In Conversation with Musical Artist Billy Mick

H ailing from Orlando, Florida, openly gay singersongwriter Billy Mick is celebrating life, community, family, and friends in his music.

While attending Manchester Pride in 2018 with his husband, Mick was inspired by the overwhelming sense of acceptance he experienced, and after seeing so many diverse and talented performers on the musical stages, he realized it was time to share his own artistry with others. With two studio albums released and a third in the works, Mick has found his voice and he is excited for what the future holds.

Mick took some time to talk about his music and current projects with OutClique

Denny Patterson: Thank you for taking some time to chat with me, Billy! Can you begin by telling us how you got your start in music?

Billy Mick: I have always been into music. Like, when I was a little kid and everyone else was outside playing, I was in front of a stereo speaker listening to records. I like all kinds of music, and I really kind of started writing music when I was a small child. When I was six or seven years old, I got my first keyboard, and I just wrote some songs. I actually put one of them on my first album, which turned out very well. Then when I moved to Orlando in the early 90s, I tried to jump on the whole boy band wagon. I recorded the songs, I did the photos, I did all the things, and everyone was like, you’ll never make it in this industry as an out gay male. So, I kind of stepped away from it for a while, and then in 2019, it felt like the right time to start doing it again.

Denny Patterson: How would you describe your musical style and aesthetic?

Billy Mick: I’m very eclectic, but my overall aesthetic would be rock‘n’roll. That's my jam.

Denny Patterson: Are there any themes you always try to incorporate into your songs?

Billy Mick: It's not that I try to, it just ends up that way (laughs). I go to my engineer being like, this is the last preachy one on the album. I swear! I'm very, very much into individuality and equality, and a lot of my themes are kind of hard hitting. I always think of that whenever I’m going to perform. I’m like, okay, what do I want the audience to feel? Do I want them to feel like I'm yelling at them, or should I do something that's a little more lighthearted? But overall, a sense of self-worth, self-value, respect, and appreciating that in others.

Denny Patterson: You mentioned a minute ago that people didn’t think you would make it in this industry. Have you encountered any major challenges being an openly gay man in the rock'n'roll genre?

Billy Mick: No, I wouldn’t say that I have. Live performance wise, I kind of took my music and put it into a one-man show, and kind of told my life story through that. I’ve given it a theatrical spin, even though it is more rock’n’roll, and I think it’s been received very well. I've gotten to perform at a couple of Prides, and I’ve had those moments where I’ve gotten to just go out there and sing my stuff, but no, I don’t think that I've actually run into any challenges with that. The biggest challenge I’ve faced is what any musician runs into, which is there’s never enough exposure. It’s pointless to make great music if no one’s listening to it!

Denny Patterson: What has been your favorite part about performing at Pride events?

Billy Mick: The energy is just so fantastic. My husband and I went to Manchester Pride in 2018, which was when I had the realization of, wait a second, I want to do this. When I first started, I was so caught up in just trying to get music out there and hoping people would listen to me, but when we went to Manchester Pride, they had three different stages, and they were filled all day long. People were watching and enjoying the performers, and I was like, this is what I want to do. So, I buckled down and started releasing stuff in 2019.

Denny Patterson: You have already released two albums, and you are now working on a third. What can you tell us about that?

Billy Mick: I am so excited about it! The album itself is called I’m a Rockstar, and it’s a little less preachy. This one is very much about self-value, loving yourself, and loving the people that make you better because of who they are and what they bring to you. I like this one a lot, and I’m super excited.

Denny Patterson: Do you have a release date in mind?

Billy Mick: It’s going to be a minute. Probably not until June or July. I’ve been releasing singles, because let’s face it, in the day and age we live in, people don’t care about the album as a whole or the meaning behind it. They want something now, so I’m just going to keep releasing singles from it.

Denny Patterson: What do you ultimately hope audiences take away from your music?

Billy Mick: A sense of positivity and a little more understanding of the fellow human that is standing next to you. Let’s step back and see what is really great about this person, and I wish more people did that.

Denny Patterson: I love that you highlight Fort Lauderdale and Wilton Manors in your music video for "Beautiful Eyes." What was the decision behind that?

Billy Mick: We have stayed a couple times at the Worthington with a group of friends, and the last time we stayed, I was getting ready to release the song. I was like, let’s come back next weekend. This has all the locations, and I wanted it to kind of feel like you were just on a date with me. I’m going to all these fabulous places and you’re seeing all the art walls in the back, I was obsessed. So, we came home for a few days, then turned around and went back next weekend to shoot the entire music video down there.

Denny Patterson: What are some future goals you hope to accomplish with your career?

Billy Mick: I've been doing a variety show, and I recently celebrated a year of doing that. Somebody wanted me to do a one-person show at a venue that had a very large space, and I've always been a huge fan of variety shows. The old Cher show, Sonny & Cher, Donny & Marie, that kind of stuff. I was like, okay, I’ll come and do a show, but I’m not doing a show just by myself for an hour. I can’t possibly be entertaining just as a solo act for an hour in this big space. It would have to be a variety show, so I started bringing in local talents and tried to constantly change it up. Have different people and showcase their art. I like doing that, and I'm finally gaining momentum with that. I would also like to get back to doing more of my stuff. With the variety show, it’s just fun and entertaining. I like the idea of getting back to doing more concert style stuff, and I want to get a band. I want to get a band together and do a really good rock’n’roll show. It would be cool to get out there and just jam with people.

Denny Patterson: Before we wrap up, are there any other upcoming projects or anything else you would like to mention or plug?

Billy Mick: Yes! If you didn’t see it during the holiday season, you should watch A Christmas Karen. It’s a hilarious movie, and they wanted to use my song “The Tourist” in the film. I also played a small cameo, which was very exciting. I’ve been getting a lot of feedback, people saying, oh my gosh, I really like your song, and I released that song a little over a year ago. It’s nice that it’s receiving a little bit more exposure, so check that out, as well as all my albums. They’re available on every platform.

Author: Denny Patterson | Photo Courtesy of JCabranes Photography