"I really liked writing since young... I just thought it was nuts to me. You can take one idea, you can put it in a thousand different ways. It can be interpreted a thousand different ways by another thousand different people."
Tuesday 4 June 2024, Canterbury High Street, United Kingdom
Who are we talking to? Mikael
Who is the interviewer? Sean
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SEAN: Hello, would you like to introduce yourself?
MIKAEL: Hi, my name is Mikael, I'm 22. I went to the University of Kent. I study criminology. I just finished my third year. Inshallah, the great comes out good.
SEAN: Amen.
MIKAEL: You get me!
SEAN: I get it. Beautiful start. My first question for you, bro, is what are you passionate about and why?
MIKAEL: I'm passionate about a lot of things. Recently, I'm passionate about traveling and I know that's a little bit cliche, but it's because I went traveling recently and I was biased.
SEAN: Where'd you go?
MIKAEL: I went spots, bro. I went to Paris and I went to Troyes, which is like a little bit south of Paris, then to Brussels, then to Rotterdam and it was lovely in Brussels.
SEAN: What inspired this? You felt like, “F**k it, let's go outside”?
MIKAEL: Yeah, I just finished my exams and I was like I had a friend living in Brussels and a friend in France. So I just went and visited them, you get me.
SEAN: That’s hard. That's hard. Do you have a creative passion?
MIKAEL: I write. I write a lot. I write music, I write bars, I write poetry, I write for myself.
SEAN: Fair enough, beautiful stuff. So you're a writer, so was there someone or something that happened that sparked your passion?
MIKAEL: I wouldn't say something per se, I just thought I really liked writing since young like even back in class. I just thought it was nuts to me. You can take one idea, you can put it in a thousand different ways. It can be interpreted a thousand different ways by another thousand different people. That's just crazy to me that you can manipulate language like that.
SEAN: Is that a quote from yourself or did you get that from somewhere? That was a beautiful thing that was a beautiful wow, you’re definitely a writer. Bros definitely a writer.
MIKAEL: (Laughs)
SEAN: So how does it feel when you think about your future, especially as a third year?
MIKAEL: I care about my future a lot, but it's not something I'm like, “Oh, I'm so concerned, this and that.” I'm like, I'm religious. First of all, I'm just a big believer in the fact that things will come to you when it is due. You get me. So there is no…
SEAN: There's no rush.
MIKAEL: You get me, exactly.
SEAN: That's a beautiful philosophy. So do you have stuff laid out or are you just going with it?
MIKAEL: Yeah, so I'm from Ethiopia, and I did want to like go back and like do some stuff. Like my people are from the capital, like they're good, but I just wanted to help out in the country in general. Like right now, the political situation has peaked to the extent where they're saying, “Oh, don't come here.” So that had to be said. So right now I'm looking at [studying] in America. There's one scholarship I wanted to get for Howard University. America has these things called HBCUs, I don't think they have them anywhere else. But [they're] Historically Black Colleges and Universities so I just wanted to go.
So for secondary I went to a private school off a scholarship, but like this was like a 90 percent like white North London private school. Do you get me? And so I always say the education was great. I respect the school for that but the socialisation was pretty poor. So I was thinking I'd basically go to an effectively Black space which would be the antithesis of that.
SEAN: So just to experience it.
MIKAEL: Obviously it's not like that clear cut, but I think it would be a better step.
SEAN: No, yeah, especially if it beats your career. Why not? So, what's something that you're excited about or that's happening in the near future?
MIKAEL: I did say I like traveling, and me and my bro we're gonna go to Italy soon.
SEAN: Whereabouts in Italy, bro?
MIKAEL: Milan.
SEAN: Oh okay, okay, I hear it. You got anything planned there specifically?
MIKAEL: Not even (Laughs) just going for vibes. This is how it is, bro, every time.
SEAN: That’s hard. I think that's how it should be, just go and enjoy yourself. So what's average wake up time / bedtime?
MIKAEL: Today I woke up like half nine.
SEAN: That’s good.
MIKAEL: To be fair. I didn't think it was this thing in the morning. In general, it's like ten.
SEAN: That's reasonable. So is this consistent even throughout, like even during holidays and stuff?
MIKAEL: (Laughing) Nah, nah, let me let me—
SEAN: Because basically everyone I've asked this question to split into two.
MIKAEL: Yeah sometimes it was slack until, like it could be at 1pm.
SEAN: Nah, that's understandable if you're on a holiday. F**k it, man. Wake up whenever you want to. So what was your dream job as a child man?
MIKAEL: (Laughing) Oh man, nah, this is (groans) you won't believe it. It really was like the doctor thing.
SEAN: A doctor?
MIKAEL: I don't know, it's just my mum. Like it's not even my mum like oh, she made me. I think she just introduced me to it. I actually was like, “This is sick.”
SEAN: How did she introduce you? Like through TV shows, media, or she just said like, “Look at this.”
MIKAEL: Me and my mum studied from young. I remember I was. What was it? In year 6, how is that like? 10 or 11 and she was showing me like GCSE CDs and she was studying that with me and I think, like the science part. I was just like, “Oh, I've been doing biology this time and I was like, oh, this is sick.”
