Face the Music: TWENTY/20 with Michael Minelli
MIDDLETOWN - Newington native Michael Minelli is quite the busy artist these days. Minelli won the Ryan Seacrest â€"Best Cover of John Legend’s ‘All of Me’” contest, which pitted 25 Seacrest-selected contestants from all over the world to compete for the best cover of Legend’s current hit song.

       After five highly competitive elimination rounds, fans chose Minelli as the undisputed champion. Minelli’s video, which has over 200,000 views, features the YouTuber’s beautiful rendition that spotlights his powerful vocals. Along with an amazing voice, 26-year-old Minelli is also a very talented songwriter and dancer. We talked via phone from his studio in May.

      

       1. Who Are Your Top Three Influences?

       Michael Jackson put the spark in me when I was very young. My parents were huge fans of Motown. I grew up listening to the Temptations, Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye.

       To me, Justin Timberlake fits the mold of an all-around entertainer. He’s universally accepted as a triple-threat artist: A dancer, actor and singer, which I aspire to be.

       This may sound crazy, but I like Chris Brown as an artist. He’s a singer who can kill it on the dance floor as well. He can blend rap, ballads and dance effortlessly.

      

       2. Who would you collaborate with if you had the chance?

       Bruno Mars. I would love to just be in the studio and pick his brain, see how he works on song arrangements and just absorb the atmosphere.

      

       3. Which are the most and least rewarding parts of your job?

       The most rewarding part of my work is being accepted by people. I love making people happy, getting people to believe in me. When I see my music evoke emotions from strangers, it makes me feel like I’m doing the right thing with my life. I occasionally speak at schools throughout Connecticut and try to maintain a positive role in kids lives.

       The least rewarding part is having to keep your personal life private. People confusing what I do for a living and how I am in my personal life can be disheartening. Underneath it all I am a struggling artist and not rich and famous, like some people may surmise.

      

       4. What has been your biggest accomplishment?

       In 2007, I won â€"Showtime at the Apollo.” I made it past the auditions for MTV’s â€"America’s Best Dance Crew,” but because of a contract dispute with â€"America’s Got Talent (AGT),” I was forced to withdraw from â€"Dance Crew”.

      

       5. Which of your songs are your personal favorites?

       I write all the time. In the last 18 months I’ve written about 60 songs. Music is my therapy. I write stories about people I meet, family situations, relationships etc… so in answer to this question I’ll say â€"Paint the Town,” which will be on my upcoming CD. It’s about getting caught up in the biz and forgetting about what really matters. You lose precious time with your girl and need to be reminded of the support that your friends and family have given you.

      

       6. What Song do you wish you had written?

       That’s easy--John Legend’s â€"All of Me”.

      

       7. What is your one unforgettable tour or performance memory?

       In 2009 I performed as a dancer in Joby Rogers’ â€"The Ultimate Michael Jackson Experience” at the Mohegan Sun Arena in front of 8,000 people. I returned to the Sun’s Arena a couple of years later as an opening act for the Backstreet Boys, NKOTB and Jordin Sparks.

      

       8. What do you do in your down time?

       I love playing basketball in all weather and canoeing.

      

       10. If not a musician, you’d be...?

       A basketball player. I would have went pro but I was too short.

      

       11. If you had to do it all over again, would you still choose this career? Would you do anything differently?

       I would be an artist regardless, so yes, 100 percent yes. I would have worked harder in pursuing my dreams when I first started out.

      

       12. What is something about you that would surprise your fans?

       I’m really shy and afraid of being in a large crowds. Performing in front of one is no problem.

      

       13. What was the first song you ever learned?

       â€"ABC” by the Jackson Five.

      

       14. What was the first song your performed in public?

       Once again, it was â€"ABC.” I performed it in the fourth grade.

      

       15. Which song would you most like to cover?

       Michael Jackson’s â€"Man in the Mirror”. That song has everything.

      

       16. How have you changed as a musician over the years?

       The people I’ve met along the way have changed me for the better and helped me remain grounded and humble.

      

       17. What skills or personal attributes are most important to being a successful artist?

       Dedication and heart. You have to believe in yourself before anyone will believe in you. I try to be realistic about my talent. Embrace my strengths and weaknesses equally and learn from both of them.

      

       18. How important is image?

       Image is everything, The way I look, dress, talk, communicate with my online community, it’s very important to maintain a positive image in this business.

      

       19} You’re dead…What is the one song that you’d want to be played at your memorial?

       I would like to have my music played. It’s not an ego thing, it’s just more personal and identifies with me, indisputably. To know and understand me, you’ve got to understand my music.

      

       20. What’s next?

       I have a new CD coming out later this year, so stay tuned. In the meantime, you can catch me all over Youtube.

      

       Follow Michael Minelli on Instagram and Twitter @mrminelli or contact: contactmichaelminelli@gmail.com

      

       UPCOMING EVENTS

      

       Mohegan Sun

       June 7: Rap icons Salt-n-Pepa play a free show at the Wolf Den.

       June 28: Classic rock greats Boston with Cheap Trick are in the Arena.

      

       Foxwoods

       June 7: Motown legend Smokey Robinson plays the Fox.

       June 21: The Fox has American Idol judge Jennifer Lopez.

       June 22: Fox showcases Motown goddess Diana Ross.

      

       Oakdale

       June 12: The Goo Goo Dolls with Chris Daughtry play the Oakdale.

       June 13: The Oakdale welcomes newly-inducted Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Hall and Oates.
MORE MIDDLETOWN NEWS  |  STORY BY JOBY ROGERS  |  Jun 04 2014  |  COMMENTS?