Mikalah Gordon – Vivian

By starrymag | September 22, 2022

By: Paige Zinaman

 

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

A) I think it’s like if Amy Winehouse and Janis Joplin had a baby.

 

Q) You just dropped your first single called “Hands Off.” Talk about the story behind it.

A) The story behind “Hands Off” is a very personal one. Not only did I ever think I would never tell anyone about being sexually abused, but I also never thought I would write an anthem about it. After Roe V Wade was overturned, we realized it was the perfect song to release as the single from the album. This album is meant to leave people feeling not only empowered to speak their truth, but to live authentically in it.

 

Q) What the writing process was like?

A) The writing process felt like a therapy session. Whatever I was dealing with in therapy, I took to my best friend and producer Brandon Rogers, and we made a song about it. We cried A LOT, we cooked A LOT, and we just threw out all the rules.

 

Q). Your first ever full-length album Vivian dropped September 9th and it’s a very special connect to you it’s named after your grandma. What’s it like to honor her in such a beautiful way?

A) I honestly don’t know of a better way to honor her. She used to joke with all of her grandkids that she wanted someone to name their kid Vivian. This album is my musical baby. I grew into the women I always wanted to be because of this album. I think she is looking down on me with a lot of pride.

 

Q) How much of a hand did you in the conception of Vivian? 

A) I had both hands and both feet in! LOL. I am an independent artist. It is a one woman show over here. My best friend Brandon co-wrote and produced the album, and our guy JJ Catalyst mixed and mastered it. We don’t have a team or a machine behind us. That’s what makes it so good and honest in my opinion.

 

Q) “Hands Off” is the perfect song to summarize a pretty bleak time happening for women right now, with the overturning of Roe v Wade. Are we able to expect more songs like “Hands Off” on the rest of the album?

A) I think so! “The Role” is one of my favorite songs and it takes a deep dive into intimacy and the struggles I have had with asking for what I want or what my partner wants. I was always so shamed when it came to sex. I never knew what to do, and after being sexually abused I was even more confused. It also didn’t help that I was gay. This song is also meant to be very empowering.

 

Q) What songs on the album hold a special significance to you and what makes it so important to you?

A) “Witness.” “Witness” was the final song written for the album that wasn’t supposed to be written. It is a duet with my brother and I that we wrote and recorded before he left for the army. It talks about how a sibling relationship will always be so special because no one knows you like your sibling. No matter what, they will always bear witness to the life you have lived from the beginning. Love you Sam.

 

Q) What is it about Vivian that you think fans will connect to the most? 

A) Vivian is just REAL – from estranged relationships with my parents, to losing a loved one, to hating and falling in love with myself, there is something for everyone. I also appreciate “El Juego,” which was a song written in English and Spanish about growing up both Catholic and gay. We definitely don’t sugar coat anything.

 

Q) For those who may not know comedy is a huge part of who are as well, when you think about comedy and music do you find one more challenging than the other? 

A) I just think they are so different! I am very much myself in both lanes, but differently. I am RIDICULOUS and have no shame when it comes to making someone laugh. I love making people laugh because no matter how sad they are, or where they are at, you can literally change their mood. With singing, you help others in a different way. It is much more vulnerable if you let it be. You can cry together, yell at the top of your lungs together, or celebrate together. I love that.

 

Q) We loved seeing you on “American Idol.” What advice did you receive while on the show that you took to heart and who was it from?

A) Simon Cowell said to me, “Fifty percent of America will love you and fifty percent of America will hate you.” It was the best advice because it helped me understand that not only am I not for everyone, but I am also not a lukewarm kind of gal. I am passionate in what I believe in and you either are going to hop on this train or you’re not. I don’t take it personally.

 

Q) You’re also the host of Channel Q’s “The Morning Beat” and “World’s Funniest & Weirdest” on The CW. What other projects coming up fans can look forward to?

A) Isn’t that enough?? JK! [laughs] I love what I do, and I am so grateful to be able to many different things. Along with my shows, I have a few shows in Greece and Israel this year where I will perform my new album for an all-female lineup. I feel excited because I have never been to either place!

 

Q) Social Media is a huge part of an artist’s life when it comes to music releases, being a part of social media, what has the response been and do you find yourself enjoying the instant feedback or do you kinda hesitant looking?

A) I am very careful when it comes to social media. I understand I need it for my career, but I don’t want it to be something that dictates my self-worth or my work. (It has happened in the past and that isn’t a good feeling, right?) I appreciate the kind and loving words and the support. Like I said, I am for some and not for others. It’s nothing personal.

 

Q) What would you like to say to fans and supporters of you and your music?

A) Awwww. WE DID IT!! After eighteen years, we made the album! I am very grateful for my supporters. Truly, I couldn’t do it without them. I know it sounds cliche, but it’s true. I will get a message where someone says how much my music or comedy helped them. They don’t know that those messages help me just as much. Forever grateful. This one is for us!