Mik Ivy: Dual Energy

Mik Ivy is a New York based musician who is steadily building momentum in the city’s indie and soul scene. His sound is emotional, melodic, and grounded in real vocal technique. He has been performing across the city, writing constantly, and developing a stage presence that feels intentional and personal. What stands out is how he carries himself. He takes music seriously without taking himself too seriously. He is focused and intentional. He shows up like someone who knows where he is going, even if he still considers himself in the early chapters of the journey. The way he phrases, the way he moves, the way he transitions between songs, the way he sets the room’s tone. All of it feels considered.

The first time I saw Mik perform was at The Bitter End. He played acoustic versions of his songs, and the stripped back setting made his writing impossible to ignore. His songwriting is descriptive, raw, and emotional in a very honest way. You could feel exactly what he was saying because he gave the room space to feel it. The entire place was silent. You could hear a pin drop. He had everyone in the palm of his hand without ever having to try for it. The crowd stayed with him through every shift and every lyric. It was intimate and sincere and it showed how strong of a storyteller he really is.

About a month later, I saw him again at Piano’s. This time he performed with a full band, and the energy could not have been more different. The moment he stepped into the space, the entire room flipped. The vibe was loud, bright, and chaotic in the best way, and he took full control of it. His stage presence was impressive. He was confident, expressive, and completely locked in. People were dancing and swaying and feeding off the energy he created. It was a room full of movement and he guided it with ease. Seeing him handle two completely opposite environments so naturally said everything. He can hold a room still and he can make a room move. That kind of range is not common.

His voice was the connecting thread between both nights. Warm. Controlled. Clear. He knows how to use his tone, how to build emotion, and how to create moments. He has range, but he uses it with intention rather than trying to show it off. Every note felt purposeful. Every shift felt grounded in the story he was telling.

After seeing him perform on separate nights, I had the privilege of interviewing him. Speaking to Mik Ivy made everything about his performances make sense. He is thoughtful. He is grounded. He understands his craft and the direction he wants to take. He writes constantly. He pays attention to detail. He talks about music with clarity and purpose. His discipline is obvious, and so is his sincerity. There is real depth behind the confidence he brings to the stage.

Interviewing him confirmed that his presence is not an accident. It is a result of intention, work, and a genuine understanding of why he creates. It is clear that he is growing quickly and that he has the mindset and talent to keep moving forward with real momentum.

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Interviewer: “One thing that really caught my eye while watching you perform is your confidence. I’ve rarely seen people with your level of confidence on stage, how did you achieve that?” 

Ivy: “I was such a self conscious kid. As a teenager, I was always super scared of what people would think of me. But when I was go on stage, there's this weird repressed part of me which is like, “fuck what anybody thinks.’ It takes over, and I kind of black out for a second. I do shit that I would never do in my personal life, because I get to have 45 minutes where I can do whatever I want and I can be as outrageous as I want.”

Interviewer: “I feel like a lot of people can relate to that, but the fact that you have an outlet, it must be so therapeutic.”

Ivy: “For sure, music's always been like that for me. I think it's the thing I go to when I'm not feeling my best. 
And there's just a thing when I pick up a guitar and I start writing a song where all of my anxiety and anger from the week is out of the window and it's a good time.”

Interviewer: “You spent time in Europe performing and developing your craft. What's the most significant thing you learned?”

Ivy: “So I lived in the UK and it was such a block building experience. I was like a 17 year old kid, I had no idea of where I wanted to go. At the time, I was confronted with hardships in the music industry.
So I think it just brought me a lot of maturity and I was so well surrounded by people who truly cared for me. It made me realize I only want to surround myself with these kinds of people. And since I moved to the States, I've only been surrounded by incredibly positive and uplifting people and I think that's my biggest take away from my time in the UK. Know your circle, know your people, and treasure them more than anything else.”

Interviewer: “What goes through your head before you walk on stage? 


Ivy: “Fuck, I need to piss. I'm being so real with you-–it’s so embarrassing. I get over nervous, and I get a feeling where my mind races through everything I could possibly go wrong for the next 45 minutes. I can prepare myself as much as I want, but it doesn't matter. 
When my foot hits either the steps to the stage or the stage itself, I switch it to somebody else.”

Interviewer: “Would you compare it to Beyoncé and Sasha Fierce?”

Ivy: “It is kind of like that. Beyoncé is such an incredible inspiration. I got to see her on the Renaissance tour, and it was amazing.
What really stuck out to me was the absolute confidence in what's being done on stage. It’s like there's not an ounce of her that doesn't believe that she's the best performer and the hottest artist in that moment. The way I applied that to myself, is trying to be the coolest version of myself while on stage. But when I get off I won't be a dickhead. 
The audience is looking to you as a beacon of what the vibe in the room is gonna be.”

Interviewer: “You're like a vibe setter in a room?” 

Ivy: “For sure. The vibe curator, if you will.”

Interviewer: “How do you hope people interpret your work?”

Ivy: “I'm just hoping it makes them feel better. 
I feel like that's the whole purpose of my music. I've been through dark times in my life and I felt like there was nobody who could put into words what I was feeling. So I try to put those complicated feelings into music. I'm trying to learn from what I went through and turn it into music that people can listen to and relate to, while integrating it into their recovery.
 I want to make people feel better for an hour or for however long they listen to my music.”

Interviewer: “Is there a part of your artistic identity that you feel you're still trying to understand or tap into more fully? Something you haven't quite articulated yet, but are moving toward.”

Ivy: “Yes, visuals. I grew up on so many cool movies and TV shows and I want to incorporate a version of that imagery. I think the words that I'm using are so strong, some good imagery would compliment it.  I feel like that's what I want to work on the most this year. 
When music also has kick-ass visual representations, I feel like that draws you even more.

Interviewer: “What movies are you influenced by?”

Ivy: “ I love this French movie called ‘La Haine,’ which is a fantastic black and white movie about youth and the suburbs of Paris. I grew up on a lot of gritty kinds of movies. I think movies that were made in the 90s or 2000s are super gritty and with neon colored imagery. For example, I love the director Edgar Wright and his imagery.”