HCM. How did you come by your stage name?
Michael Burman. My full name is Michael Elliott Burman, as a producer I go by Michael Burman, but back when I was playing my own music I just went by Michael Elliott.
HCM. When did you discover your love for music and what made you realize you wanted to pursue a career in music?
Michael Burman. I would have to say my love for music really developed in College at the University of Miami (shoutout!) My friend let me borrow his hard drive that was full of music, and I became obsessed with Led Zeppelin. I wanted to be Jimmy Page, so I grew my hair out and started learning guitar. Luckily my younger cousin is a virtuoso drummer so we formed a cover band called The Mess doing Zeppelin, Floyd, Beatles, Hendrix and other classic rock material.
This pushed me to get as good as I could as quickly as possible, practicing hours and hours a day. I even added a second minor in Music Business on top of my Degree in Biology/Chemistry to learn as much as I could about the industry. By a whole lotta luck, I got to see the Zeppelin reunion show in London in 2007 which honored the memory of Ahmet Ertegun, this solidified my decision to pursue music with all of my being.
I then started recording my own rock music, which eventually led me to a meeting with legendary hip/hop and pop producer Jim Jonsin through my friend Mario. That’s when I decided I wanted to do songwriting and music production as a career, and was lucky to start working with Jim in South Florida.
HCM. To what or whom do you accredit your sense of style?
Michael Burman. Since I was heavily influenced by rock, I incorporate a lot of those guitar elements into my productions. My style was also shaped by learning and absorbing from my mentor Jim Jonsin, who is one of the greatest producers of all time. His ear is incredibly discerning so it taught me what to look for in a strong melody or lyric.
HCM. On your current/upcoming production… How did you come up with the concept for this project?
Michael Burman. I always start on the guitar and let the riffs or chords go where they will. I use the Axe FX processor which really helps get my vision down from any tone I’m feeling at that moment.
HCM. What are some of your greatest challenges as a music producer, and what is your greatest attribute when it comes to your work ethic?
Michael Burman. I would say staying in one particular genre, as I love writing/producing in a bunch of different styles. Today it seems genres are all blending together anyway, so that’s great! Learning new/old songs I didn’t know is a great habit that helps keep ideas fresh.
HCM. During your time as a music producer, which hip-hop artists have you worked with?
Michael Burman. To name a few, I’ve worked with A$AP Rocky, Machine Gun Kelly, Big KRIT and Yelawolf.
HCM. What impression would you like listeners to be left with after hearing music you’ve produced?
Michael Burman. As long as it evokes an emotion, and they feel something they needed to feel.
HCM. What are your plans for the near future?
Michael Burman. I recently co-produced records for Yelawolf and an incredibly talented artist named Dounia. As of now, there are quite a few projects under wraps that will be released soon, but I am very excited to share them with you all in the very near future.
HCM. Is there anyone you’d like to thank, any shout outs?
Michael Burman. My family!
Email Contact and Social Media Links:
burman.michael@gmail.com
Instagram: @michaelburman
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