hand. Songwriting was my first love. It helps to be a musician if you want to write songs. Once you learn to play and write, it’s really helpful to have the knowledge to be able to engineer and produce your ideas to sound their absolute best. I started a career in the music industry and was blessed with many opportunities – but in one way or another it was all rooted in my love of songwriting. That was the catalyst.
Can you describe the symbolism behind the “Sunday Afternoon” visuals? How was the concept of the music video created?
I love allegorical storytelling and symbolism – in lyrics, music and visuals. I’m always looking for ways to inject layers into everything I create. The fragility and complexity of relationships is what came to mind in Sunday Afternoon. These ideas are then explored in a symbolic way in the music video. The veiled woman represents majesty, purity, and beauty—in other ways, all that is holy. But the veil between us represents separation. The red balloons speak of happiness and the transience of life, while the desolate forest helps tell a story many of us can relate to: A once-thriving relationship is on the brink of collapse… what happens next is up to you .
Were you inspired by other songs or artists when creating ‘Sunday Afternoon’?
Every musician is a product of his experience and musical inspiration. “Sunday Afternoon” came about in a really organic way. Just me and my piano literally on a Sunday afternoon. At the time I was working on my album and had the idea to write a love song and a love tragedy in one. Relationships can be beautiful, painful, complicated and fragile, Sunday Afternoon is an exploration of these dynamics.
Red reappears in your work, what is the meaning of the color for you as an artist?
Red is a meaningful, versatile color. It represents both life and death, sacrifice and courage, hope and love. Red pigment was one of the first colors used in prehistoric art. From the Egyptians to the Mayans, from the Eastern Empires to the Romans and the Renaissance, the color red stands out. In the Bible, every word spoken by Christ is highlighted in red text. The Genesis album is allegorical in nature and represents the beginning of my more personal musical journey in many ways. The color red resonates with this symbolism.
What have been some of your most impactful collaborations in your music career so far and what have you learned from them?
I remember my many collaborations on the 2020 Grammy Tribute to Prince. While working on the arrangements for the show, the process was therapeutic in many ways. Finally seeing the vision come to life with the help of so many other talented artists was an absolute joy.
How would you describe your new full-length album “Genesis” to someone who hasn’t heard it?
The Genesis album is a musical journey exploring the abundance of emotions of the human experience. Hop on the roller coaster and enjoy the ride.
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