By Mikkel Hyldebrandt
Multi-talented artist Michael Miguel is jumping into 2025 with full force: he plays the lead role in Here TV’s series “Go Go,” which aired its second season mid-December, and at the same time, he released his new EP “Gemini Season Part One.” We got a chance to catch up with the actor, singer, dancer, and songwriter to talk about it all.
So you have ended 2024 and started 2025 red hot with a new season of “Go Go” on Here TV and the release of your new EP. How did you get involved in acting and singing?
I started this career professionally before Covid. My first audition for anything was Footloose the Musical, and I ended up getting the lead. After that, I began writing about 30 songs, and I went to Los Angeles, and I got my first song produced. I released it on my own, and that song is called “Boys and Barbies,” and it ended up being in a feature-length film called “Regarding Us,” which premiered last summer. I had a small role in the film as well. Then I got involved with the TV series “Go Go” on the queer network Here TV. My character’s name is Franky; he is a Go-Go Dancer, and his dream is to be a famous singer, but to make ends meet in New York, he ends up dancing. What he doesn’t realize is the rest of the Go-Go dancers are part of a sex-trafficking ring, and he basically gets drugged, framed, and blackmailed into joining this crew of sex workers. I just finished filming the second season. Both seasons are available to stream, and the last episode aired on Friday. Along with that, I just released my EP, “Gemini Season Part One,” which is also featured in season 2 of “Go Go”.
How do you have time for it all?
Haha, honestly, I have no idea how, but we made it work. It also did not feel forced… it felt organic. I wasn’t planning on making or dropping an EP. Honestly, I was going through grief after losing the love of my life the year prior. I was just in the studio helping produce another artist named Tayla Rees when I felt inspired to write again and sing once more. And the rest is history, haha.
Do you have any resolutions or manifestations for 2025?
To lean on my higher power which I call Love more. To be more present. And to trust in divine timing. Also, to not force as much but attract. I would love to manifest more amazing experiences in the studio for myself and with other artists. I would love to also have more TV and film roles.
You seem deeply immersed in your character on “Go Go” – what was your biggest challenge or the hardest scene to shoot this season?
Honestly, my character’s life mirrors a lot of my own life. But the hardest scene to film was also the most therapeutic for me, as it was the scene where Franky was crying in the shower. He himself continues to experience people leaving his life without warning or closure. And I just so happened to also be grieving the loss of the love of my life earlier this year. But what I’ve noticed is that I normally don’t allow myself to feel that much pain. But by acting as Franky, I allowed myself to feel the full amount of that pain. And it was so rewarding as I felt a huge dark cloud begin to lift. For that, I’ll always be grateful to this career path, the director, and the crew who made me feel so safe to be that vulnerable.
Turning to your music: you have released music before – when did you get into singing?
I wanted to be a performer since I was probably able to walk or crawl. I was around two years old when my parents realized that I loved to sing. My mother used to vacuum the house of our apartment in Queens, listening to Alejandro Fernández, who is a Mexican singer, and I would sing along to his music. my mom was shocked that at two years old, I was singing and hitting his notes and singing on key and on pitch. We would also go to this restaurant called Tequila Sunrise, which is also in Queens, and at two years old I used to run up to the mariachi band lead singer, and I would ask if I could hold his mic, and I would sing the song the same exact song and my parents knew then that that’s what I wanted to do. I knew that, I guess, but because I grew up Jehovah’s Witness, I wasn’t really allowed to pursue this as a career; it was frowned upon, and so it was; it’s been a journey. It has been a very big journey because after I got kicked out, I still had that mentality and kind of grooming of thinking that this was not even possible, even after I was no longer tied to the religion and even those family ties, I still felt kind of trapped in that, and it wasn’t until I sang at a piano bar with a friend of mine in front of people that I realized that this is something that I can do and that I will do, and I did, and that was when I decided to audition on my own for Footloose, and the rest is history. Before writing music or releasing music on my own, I ended up opening for Paulina Rubio who is like the Latin Madonna. I performed at Miami Pride, I also went to the Latin Billboard Awards, and I went to the Latin Grammys. I have achieved so much in such a small amount of time, and that doesn’t take away from all the hard work that’s gone into everything. It doesn’t take away from all the insecurities that I do have, and you know, sometimes this career path is hard. Sometimes you take one step forward and two steps back, and then sometimes it’s two steps forward and just one step back, so It’s a journey, but for sure, I wouldn’t trade it for anything else, and in that journey, I’ve also learned to find myself and find my voice and learn what I believe in and learn what I like and what I don’t like and really learn why I do this, and it’s not for fame. It’s not for the glitz and glamour, but it’s for the others, you know, that little queer kid that feels so isolated, so alone, and thinks that this kind of life, this kind of way of thinking, and being is not possible, it is.
You released an album named “Sin ti” in 2022 – what has your musical journey been between the two albums?
The journey between both releases has been almost like a homecoming to the young me… Michael… The young boy who grew up listening to Usher, Chris brown, Ne-Yo, Timbaland. Miguel was who I became after getting kicked out of my home. So, to go back to little me helped heal many parts of myself and in return music was born that is very different than my previous work. Also, as I mentioned before I also went through loss. And that played a huge part in this last project.
Tell us about the inspiration for “Gemini Season Part One.”
I answered this in the last question, haha, but I am happy to have also dived into my own psyche of being a Gemini and compartmentalizing two versions of myself. So, with this first part, I honor my New York and American roots.
When can we expect a part two? Are you working on it already?
Part two will be more about Miguel. The adult, the one who has fully embraced his Colombian and Puerto Rican roots. His Latin roots. He’s also sunnier, more playful, joyous. I’m excited for you guys to hear that. And yes, we have started writing and recording the second part of this project already! I’m very excited.
You are obviously a very talented actor and singer – where do you see your career going from here? What are your aspirations?
Thank you, I just want to grow every day. Be better every day at life, being a good person, music, acting. I would love to keep working on my own music and acting projects, but even more than that, I would like to work with other artists and help them achieve their greatness. I want to help them feel the magic that I have been privileged to feel. I would love to work more in film and TV and be included in the important conversations that circle the industry.
Tell us where we can find you on social media?
You can find me on Instagram, Twitter(X), Tik Tok, @akamichaelmiguel
Anything else you would like to add?
I would just like to express my gratitude for this interview and to everyone who’s supported my journey. I’m beyond grateful and proud to be a queer man of color who is lucky to be doing what he loves and hopefully inspiring others to do the same.
