Michael Vettraino takes take us on a ride through the past, present, and future
Michael is carving out his own space in the sonic landscape—one that bends genres, challenges norms, and pulls inspiration from everywhere, from Stevie Wonder to the Appalachian woods.
The Louisville-based artist is back with his latest single, A Lie Not Alive, the first piece of a three-part sonic journey that spans time, space, and dystopian realities.
A self-confessed synth-pop experimenter with a soft spot for sequencers and samplers, Michael’s sound is constantly evolving. While his latest release leans into shimmering synth textures, his future work promises something darker, fuzzier, and even more unfiltered. “There’s a more authentic edge coming through in my current writing,” he teases.
From the cerebral influences of Mk.gee and Jean Dawson to the jazz-laced brilliance of Stevie Wonder, Michael is weaving something uniquely his own. Now, with A Lie Not Alive out in the wild, he’s ready to take listeners on a ride through past, present, and future.
HAPPY: What are you up to today?
MICHAEL: Thanks for asking! I went for a hike earlier and have a rehearsal later.
HAPPY: Tell us a little about where you’re from, what do you love about it?
MICHAEL: Living in the USA South comes with a lot of complexities if you choose to look at the past. I love the music scene in Louisville Kentucky, we’re a progressive bubble in a sea of conservatism. The surrounding woods of Appalachia are in my bones
HAPPY: What are three tracks you currently have on repeat?
MICHAEL: The whole Saya Gray record that came out last month tbh – H.B.W. & the first section in ..THUS IS WHY ( I DON’T SPRING 4 LOVE ) keep making appearances in my mind’s queue
Forgot Your Name (Feat. Cory Henry) – BJ the Chicago Kid
Otis McMusic – Otis McDonald
HELP YOU UNDERSTAND – Tobe Nwigwe
HAPPY:Your music has been described as ‘Genre-blending’, what best describes your sound?
MICHAEL: It’s shifting! This release has heavy synth pop elements but recently I’ve been incorporating sequencers and samplers in nontraditional ways. I held back darker aspects from these releases and there is a fuzzier, more authentic edge that is coming through in my current writing.
HAPPY: With Influences like Mk.gee, Jean Dawson and Stevie Wonder, what elements from their music have you incorporated?
MICHAEL: If there was a blueprint for music I love it’d be a venn diagram with Stevie Wonder, Prince, Radiohead & J Dilla
Specifically I’ve been influenced by Mk.gee’s authenticity, Jean Dawson’s progression as an artist(& use of sequencers), & how in every Stevie Wonder song you can hear the common thread of him.
Stevie Wonder’s music is also a clinic for using more complex harmony in an accessible way that doesn’t yell ‘JAZZ MF-ERS!!’
HAPPY:Are there any other contemporary or older influences you would like to give a shoutout to?
MICHAEL:
Doom Flamingo
Alan Watts
Samm Henshaw
Robben Ford on the first 2 Yellowjackets records
Romeo + Juliet
Wassily Kandinsky
Portraits of Tracy
The ferocity of Smino
Olivier Messiaen
Michael Kiwanuka
The duality of Charlie Parker & the innate feel of the Hard Bop genre
Masayoshi Takanaka
View this post on Instagram
HAPPY: Your new single ‘A Lie Not Alive’ is here, how does it feel to get it out into the world?
MICHAEL: This song is the first part of an aural triptych – it represents the Past. The music video that came out last month is a dystopian Present and the first song I released this year is a story from the Future. Honestly it’s a relief to have sailed this overarching idea, since this is my debut every part of the process was new
HAPPY: Were there any creative differences that set this release apart from the others?
MICHAEL: The music video is satirical political commentary, a caricature of the state of social media. ‘A Lie Not Alive’ is a more authentic expression. Releasing these songs has illuminated my musical path going forward and I’m really excited about the new music I’ve been writing.
HAPPY: Where did the inspiration behind the lyricism come from?
MICHAEL: My thought process was rooted in trying to understand geological timescales. What it means to be human and how that aligns and differs from the rest of the animal kingdom. Seeing greed woven into our current capitalist system.
HAPPY: And finally, what makes you Happy?
MICHAEL: Freedom of movement, music festivals, being in the woods, exploration, learning.
