Exposed Vocals Interviews Michael Berg

Michael Berg is a pop&soul acoustic musician who specializes in connecting original lyrics to carefully crafted melodies and chords.

The multi-instrumentalist, Michael, graduating from Temple University with a Finance degree this upcoming spring, creates soulful tunes in a very stylistic and sophisticated manner. The artist’s music was recently featured in the “The Temple Tab,” a magazine that originated in the UK, and with new material on the way, and an album release date to be announced soon, Berg has stated that he is “readily determined to continue to impress the masses.”

Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?

 

Michael Berg: I grew up in Methacton, PA, a suburb about 30 minutes outside of Philadelphia. My dad always played guitar and wrote songs, and he was the one who first introduced me to playing and music in general. I took piano lessons at a young age and realized that I had a knack for picking out melodies by ear, so I stuck with it.

 

Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?

 

Michael Berg: It is my name given to me at birth. This music that I make comes straight from my heart and soul, with a unique creative effort that I put forth from scratch. This makes it feel right for me to perform under my actual name, to let people know that this music is all me.

Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?

 

Michael Berg: I think it is an important tool for networking and getting your music heard. Yes I have made my music available for free streaming and download, doing so on websites like Youtube and Soundcloud. I do this because making people only pay for my music is infeasible considering I am not yet an established profitable brand in the music market. Although I understand my self-worth and I am very confident in my song writing, I understand currently, that just getting my music heard is more important than earning money for my music.

Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?

Michael Berg: Be consistent with your performances. Get out and play, and network as much as you can. Understand that there are artists working around the clock 24/7 to improve their band, and if you want to, for lack of a better phrase, make it, you need to make this music a full time job. Keep improving your music quality and fan base. This is so important.

 

Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?

 

Michael Berg: My inspiration comes from everything that is around me. What I experience on a day-to-day basis becomes a stitch of my work, even if it is subliminally. I write about love, about happiness, about finding oneself in today’s world. I try and write like all the great songwriters of our generation. When I sit down I try a create a colorful melody like Paul McCartney would, write a ballad like Bob Dylan would, talk about the world being in need of love, like Stevie would.

My usual songwriting process is coming up with the music first on my guitar and then adding lyrics. I like to take my time with my songwriting, attempting not to rush a chorus or bridge or whatever my song is lacking at the time. I find that when I sit on a song and come back to it on another date, it comes to me more naturally.

 

 

Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?

Michael Berg: Right now I do not have an actual webpage for my music. I share my music on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, through online journalists and blogs, on Soundcloud, Youtube, Spotify, and Itunes. I upload my music to CD Baby, and they distribute my music to Spotify and Itunes.

https://soundcloud.com/michaelberg

https://www.youtube.com/user/mbizzerg/videos

 

Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?

 

Michael Berg: I would invest it in my music business. Better studio equipment, expand my instrument repertoire, spend some money on features, find shows, hire a booking agent/manager, someone I could trust and who would work with me like a brother. I would pay to get an online website done for me by a professional, I would pay for online advertising, and invest in some merchandise. Having money to invest in a marketing business plan would help greatly in trying to expand my business. I would also take this time to work on some new material in the studio, making sure to get the sound and production quality that I need.

Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?

 

Michael Berg: Mainly through an online presence. I like to get in contact with photographers to give my fans a visual to attach to my music. I find it is important for people to be constantly writing about my music and how it is evolving, interviews are key. I have been interacting more and more with online blogging sites, because I have come to realize that Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube just don’t cut it, in regard to online marketing. Word of mouth promotion is a tool that I need to utilize more often, doing so by handing out flyers and asking individuals what their plans are on the evening of my show.

Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?

 

Michael Berg: I recently have been in contact with a marketing team that wants to help with the promotion and management of an EP of cover songs. A 4-6 song project would show what my true influences are in the form of cover songs. Different renditions of my favorite artists’ songs.

Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?

 

Michael Berg: Well I am actually a full time student at Temple University, graduating this Spring with a degree in Finance.

Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?

 

Michael Berg: I know that music will always be there for me. I am very happy with the progressive pace that I have been making my music at. If you do this music thing simply because of your love and passion for the art, not necessarily for the competitiveness that plays into it, you will find that happiness will follow the art.

Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2016?

 

Michael Berg: New material. Live shows. A new band. Minor rebranding.