We had the pleasure of talking to Andrew Mighton aka Midnight Mights, a fast-rising Toronto-based rapper-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. We chatted about his inspirations, creative process, and upcoming plans. 

Hello, welcome to Honk Magazine! Congrats on your release Smile For The Cam – can you tell us a little bit about this project? 

Thanks! It’s an 8 track EP that includes seven songs and one intro track that was created using an interesting voicemail I received which I thought was funny and should be included on the project. The bulk of the material was written over 3 months in the winter and was recorded and mixed across several studio sessions. You’ll be able to tell that I was ready to get back to Summer from some of the project’s more up-tempo party-rap sounds. As an artist I’ve begun to explore different sounds, cadences, and tempos and I think listeners will get a sense of that from the variety of themes and rhythms packed into Smile For The Cam. Essentially, the project was an attempt to experiment with different genres and to diversify my sound, which I think it accomplished.

You represent an interesting genre borderless style – how would you describe your sound? 

I would describe my sound as one that consistently challenges the status quo by drawing from various genres and utilizing their elements to establish my own unique sound. By blending together the sounds of hip-hop, R&B, and house, I’ve produced smooth synths and catchy hooks across many of my tracks. Inspired in part by the flavours of alternative R&B, underground hip-hop, and contemporary party-rap, my sound has been curated and crafted with the sole intention of making happy and inspirational music. My lyrics are often written with humourous undertones to fit the upbeat nature of contemporary party rap, but I’ve definitely incorporated more serious themes in my tracks that follow a more alternative or underground sound.

Your stage name is unique, how did you come up with Midnight Mights? 

My last name is Mighton and a lot of people I know call me Mights. So, my stage name is a play on my nickname. The ‘Midnight’ part comes from staying up well past midnight to freestyle, hang out, and make music. If you hear me in the basement or the studio freestyling, it’s safe to assume it must be Midnight. The alliteration of the two ‘M’s’ is also something I thought was pretty dope – it just sounds good, doesn’t it?. More than anything, I think it’s the way that it pulls together elements of my family name and the memories I’ve made from music that makes it such a great stage name.

What inspires you in creating music? 

I get inspired from life experiences and things I am doing at a given moment in time. In my song “Nobody” I have a line which says “figuring out calculus” and at the time I wrote that I was in a calculus class trying to understand what the hell linear algebra was. I also enjoy writing about sports and current events, as I grew up playing sports and like to keep up with what’s going on in the world. I have a song called “Pro Sports Team” which is about growing up playing sports all the time but ultimately not making it as a professional athlete. Lastly, the memories I have of family and friends serve as great sources of inspiration. Mostly, I’ll write about carefree times having drinks, chilling or partying with those closest to me, but I’ll often draw inspiration from the more sentimental, thought provoking conversations I’ve had with my parents, brothers, family, and friends.

What does your creative process look like? Do you firstly get a beat or write your lyrics? 

I usually wait to hear the beat first before I sit down to write the lyrics. I do this purposefully so that the lyrics time up well with the beat’s tempo and that they ultimately fit the track’s vibe. I’m always writing lyrics however, and if I think a certain bar or verse will sound good on a particular beat, I’ll take parts of those lyrics and adopt them into that beat. I should also note that I regularly create my own beats and my songs “Nobody” and “Someone New” were actually produced by me. However, on lengthier projects and more substantial work, I focus on writing and creating lyrics to fit the awesome work of the different producers I collab with. 

Are you planning to release more music this year? What can we expect from Midnight Mights? 

I am. I plan to drop a single in June and another mixtape later on in the summer. The forthcoming single will be called “One Million Times.” As of now, I’m not sure what the mixtape name will be – the title will likely generate itself organically as I immerse myself into the project. Before 2021 is over, I am hoping to release 2 more mixtapes, a few more videos and 3 feature singles. In terms of expectations from me, you can expect me to keep making music, keep building a passionate fan base, and never giving up on my dream. I love music and I love being creative, and I’ve found that there’s nothing comparable to the journey of music. I can’t see myself doing anything else besides music for a long time. I may never have made it as a pro athlete, but you can expect to see Midnight Mights in the professional music scene in the very near future.