Michael McArthur is an artist who is the exemplary of timeless. His songwriting is alongside some of the very best, with a succint mixture of soulful and heart on his sleeve folk that's lusciously layered with a commercial appeal. His latest single 'Too Hard, Too Fast' is signature McArthur, pulling you in with his warm folk sound that travels far and wide.
Expertly crafted from start to finish, 'Too Hard, Too Fast' is quite the return for Michael McArthur. We sat down with him to learn more about his songwriting prowess, his processes and approach to writing songs, and so much more, exclusively for FLEX!
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Hey Michael, welcome to FLEX! How are you doing?
Thank you! Today has been a good day, and I'm grateful for that.
Who are your biggest influences as an artist?
Influence is ever evolving. These days my greatest influences are my family and friends. My wife, Jenn, our twin girls, those who I'm most deeply connected to. Inspiration comes along with everyday life. The in between. The simple things.
How did your collaboration with Jacquire King on "Milky Stars" come about?
During the pandemic, I cold DM'd him on Instagram. Sent him a private stream link to a few homemade demos. Most people don't write back, so I assumed that would be the case. And that'd be ok. I would just keep on like I've always done. But I was. Jacquire wrote back a couple weeks later. He said he loved the songs and wanted to get on the phone and talk. Eight months passed between our first phone call and our first day of recording Milky Stars, and in that eight months we had several hours-long conversations. That's the kind of person Jacquire is. Fast forward a few years, now we're close friends, and he's my manager, so there you go. All from a cold DM.
When you're writing lyrics, do you start with a particular phrase or idea in mind, or do the words evolve as you develop the melody?
I log lyrical ideas often, but those ideas rarely make it into a song as is. They exist mostly as "conversation starters." Reminders of a thought. I tend to rely on how the music makes me feel in the moment to guide the lyrics. It's all feel for me.
Can you share the story behind "Too Hard, Too Fast"? How did the lyrics come together, and what does the song mean to you now?
I don't remember exactly how the lyrics came about. I was following a feeling in a moment. I also didn't really understand the song until it was finished. For me, this is a song about courage. It's a song about standing up for yourself in a time of struggle or hardship, whether physical, spiritual, or psychological, that has been inflicted by someone else.
And finally, what are your touring plans for the coming year?
At the moment, I'm putting together a house concert tour. House shows are a special thing, and I've been doing them for the last 9 years. Basically, I'll travel the country, play, and hang with people and their family and friends. It's a nourishing time.
Stream 'Too Hard, Too Fast' in full here:
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