INTERVIEW: MIKExANGEL On 'Nothin 2 Somethin,' Being Trey Songz’s Protege & More

Introducing MIKExANGEL, a singer/songwriter from Petersburg, Virginia who's on track to become music’s next big thing.

You may have already heard MIKExANGEL’s smooth vocals, whether you know so by now or not. He was featured on eight songs on Trey Songz’s Anticipation 3 mixtape, where his song “Anxious” also served as a bonus track. He was featured on Songz’s To Whom It May Concern mixtape, too. The upcoming recording artist has also sang on Songz’s remix of “Put Up The Phone,” “Look What I Did” and has written for the Tremaine singer on several projects.

Songz has really taken MIKExANGEL under his wing. After all, these collaborations between the two aren’t mere coincidences. Trigga and his older brother Mu signed the rising star. MIKExANGEL is their first artist under Monopoly Enterprises and 300 Entertainment. So, in other words, he’s Songz’s protégé! With a superstar such as the Songz cosigning him, you already know this guy is the truth.

Now, the newcomer is ready to step out and show people exactly what he’s made of. MIKExANGEL has been opening up for Songz on his sold-out Tremaine The Tour and is preparing to drop his Nothin 2 Somethin project very soon. iHeartRadio sat down with the new star to speak about his music, being mentored and signed by Trey Songz, and more.

Check out iHeartRadio’s interview with MIKExANGEL below. You can peep some of his music here.

How’s your name, MIKExANGEL, pronounced?

It's pronounced Mike Angel. The x is there for stylistic purposes. Also, it's a different way to put it online whenever you type in MIKExANGEL, I should be the only one you see. It might be some phonies out there. (Laughs)

I read that you gave yourself that name because someone in your church said that you have the voice of an angel.

Yeah, I had a lot of deacons and people in the choir that used to show me different singing techniques. And they always was like, ‘Yo you got a gift man, you got something special, you got a voice like an angel.’ And so I just ran with that [in] my career. Now, I always believe that, too.

So, describe yourself and your music to someone who may not have heard of it before.

My music is very honest. All of my songs were written by me and some of them are collaborative with people in my team...They're about the way I view a lot of relationships, or how I take on relationships at this very moment in my life. It's definitely R&B rooted. I don't want to be stuck in a box and just say it's R&B only.  But, you know, I definitely want to venture out to other genres eventually.

What exactly made you want to become a recording artist?

I believe I always had it in me. From a young age, even when I was three years old, three, or four…I remember going in my back room in my grandma's house and just taking her big recorder and recording my voice. Then, hearing my voice back. I used to love to hear how my voice sounded on tape, or when we record. I feel like I always had it in me. But, the songwriting thing kind of just began maybe senior year of high school.

Now, you're touring with Trey Songz and you’re his opening act. How is that experience?

It's crazy. Me and Trey did a mixtape together, it's called Anticipation 3. It [features] one of my favorite songs called ‘Anxious.’ I wrote that one back home in Virginia and it's just amazing to see the crowd's reaction whenever that song plays. To hear them sing it back is crazy. And to know that I started that song in my room and now I'm singing it to thousands of people; and they're responding back and I'm getting great feedback, it's just is the best feeling ever. Words can't really describe it.

How did you and Trey first link up?

We linked up through my now manager, which is his big brother Mu. I played Mu a couple records and [we] started a relationship. Then, we actually had the chance to play ‘Boss’ and ‘Chill,’ which are two songs that are on [Trey’s] previous mixtapes before Anticipation called Intermission I & II. I actually got the chance to play ‘Boss’ first for him after one of his sessions. He was like, ‘Yeah it's aight, it's cool.’

And then, I didn't hear from him for a couple months. Then, I got a call from Mu and he was like, ‘Yo man, Trey's really liking the song…’ So, he ended up putting it on his mixtape.

Has Trey given you any valuable advice about being in the industry?

Definitely. Just as far as me being a performer and being a creative, he's always like, ‘Just make sure whatever you do, like you believe in yourself’ and ‘You stay creative, never lose your creativeness because no one else can be like you.’

You have a debut project coming out called Nothin 2 Somethin. Let’s talk about that.

It should be coming out pretty soon. I don't want to give a date yet because we don't have one and I don't want to lie to people. You should be looking for it sometime in June, maybe sometime this summer.

It’s called Nothin 2 Somethin because it's still a process, of course. I'm still growing as an artist…like a year ago I was working at Amazon and Starbucks. So, just to see the growth from a year ago to now, it feels like Nothin 2 Somethin. [I’m] able to just be in the studio or record with Kevin Liles in my corner, and [have] Trey as a mentor. That's something to me.

What's the vibe of Nothin 2 Somethin?

It's a roller coaster for real, every song you hear. The next song is going to be totally different than the last. A lot of the songs are about the way I view relationships. It's for the ladies, for real. But, it's also for the fellas, too. The guys could vibe out to it and be like, ‘Man I felt that way before.’

Listen to some of MIKExANGEL's music below. 

Photos: Rachel Kaplan for iHeartRadio