What if Justin Bieber was preparing his alternative turn?
A photo shared on social media, which portrays him in the studio in front of a PC and a microphone: that much (little) was enough for Justin Bieber to gain the attention of the media, end up among the trends on social media and return to being talked about in reference to music and not to events such as the one relating to his alleged involvement in the events linked to Diddy’s tours. Yes, the little prince of pop is about to return to the scene, after four years of recording silencehow many have passed since the release of “Justice” in 2021. And the return could be more surprising and unsettling than expected. Yes, because in the photo that Bieber published on social media there is a mysterious musician who appears behind him, with headphones on his ears, intent on listening carefully to the Canadian pop star.
Do you know who he is? Is called .Mk.geereal name Michael Gordon, 27-year-old guitarist, producer and singer who – as already reported here by Rockol – the authoritative and prestigious New York Times last year nicknamed “an unlikely guitar God”.
Justin Bieber was the latest to join his fanclub, after two rock giants like Eric Clapton And John Mayer. The former pop child prodigy was so struck by Mk.gee’s music that he even chose him as producer and main collaborator of the album which will mark his return to music. If you’ve never heard of him, read what Slowhand says about him: «It’s unique. He found things to do with the guitar that no one else does. When I listened to him for the first time, I felt the same way as when I first saw Prince».
Mk.gee began to be talked about among followers of the American independent and alternative scene when in November 2021 he released the album “Absolutely” together with his colleague Dijon Duenas. «Mike is an unrepeatable guitarist. But I think if you listen to that record just for his incredible guitar playing, you miss everything else, which is that he might be the most fascinating producer on the planet right now,” the ex-partner said.
Today his videos on YouTube have over 15 million views and on the forums of six string enthusiasts the numbers are multiplying discussions in which more or less young guitarists question which effects and pedals he uses in his productions. Meanwhile his album “Two stars & the dream police” for months it has been among the most talked about works on the independent and alternative scene overseas. Of the songs, raw, chaotic recordings, which seem like unfinished demos and imbued with do-it-yourself attitude, he says, “They’re little refractions of perfect songs amidst a lot of chaos and weird atonal moments.” Word of mouth has made him a cult figure for fans of the alternative scene (“Your favorite musician’s favorite musician’s favorite musician,” quipped the New York newspaper).
After the sensational divorce from Scooter Braunthe talent scout who discovered him on YouTube and who later became his manager, Bieber chose to take the reins of his career into his own hands and follow his instincts, even disregarding expectations. The guitarist and producer himself spoiled the start of the collaboration with Mk.gee in recent months: «He’s experimenting. Everything that comes out of his mouth is pop music». Bieber himself has now thought about confirming the partnership, effectively making it official an operation poised between a resounding triumph and a marvelous disaster.
