An adventure attitude mixed with stellar vocals and a beautiful mission, Mark And The Tiger is the best of LA’s bright and promising future. Enthralled by his single, My Magic, we wanted to learn more about the upcoming performances and new musical offerings of this versatile artist.
Thanks for your time today Mark And The Tiger, please share with us more about your latest single, COME TO MEXICO.
Thank you so much for having me!
Come to Mexico is a true story about a woman in my life who completely transformed me. She made me feel like the most incredible version of myself. To the point where I actually had the thought once, “What if we really are the two most attractive people in the entire world!” Haha! Ridiculous, but that’s how she made me feel. But then one day she disappeared! Randomly, she’ll message me as if to just remind me that she’s there. The song is about one of those times. I hadn’t heard from her in at least a year and she called me completely out of the blue and says she’s in Mexico and just broke up with her boyfriend and that I should go down and meet her. It’s wild. But I love her for it!
It’s no secret that the music biz is tough and not for the faint of heart. What’s the biggest problem you’ve had to overcome so far?
Honestly, I’ve been my own worst enemy. I’ve let my own fear and insecurity hold me back a lot. I guess I did that for so long that now I’m just over it. No one is coming to lift me up so I have to do it for myself!
What do you enjoy most about being a musician?
I love working with other musicians! It’s so incredible to hear what can become of a song when a bunch of talented people put their hands on it!
If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be?
Ask me again in 10 years and I’ll get back to you!
Your image and style is very cutting edge, just like your music. Have you always been a trailblazer?
No! I was decidedly not a trailblazer my whole life. I was super shy, super insecure, I didn’t trust any of my own opinions or ideas. It was fucking awful. I’ve spent the last 10 years learning how to live my life without questioning and judging every aspect of it. I’m so glad to be seen as a cutting edge artist now because it was the part of me that I never let out before.
Is writing music therapeutic for you? And if so, how?
It is and it isn’t. When I truly let go and don’t worry about what I’m writing, the experience is incredibly therapeutic and cathartic. But there’s still a bit of the little kid in me that doesn’t trust himself and what he’s doing. When that kid comes out, I try and write music that I think other people will like. And that experience is just stressful and the music is never as good!
You are a yoga enthusiast. How does yoga aid in your writing and creativity?
Yoga was one of the things that really helped me find myself. It was when I started practicing yoga and really diving into the philosophy and lifestyle of it that I started to allow myself to really flourish and stop questioning every little thing I did. Now I can’t not do it. From a physical standpoint, I feel like crap every time I don’t practice, and from a mental standpoint, the tools that Yoga has given me are invaluable.
Any dream gigs or stages you’ve always wanted to play?
If I could play the Hollywood Bowl I could retire happy. And to get a bit more specific, I have a dream of singing “Bella Donna” to Stevie Nicks when she is inevitably honored at the Kennedy Center. That feels really important to me.
Big shows on the horizon and how do we get tix?
I have a bunch of gigs coming up! You can find them all on my website. But most notably I’ll be at The Mint in Los Angeles on November !9th. And I’ll be at the infamous Whiskey A Go Go on January 3rd. I think you can get tickets right through the venue! Or else, feel free to reach out through my website!
Please tell our readers how they can support you on line and be part of the Mark And The Tiger tribe.
You can follow me on Instagram and Twitter @markandthetiger, and also on Facebook : Mark and the Tiger
And check out my website for all your tiger needs! Markandthetiger.com
End of Interview