SEAN: Okay that, wow, I mean studying GCSE content…
MIKAEL: Yeah, my mum was on it. Like I respected her.
"There's one scholarship I wanted to get for Howard University. America has these things called HBCUs, I don't think they have them anywhere else. But [they're] Historically Black Colleges and Universities so I just wanted to go."
SEAN: Nah, my mum was similar, don't worry. I kind of get that. She just wanted what was best. So what is something you've dreamed of doing for a long time but haven't done so already? I think we kind of touched on that. You said you wanted to go back home, and do something new. But Is there anything else?
MIKAEL: Music, music. Because, like, I'm not so fussed about like making music to get out there, out there now, but still it would be nice because if I'm making it it would just make sense for people to hear it.
SEAN: Yeah, have you released anything or have you got anything in the works?
MIKAEL: No, no, I have a few things in the works. A few of my friends produce, a few of my friends borrow up to, so I have stuff with them, but yeah.
SEAN: Yeah, that's good. As long as you have something in production, it's rolling. So what are some songs you've been listening to lately?
MIKAEL: Okay, a guy called ZekeUltra, “Like Me” by Zeke Ultra. Mavi’s “Sense,” always a classic. Okay, If you listen to any of these, this one “Over my Head” by Alabama Shakes. Banger.
SEAN: Oh okay. I've never heard of these. I'll add that to Spotify. So what's your proudest accomplishment?
MIKAEL: So I live with my mum and my sister. We recently moved and I paid a fair bit of that to help my mum move into the place, but it was mainly for her.
SEAN: No, that's amazing, honestly, I feel like that's everyone's dream, to like help their mum out. That's beautiful, man. I'd be proud of that. Well done, bro. So describe yourself In three words. This is a question a lot of people struggle with.
MIKAEL: Hopeful. Gassed. Reasonable.
SEAN: Would your friends agree with these traits?
MIKAEL: Yeah.
SEAN: Okay, beautiful stuff. And then do you have a nickname? And what's the story behind it?
MIKAEL: Saint.
SEAN: Where did that come from?
MIKAEL: Okay, my name is Mikael, isn't it? And then Saint Mikael, and that's just applied for anything like music or anything online.
SEAN: Okay, “Saint” that's hard. I'm assuming you're using that as your name, as always. Okay, cool, and then what's something that has been in your mind?
MIKAEL: Palestine, God bless them. Like really.
SEAN: Yeah, someone talked about that, a lot of the genocides happening around the world. So, yeah, nah, I understand.
MIKAEL: Serious, serious stuff.
"I'm just a big believer in the fact that things will come to you when it is due."
SEAN: And then this is crazy because we just went to a morbid subject. But going back to the creative side, what was your Inspiration process or source? It's like when do you get Inspiration from, whilst like writing your Poems, writing general music, or is it all just from your surroundings and stuff?
MIKAEL: I feel like it is like where I’m at.
SEAN: No, honestly, I think it's not something a lot of people think about, because the people have asked before they said surroundings.
MIKAEL: Yeah, I think I'm just. I just take a little second to be present where I'm at and depending on where I'm at it depends on what's true.
SEAN: Okay, yeah, so has anything you've written related to Canterbury?
MIKAEL: (Laughing) Canterbury is not a spot for inspiration. I mean, Canterbury is peaceful though.
SEAN: So was there anyone who encouraged or nurtured your creativity?
MIKAEL: Just a lot of my people in school. My friends. Like I said, the school I went to I couldn't be, I wasn't really friends with all of the people that were there. Yeah, but the people I was friends with were cool with me and like we wanted the best for each other. So if we saw one of us was doing good inside we elevated them.
SEAN: They pushed you towards writing and exploring music. That's a beautiful thing, man. Describe the moment you fell in love with your passion or realised your passion.
MIKAEL: Oh, one time, okay, I'd clocked that I fell in love with that idea of actually performing. Yeah, when I went to see - it was a couple of people - Mavi, Mike, and Fly Anakin. And I saw Fly Anakin on stage. I had never seen a performer like that in my life. He was just so sick with his energy. I was like “Wow.” And to move that energy into the crowd as well, that's crazy.
SEAN: So you wanted to replicate that.
MIKAEL: Yeah, I was like, wow, I want to do that.
SEAN: And then is there a specific food or drink you like to consume whilst you're being creative?
MIKAEL: I don't know, I drink a lot of water I don't know.
SEAN: Any foods from back home that you like to eat whilst you're being creative.
MIKAEL: I don't really snack on Ethiopian food, but just Ethiopian food in general is lovely. Injera. I don't know what you want. There's a lot of spicy food If you're good with spicy food. Even if you don't like spicy food, there are options. But doro is hella spicy, a little bit and some chicken—oh, my goodness.
SEAN: Sounds good. Man.
MIKAEL: Doro, get to know it.
SEAN: That was the final question. I'm glad I got to interview you, bro. It's nice to meet you and I hope you enjoy your Photoshoot. Give us love, man.
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Photographers: Dante Richardson & Paolo
Photo editor: Dante Richardson
Photoshoot Assistants: Hyla Etame, Vanessa Mbeko, & Jolanda Oruni
Interview editor: Hyla Etame
