Mikhal : No Small Songs From This Daughter of the Sea

Growing up, Mikhal was surrounded by a diverse array of music, pushing and pulling her style in different directions, shaping the way she writes and performs music today. Mikhal explained to Brooklyn Roads, “My parents were hippies in the 60s; they made sure I was listening to a lot of Beatles, Rolling Stones, Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, etc. Being raised in Israel also meant that I was listening to the popular Israeli artists at the time, which meant a lot of folk, rock, and punk that was influenced by traditional Jewish music and poetry.”

On The Guitar / photo by Alessio Romano / courtesy of Mikhal

Despite all of these modern influences, Mikhal ended up studying classical composition for four years, developing technical ability and deep understanding of how to construct a song. It’s easy to hear Mikhal’s rich cultural history and a variety of musical influences on her latest album, Daughter of the Sea. Mikhal told Brooklyn Roads the album is “very text based, but full of folky acoustic guitar lines.” She elaborated on her unique composition style of “placing guitar lines in some unusual settings – sometimes orchestral, sometimes rock ‘n’ roll, sometimes funky. It’s a lot of flavors.”

Mikhal has lived in Brooklyn for three years, and her passion for music drove her to find creative ways to keep music and community at the forefront of her life. “My decision to play music for a living is an ongoing one, and I don’t think it necessarily stems from the music I grew up with. It has more to do with being curious about the world and wanting to express it in different ways. Sometimes that means through music and I feel very blessed to be able to communicate feelings through songs and other musical pieces. Sometimes that means poetry, or other media. My latest release is actually eight songs and one poem and that was important to me, because I wanted both those forms of communication – both parts of me – to be present on the record.”

Live at Pete’s Candy Store/ photo by Joaquin Franke /courtesy of Mikhal

Since moving to Brooklyn, Mikhal finds inspiration in the people she meets here. Music and art play major roles in the communities she has joined and built. “I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with all kinds of artists on videos, exhibitions, events, concerts, and more. Just being around this much communal and creative energy is inspiring. It makes me excited about getting up and pushing myself every day, which is a hard feeling to maintain.”

Mikhal spent two years curating a concert series at a local café, called Kava Shteeble.  Mikhal said, “that’s definitely the most memorable place I’ve played. Even though it was tiny and the concert series doesn’t even exist anymore, there was a feeling of being at home that I haven’t had anywhere else. It was a safe place to experiment with new musical ideas among friends, as well as a place to meet other musicians and artists who were also trying new things.” Now, she is trying to organize a springtime event at C’mon Everybody. She also loves to play at Pete’s Candy Store. “Both places also have that great, family vibe.”