Within the suburbs of many Australian cities lie the undiscovered talents of artists, dancers, models, singers and songwriters. However, within those of Melbourne you’ll find a young man who has already lived an amazing life, having overcome circumstances most of us could never imagine. He endures, with a burning desire to succeed. Who is this young man, you may wonder? Look no further them Michael Hoosen, aka B-Mike.
Born and raised in Johannesburg, Michael faced circumstances well out of his control. At only 8 years old he found his family almost evicted and facing financial ruin. In order to survive his mother relocated to Amsterdam to provide for her family, meaning Michael remained at home with his then 20-year-old sister and 17-year-old brother. From afar, his mother encouraged him to take a productive path, which led to his interest in music. With only a pen and paper Michael began creating some of his first lyrics, while awaiting his mother’s return.
In 2003 he and his mother made the move to Australia after she was successfully recruited into nursing. His brother and sister remained in South Africa.
Michael began to build relationships with the neighbours in his new community and they soon became supportive of Michael’s positive outlets, providing the use of a guitar and mic for recording purposes in exchange for common chores such as weeding and washing the car. Michael would then proceed to continue with music as a hobby during his high school years, even entering talent shows. However, it wasn’t until he really gained confidence at age 18 that he began to take his skills seriously.
As a developing artist Michael has seen his career go through a number of stages. Michael took a step back to review his outlook and felt as though there was an element missing. He realised there was a sense of realness he needed to implement: “Why don’t I make music that is relevant, people can relate to and make an impact on their lives? If I can help one person positively through music then my job’s done, and if I can do it on a wider scale then that’s even better.”
Michael now has over 20,000 followers on Facebook, twitter and instagram. A high number of those followers are teenage males who can relate to the lyrics of his music along with a large female following (due to his gorgeous looks). So, what does B-Mike look for in a woman? “Intelligence. Beauty is common and intelligence is not. I like a woman with independence. If you can fend for yourself and don’t rely on anyone, that means you’ll complement me, not rely on me. I like Ciara, she’s her own person, has confidence, she does and wears her own thing, has her own style. She’s an individual and individuality is a big thing for me.”
When asked about his own music and fashion influences Michael said he’s just not influenced by much, it’s a matter of originality and personal taste. “When it comes to style, if I see something I like I’ll buy it, if it’s got something on it I don’t like I’ll still buy it and change it so it’s me” (Could designer be next on his list of ambitions?). When it comes to music he’s not influenced by other artists, but by the events of daily life and the happenings around him. “What does influence me is seeing my mum still working 9 to 5 and my family back in South Africa, that’s what influences me to do better so I can provide for them.” Having said that, he enjoys the work of artists such as Hopsin, Drake, Eminem and Mackelmore.
You can check out B-Mike’s own style on Youtube and Facebook. He has recently released an album entitled Faith, Fate, Hope, and is focused on writing, recording and live performances. He is without doubt an extremely talented singer, songwriter, rapper and producer. Look out for him when he visits Sydney in the near future.
