Millionyoung: Miami "Feels Like a City That's Just Starting a New Chapter"

Mike Diaz – better-known by his stage name, Millionyoung – has always championed for Miami. Though he travels for shows regularly, the Magic City will always be home for the chillwave solo artist.

“Miami is somewhat undefined right now, which is exciting,” he told us. “It feels like a city that's just starting a new chapter with endless possibilities. You can't really say that for many other places.”

In addition to a set at the Electric Pickle on July 2, Millionyoung will also perform at the upcoming III Points music, art, and tech festival. The festival, which combines world-renowned artists with Miami flair, is the perfect place for Diaz to play for existing fans while expanding the Millionyoung brand to out-of-towners. Plus, he's pretty damned excited to play alongside some old and new friends.

We recently had the opportunity to chat with Diaz about Miami, his next album, and some pretty inspirational sleep deprivation.
New Times: What have you been up to since releasing your last EP, Materia?

I've been working on producing new music and DJ'ing a lot too. I do plan to release a record soon — it's just a matter of arranging a track list now. I'm sitting on about two hours' worth of unreleased music at the moment but want to release the best 40 minutes of it.

What inspires you at this moment or in this period of your career/life?

Lately I've been most inspired by sleep deprivation and yacht rock.

What can fans expect from Millionyoung in the near future?

Well, I do plan on releasing new music early in 2016, which is weird to even think about right now. Aside from that, I would like to get out and play shows in places I haven't in awhile. I've somewhat taken a step back from extensive touring. I can be a bit of a homebody, but there are some one-off shows around the U.S., soon to be announced.

You're obviously super into Miami. Why did you decide to continue your career down here instead of L.A. or N.Y.?

Ideally I would live in all three places at once [laughs]. Miami is somewhat undefined right now, though, which is exciting. It feels like a city that's just starting a new chapter with endless possibilities. You can't really say that for many other places.
The lineup for III Points is pretty chill. You fit right in. Who are you excited to see perform?

Without a doubt DOOM/Ghostface, and Panda Bear. I'm also really excited to see all my friends perform. The great thing about III Points is that it actually does a great job of showcasing the Miami talent, and our locals definitely hold their own on stage with national acts.

Millionyoung with Mulder. 9 p.m. July 2 at Electric Pickle, 2826 N Miami Ave, Miami. Admission is $5. Ages 21 and up. Visit electricpicklemiami.com.

III Points. 7 p.m. October 9 to 11 at Mana Wynwood, 318 NW 23rd St., Miami. Tickets cost $88 plus fees via squadup.com. Visit iiipoints.com.