The rising popularity of bedroom pop has seen the genre’s pioneers, including Clairo, Cuco and Still Woozy, earn spots on major Billboard charts. One of the most innovative and underrated forces in that scene yet to see the same popularity is Filipino artist Michael Seyer.

Miguel Reyes, who uses the moniker Michael Seyer, has been busy since starting his music career in 2016, both as a solo act and as the guitarist for the rising indie group Bane’s World. As a solo artist, Seyer has released three studio albums: Ugly Boy in 2016, Bad Bonez in 2018 and his most recent album, A Good Fool, released September 24.

Born in the Philippines and raised in a predominantly Jewish area in Culver City, California, Seyer found it difficult to fit in with any group of people in school, including Asian minority groups. In a 2018 interview with VMP, Seyer said:

“People will look at you, they’re like ‘You look kinda Asian, but you’re a little too dark,’ and ‘You look kinda Mexican.’ I’ve always been on that scale of ethnic ambiguity. I think that plays out in my music as well, even though I’m not so overt about it.”

Inspired by Japanese city pop, Brazilian boogie and the songs his parents sang karaoke to, Seyer’s musical style stands out from other bedroom pop artists and his growth and maturity show throughout his three albums. His 2016 debut Ugly Boy represents Seyer’s struggles with school and relationships. Seyer even considered joining the army at the time, which emphasized his lack of direction as a young man. The album is darker compared to his subsequent releases, and Seyer admitted that he sounded like “a whiny bitch” in retrospect, but the album ultimately earned him his first taste of major success on SoundCloud. On the album’s most popular song, “Pretty Girls,” Seyer sings about how those who are “pretty” feel superior to those who are “ugly,” referring to himself when talking about the latter:

“Pretty girls // They never notice ugly boys like me // Even if I wear my heart on sleeves // They always seem to put me down”

Seyer’s sophomore album Bad Bonez reveals a more mature side of the artist. The album’s breakout single “Lucky Love” showcases Seyer’s appreciation for newfound love, rather than struggling with the loss of it. The song also remains his most popular, amassing over 17 million streams on Spotify.

“But that don't make love weak, it's unique // The chances that we'd meet and just speak // A million ways they give just to live // And I'm just lucky, this is it, this is it”

As a whole, Bad Bonez drew inspiration from the indie surf-rock sounds of Mac DeMarco as well as music favored by Seyer’s father, such as the Beatles and the Who. His dad is also an integral part of the album, honored in the track “Father,” with lyrics dedicated to his battle with cancer.

“If I could eat your cancer // Your heart wouldn't let me do it // These wicked witches of answers // Are either stupid or clueless”

Seyer’s newest album, A Good Fool, revolves around struggles he experienced growing up, as well as current conflicts in his personal life. The album tackles heavy topics such as race, sexuality, and mental health. Tracks such as "Modern Loneliness" and “Little China Boy” allude to Seyer growing up as an immigrant and, emphasized in the latter track, being misidentified of his Filipino ethnicity.

“Not made from the same broth // Boy, this kid's so damn lost // Who brought that yellow boy? // They all call me Little China Boy”

Another standout track on the album is “Chemotherapy,” which revisits the subject of his father’s illness that he previously touched in Bad Bonez. The chorus’ emotional final lines, “Wish I could go through the things that cause you pain // Wish I can go with you to chemo” emphasize how personal A Good Fool is. In a 2021 interview with FADER, when asked what he wanted to accomplish with his new album, Seyer said:

“Music for me is the most personal thing I can think of doing. Every project, I just wish to articulate my personal experience. At the end of the day, if I can listen to something I made and feel certain that it offers a bit of myself in an authentic way, then I feel like I did something right.”

Michael Seyer is currently on tour as the opening act for Men I Trust’s North American tour, which runs from September 16 to November 5.

Check out Michael Seyer’s Full Discography on Spotify Below:

Michael Seyer: The Lonely Boy Maturing Through Music