There’s a rising rock musician from Michigan who uses a pseudonym that’s sure to make him popular here in his home state.
WKAR’s Scott Pohl takes us Inside The Arts with the multi-instrumentalist known as Michigander.
Midland, Michigan-born Jason Singer started going by the name Michigander as a solo artist ten years ago. Singer plans to bring songs from his early years and some from an upcoming self-titled album to a couple of concerts in Grand Rapids during the weekend of December 6.
In recent weeks, his song Giving Up has hit the top five on the Adult Album Alternative charts.
Singer says people are already singing along at his tour stops.
“That song is a song I just wrote about trying to not make other people happy and sort of just focus on being my most authentic and original self,” he explained. “I feel like that shows through in the whole record.”
When it comes to his earlier music, Singer feels his song Misery started a new era for him as an artist about five years ago. He says it's his first that seemed to get some traction online and got him his first record deal.
“That was the first song of mine that was actually on the radio. It’s the highest streamed song, too, which is pretty cool. And, yeah, that one seems to be a crowd favorite.”
I think I process a lot of negative emotions and bad feelings through songs. I think that’s kind of what keeps me sane and mentally healthy.
Singer says to not worry about his frame of mind with song titles like Misery and Giving Up.
The gist of Misery is that misery loves company, while the refrain of Giving Up is that he’s giving up on trying to make people happy.
“I think I process a lot of negative emotions and bad feelings through songs. I think that’s kind of what keeps me sane and mentally healthy,” he said. “Even though some of the songs are kind of bummers or maybe have some bummer lyrics, just know that they are the thing that’s helping me get through bad situations.”
The song Breaker Box, which will be on Singer’s forthcoming album called Michigander, was written with a couple of friends in Nashville, where Singer is currently based. It’s the B-side to Giving Up.
“It’s a song I made where I wasn’t trying to worry about how we were going to pull it off live. I just wanted to make the best song possible right now, and that song was the one that kind of came out. And, luckily, we can pull it off live," he said.
You can never change where you’re from, and I’m always from Michigan, so I’m always a Michigander at heart. I have it tattooed on my arm!
Singer chose to launch his solo career under the name Michigander with ambitions to become more than a local or regional musician. He says he wants to be someone’s favorite act, and he thinks the name draws people who are from Michigan, or who love the Mitten State, to check him out wherever he goes.
“You can never change where you’re from, and I’m always from Michigan, so I’m always a Michigander at heart. I have it tattooed on my arm! So, yeah, it’s pretty important for me.”
With hopes to make it a yearly tradition, Singer is calling his weekend shows in Grand Rapids Michigander’s First Annual Holiday Special.
It starts with a small show at Tip Top Deluxe on Friday, December 6. On Saturday, there’s a show at a larger venue Elevation at The Intersection.
He promises different sets, complete with some holiday tunes, for people who see both shows. He'll be backed by guitarist Jake LeMond, drummer Aaron Senor and bassist Connor Robertson. And, they’re all Michiganders too.
