At The Cutting Room on February 12
New York-based singer, songwriter, producer and actor Michael Grubbs, aka Wakey Wakey, is about to launch his new album “Overreactivist,” leading to a major U.S. and European tour.
Originally hailing from Richmond, Virginia, Grubbs relocated to New York City, where he met the writer and executive producer of the HBO drama series “One Tree Hill,” and was offered a part on the show after a musical audition. His debut album sold more than 50,000 copies worldwide and was used on “One Tree Hill” as well as Honda, Apple and Nationwide Insurance ads.
Grubbs has since been touring and releasing soulfully alternative music. He will be performing at The Cutting Room on February 12. Michael says: “I didn’t get into music to be like Katy Perry. I didn’t get into music to try to have the largest pulpit in the world. With that being said, I think the message that I bring forth is one of positivity; it’s something that I really want to share.”
What do you consider your musical genre to be?
That’s a little tough. It’s definitely alternative and indie, but there is an orchestral element to the music. Violins are our trademark, part of our sound. I called it baroque pop for a while. I think that our music speaks to people that have been through something. Even “Salvation,” our pop album that we did, has a lot of themes of survival. It’s totally different than when I was a kid, but if you’re a gay person in America right now, it’s a lot better, but it’s not what it should be. You don’t have the freedom that you should have. You don’t have the liberty that you should have. I feel like anyone who’s gay has probably got a tough strike in them. I feel that they might really be able to connect with the album.
What prompted you to get into music?
I was raised by musicians. My family was very religious, and they were very musical. My dad was a singer, and my mom was a music teacher. We had this crazy burgundy baby grand piano, and when I was a kid I would play underneath it while my mother taught music. Most families have playrooms for the kids. We had a music room. I started playing the piano when I was five, and I was instantly obsessed with it. Music was a language in my family. If I did my homework, I was allowed to play piano. Piano was a reward. Being good at music did not win me any points in high school. It wasn’t cool. When I went to college, I went into a music conservatory, and suddenly all of the nerdy music kids were all in one place. Suddenly, for the first time in my life, I became cool. Some people are raised by wild animals; I was raised by wild musicians.
Besides The Cutting Room, where else will you be playing on the East Coast?
There’s Asbury Park; Connecticut; Boston; Teaneck, New Jersey; Philadelphia; and Virginia.
What’s the main thing that you would like your followers to know?
The thing that people need to know is that we will be on tour in the United States and Europe during February and March. At the end of February the new album comes out. My mother always taught me never to put myself in a box; in other words, always do what you want to do. The first album I made was intentionally artistic. After doing that album I wanted to make a pop album. So I made a pop album. Some of our audience, I think, were alienated; some embraced it. So this album, for me, is intentionally a return to form. This album is a return to making an artistic art album.
To hear Grubbs’ new single “Golden,” visit Vimeo.com/150835954
