We were lucky to catch up with Mikey Vee recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Mikey , thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
In all honesty, I don’t think it’s ever really gone away. I still often find myself doubting my abilities and feeling as if I don’t deserve to be in my position. But I’d like to believe that this has actually become a driving force for me to reach for greater heights and prove to myself what I am capable of.
However, whenever the imposter syndrome arises, I do my best to remind myself of all of my accomplishments and of all of the things I have overcome.
I have also learned to adopt a student mindset regardless of how far I come. I have a line in my album that says, “Never the master, forever student don’t ask me if you can do it, just move and then make a movement.” This allows me to be more kind to myself as I am still learning in every moment.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I go by the name of Mikey Vee and I am a Filipino-American hip hop artist, rapper, producer, and founder of Golden Oras, a collective made to connect all types of creatives in the Bay Area in order to expand and share their brands and businesses. I was born and raised in Daly City and have been writing and making music on and off for over 15 years. Influenced by artists like Mos Def, Lupe Fiasco, Kanye, Andre 3000, Pharrell, J Cole, Kendrick, Drake, Chance the Rapper, Smino, JID, and more, I differentiate myself from the typical Bay Area sound with unique wordplay, impactful lyrics, catchy hooks, and versatility.
My upcoming album, “REM”, a soundtrack to the human experience is inspired by the works of the 16th Century painter, Rembrandt. With modern production, crisp vocals, and profound storytelling, this project promises is set to take over 2024!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Networking:
Plain and simple, if you want to succeed in the music industry, you have to get used to networking. As someone who identifies as at least half introvert, networking was something I was afraid of, but knew was necessary. Biting the bullet and learning to just dive into it has helped me create numerous opportunities just in the past year alone. The only way to get better is to put yourself out there and try it!
Creativity:
Some people like to think that creativity is reserved for a special type of person but in truth we are all capable of it. I think one of the hardest parts is actually setting aside the tome to sot down and just let your mind wander, but with direction. I actually used to do writing drills where I would force myself to write for 10 minutes a day to keep my skills up. I also attended writing workshops. Today I have begun teaching my own writing workshops called “Blank Space”
Discipline:
Discipline is honestly the key to achieving anything. You have to learn to put in the work especially when it isn’t convenient or enjoyable. There have been countless days where the last thing I wanted to do was make music or shoot content or maybe go to the gym. Those are the moments that matter the most because that’s what separates the those at the top from everyone else!
We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?
Personally, I have always believed in expanding your horizons and broadening your skillset or improving on areas where you may not be as confident in. I have tried to exemplify that in both my personal and professional life. I make music but I am also a Mechanical Engineer with over 4 years experience in the robotics industry.
There is this book, called “Range” by David Epstein that demonstrates the benefits of versatility with a comparison of the elite athletes Roger Federer and Tiger Woods. Tiger spent his whole life playing golf while Roger didn’t start playing Tennis until later in his life. Before that, he tried other sports such as basketball and football. Still, both athletes and reached the same heights of athleticism in their respective sports.
I think another part of it also stems from Filipino culture. Filipinos are known for being multi-talented, but back during the colonization of the Philippines, we strived to become of value to America and made ourselves into our largest export in a sense. Overall, I keep to the idea of being well-rounded as a way to experience more of life and be able to offer more of yourself to the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://withkoji.com/@mikeyveemusic
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/mikeyveemusic
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@mikeyveemusic741?si=RHIWyyXpOPl5oI2f
Image Credits
Dale Keano, Kevin Ha, Rommel Castillo Jr., Kiara D Photography, Winston Lai
