In this weeks episode of Pop Culture Weekly, Kyle McMahon talks with Mike Posner on his incredible career, meditation, his Walk Across America, if Mansionz 2 is coming, his new album Operation: Wake Up and his new hit Momma Always Told Me
Mike Posner is one of the most interesting artists in entertainment today. Signing a record deal in his junior year at Duke University, he completed his senior year before releasing his first album, 31 Minutes To Takeoff. The album was an immediate hit spawning multiple hit singles including Cooler Than Me. From there he continued releasing music and began writing and producing for other artists including the smash hit Boyfriend by Justin Bieber and Sugar by Maroon 5.
After releasing the biggest hit of his career so far, I Took A Pill In Ibiza, Posner followed that up with a poetry book Teardrops And Balloons and a spoken word album I Was Born in Detroit on a Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Cold Day. He released a collaboration album with blackbear titled Mansionz that blurred genres and became a much buzzed about underground smash.
Following his next proper album, A Real Good Kid, Posner skipped the usual supporting tour and embarked on a literal walk across America beginning in New Jersey and ending in Los Angeles. It is safe to say, Posner does not follow anyones path but his own.
With the release of his new concept album Operation: Wake Up and brand new single Momma Always Told Me, I spoke with Posner about his incredible career, the choices he's made and how he made me cry when I first met him in Pennsylvania.
When I asked him if his unusual career path was conscious, Posner said: "That's just who I am...I'm just a weirdo....I'm following my heart when it comes to this art. Whether it's music or poetry or I'm drawing something...I'm just doing what I'm called to. I've got a line from a song I never put out that says "Everybody got opinions on what I'm supposed to do, I'm just going to keep doing the things I was chosen to."....At the time I'm just in the work, you know? Poems are showing up in my head so I do a book of poetry."
Posner continued, "When we look at music now, we look at hit songs. How many hit songs are out in a year? That's not particularly what I'm interested in. I'm interested in the pursuit of truth and that's what I think being a real artist is about.....Someone could be at the top of the charts right now but we don't remember their name in 10 years... And I don't care if people remember my name but I hope they remember my work."
With Posner as a real life modern renaissance man, I don't think there's every a danger that we won't remember his work.
Check out my full interview with Mike Posner on this week's episode of Pop Culture Weekly. We discuss his entire career, if Mansionz 2 is coming, the inspiration for his new song Momma Always Told Me, what's next for him and so much more. Exclusively from iHeartRadio.
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Check out Kyle Mcmahon's website, PopCultureWeekly.com and subscribe to the Pop Culture Weekly podcast. You can follow him on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Rizzle and Instagram.