The pre-recorded concert that streamed on YouTube on Nov. 29 not only marked eight years since his first public appearance singing Michael Bublé’s "Lost" but it was an on-stage extension of his debut album Amateur, which was self-produced and released digitally in late August 2020.  

At his home studio, Mikha wrote, arranged and played the instruments, perfected by Swedish musician Olof Lindskog, also known as Ollipop, as the mixing engineer from The Kennel AB/Universal Music Publishing.

While the entire album would sound like “classy” pop, each of the eight tracks has his profound sense of music arranged so as to deliver the lyrics if not accentuating them.

“While writing ‘Shot’, I already had in mind that the song must be a piano-driven one. For ‘Stay A While’ I chose a fleeting music arrangement,” he said in a virtual interview with The Jakarta Post a few weeks after the album release.

“Every arrangement was intentionally made to get the message in the lyrics across. And the whole process excited me,” said the 23-year-old.

Born to a music-loving family on Nov. 8, 1997, the Jakarta-based musician had taken piano lessons since the tender age of 5 and later guitar from one of his elder brothers. In his teens, he started to write songs and became the lead vocalist in a band with his three siblings. 

Mikha skipped high school to enter the offshoot of the Manchester-based SSR and The School of Sound Recording in Jakarta, majoring in audio engineering, and the X Factor audition happened.

Although he was eliminated when there were only four contestants left, he was the first to sign a contract as a recording artist with Sony Music Indonesia in 2013 as part of TheOvertunes, which comprises him and his brothers Mada Emmanuelle and Reuben Nathaniel.

The acoustic pop band was among the most productive groups in and out the studio, having gone to many music award shows and last nominated for Top Duo/Group/Band of the Year at the 2020 Billboard Indonesia Music Awards.

As the band took a break, Mikha got his solo endeavor into high gear by joining Wonderland Records, which was founded by record producer Inu Numata, who worked with TheOvertunes for the past six years.

“I’m the second artist on the roster. It’s fun working with a circle of friends who are all professionals. They’re good at what they do,” said Mikha.

Under the new label, Mikha had freedom to create his music although the acoustic sound palette was still there as his taste in music has the influence of d’cinnamon, John Mayer, Michael Bublé and Ellie Goulding.

“I’m always fascinated by songs with well-written lyrics as if the songs were meant to be sung to ourselves. The kind of songs that don’t need extra treatment in their delivery. Like a well-cooked bone broth, it alone is already tasty.”

Mikha’s Amateur indeed sounds like his inner monolog, an honest expression of his personal struggles and experiences in understanding life in his 20s.

“Shot” was the first song he wrote for the album after a recent breakup. His first heartbreak led him to question his existence and life in general, things he often discusses with his brothers.

“I observed how people deal with different situations, how people have no control over their lives. Seeing it from that perspective, it is so stressful especially because I can’t do much to change it,” he said.

In “Human” he questions humanity and expresses his disappointment in humans as a species, “Run” talks about his determination to live life to the fullest, while in “Fairytale” Mikha talks about self-esteem.

“Too and More” is a sweet love song, while in “Stay A While” he addresses mental health issues. The most emotional track is “Middle Ground”, which tells about his conflicts with his mother.

“I told my mother about the song and the reason behind it and she couldn’t remember what had happened. But it started a conversation between us and let’s say that we have found a middle ground,” he chuckled.

While “Human” was chosen as the lead track due to its powerful beat that serves as a soundbite for the entire album, “Amateur” was the summary of them all in which Mikha admitted to having a lot to learn in life. 

All tracks were written in English as Mikha hoped that the songs could touch more people. 

He experimented with digital instruments and equipment to imbue new sounds to his music and to create acoustic sound.

“The chorus in ‘Run’ sounds like guitar playing but it is actually digital manipulation. Now that I have the time for myself I could learn and explore more without someone to guide or to help.” 

The main instrument that gave life to his music was his ardent vocals, the breathy tone and his emotive delivery. 

It took him six months to complete the production because he intended to finish producing one track before moving to the next one and the coronavirus pandemic was not the only reason he worked on it alone.

“I’m the harshest critic of my own work because I know what I need to do and I’m the only person who can convey my own message,” explained Mikha, who has produced many songs and two albums for TheOvertunes and other artists.

“It was quite an experience having only one opinion in the studio for the first time in which the output was exactly what I have in mind,” he added.

Although during the interview Mikha thought out loud, saying that Amateur would be last his last solo work before reuniting with TheOvertunes’ for projects, his concert said otherwise. 

As the music and creative director of his first solo concert, Mikha made upgrades to his music for the on-stage performance -- using real instruments and incorporating background singers --  showing that he was not easily satisfied and would always find room for improvement. Just like a true amateur. (ste)

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