Mickey Callisto is unlike anything around at the moment, he is a self-aware beacon of positivity who celebrates being yourself in the purest form. A new kind of popstar, he makes psychedelic, bedroom-made synth-pop bangers whilst he has separated the ego from the self, seeing everyone as equal and bringing a refreshing outlook and experience that is set to break out in 2023.
Born in Sunderland, Mickey’s first foray into music was teaching himself opera after being inspired by Durham Cathedral Choristers and the classical requiems at the age of seven. After his voice broke and he was no longer able to pursue that particular musical path, Mickey was soon taken by Freddie Mercury. At school they put on ‘We Will Rock You’ and after quick Google his life was changed. Alongside Freddie, he was inspired by some of the legendary frontmen like Mick Jagger and Robert Plant, taken by the stage presence of these performers.
The stage name Mickey Callisto comes from his love of space and astronomy – Callisto being a moon of Jupiter. It’s a persona he first thought of when he was fourteen. He would draw pictures of the character he had in mind. It was round this time he started to teach himself piano, though he couldn’t quite nail the sound he had in mind, it was soon after that he joined a psychedelic rock band, playing keys and synths. Mac Demarco and Tame Impala soon entered his world and he began to explore the warm psychedelia and lo-fi -bedroom pop of these acts at home, making tunes on Nord.
A life-changing night out at The Whites Hotel in 2019 saw widescreen Italo disco make an instant impact, and dressed in a £30 ski suit he bought from Affleck’s Palace in Manchester, he has never looked back, blending the synths and chords of Italo-disco with lo-fi pop and the classics such as ABBA and Pink Floyd to create something that he has been pursuing ever since.
Clubbing has been central in helping Mickey find his confidence, a place where he has experimented with his moves and look. The results have been thrilling. His mesmerising live show is quickly becoming an essential act. Sol-out shows in his adopted hometown of Liverpool have seen Mickey become a cult figure there, but he is certain to soon break even further.
2021 saw Mickey Callisto release his first tracks - ‘Destructive Love’ and ‘This Is The Real World’. Pure, unabashed tracks full of emotion, they marked Mickey out as an act to watch and already labels are taking notice.
