Page 20 - Adelante Magazine March 2025

Feature
Michael: Yes, that was actually the first song knew one another forever. It didn’t take long to Acting has taught me to have more empathy
I wrote to get produced. I had written songs realize we liked each other more than friends, because I have to put myself in the character’s
before, but as a singer, this was the first time I but he was with someone and so was I, so we place, in their frame of mind.
sat down to intentionally write a song for people never ended up like that. We just stayed good
to hear. I’m not sure exactly how it all came to friends. Whenever we’d see each other he It’s ironic that the character Franky, which Mi-
me but I heard a melody and I started putting would pick me up and we would kiss. No one chael plays in Go Go has some parallels to
words on the paper and after when I looked at questioned it and everyone understood the re- past experiences in his own real life. To be
it all, I thought, wow, this is really deep. Then I lationship. In my song’s lyrics, Dancing in the sure, the part of Franky is a seemingly innocent
showed it to a couple of producers in Los An- Pain, there is a line “You pick me up with every participant in a sexy and subversive and a thril-
geles and it was the sense that this type of hello.” These lyrics are from my relationship lingly erotic tale of murder set in a gay men's
song had not been heard before. with him. Towards the end of his life, he and I strip club, where the fantasies of the patrons
talked and he opened up about some heavy and the "American dreams" of the strippers are
Adelante: How old were you when you stuff. When we said good-bye we exchanged shockingly twisted into a nightmare. In Go Go
wrote Boys and Barbies? What age was the love for one another. His last text to me was, I there is sex trafficking, drugs, and drama.
young Michael you sing about? miss you already and that was it.” I’m grateful
Michael: I wrote this in my mid-20s about a that that was our goodbye. Go Go is cast almost entirely of men of color,
five-year old-me. A woman from the Church comprised of Latino and African American ac-
held a party where she had wrapped gifts for Michael: I was in so much pain about his loss. tors playing exclusive go go dancers that cater
all the children, and she asked all the kids to My sister had a friend in upstate New York who to the elite. This is a story line which in some
randomly get and open one. I opened a gift was a producer, and she asked that I go meet ways, mirrors true life situations. Many who
that had the Selena Barbie Doll. I was like him. I was not in the mood for making music. dance and participate in the gay go go scene
three years old. She told my parents she felt I had been coaching another artist about their are on the ‘down low’ or don’t consider them-
bad to take the gift away from me. My parents music and somehow I got inspired and wrote selves gay and/or do the work only for the
tried to take the doll away and I wouldn’t let Dancing in the Pain. That song was thera- money. There is a lot of machismo in the Go
them. Growing up, I really loved Selena Quin- peutic. I was not planning on writing anything, Go story line, along with other cultural stereo-
tinella. I still have an old picture of me holding but that song just came out. types we often hear about with guys who do
that doll and when I released the first version this type of work but are not gay.
of Boys and Barbies that picture of three-year Adelante: You are very open with your feel-
old me holding the Selena doll became the ings. Adelante: Tell me about the filming of Go
cover. Michael: I’m grateful for that. This is credit to Go. What did you like most about it?
my chosen family. We are so open with each Michael: I enjoyed working with some really
The song wasn’t something that I had planned other, they see me; they feel me and I don’t feel talented actors, people that had been acting for
to write from that age or perspective, it just hap- judged. There is a lot of toxic masculinity in the some time. It felt like a community and was a
pened. I remember writing it at a time when I world and I understand it. I find honesty so at- cast of people of color, not a snarky, or mean
was feeling extremely low. Someone I met in tractive in other people. Sometimes I’ll hear a girl click, it felt like another community and we
New York heard the song and asked to put it in song and perhaps it’s about something I’m not allowed each other to be vulnerable.
a feature film called “Regarding Us”. as honest about, but then that song inspires me
to be more honest with my feelings. In the Adelante: Did you develop any special con-
I ended up re-writing Boys and Barbie part 2, Latin community, often we are not as open and nections with any of the Go Go actors?
with my vocal coach Steve Mackie who is a usually don’t vocalize our feelings. Talking Michael: There is a guy in the first season,
composer and writer. When I first wrote the about being sex trafficked and Muchy are pain- Lenny Desanto, and he’s been acting a very
song, I originally envisioned it as a piano ballad ful conversations but it helps to talk about long time. We had a scene where I had to give
but the producer wanted to make it more pop them. him a lap dance, I remember being so nervous,
so it ended up being an acoustic pop kind of it was not just him and me; its like the full cast
song. Steve Mackie started playing it on the Adelante: Are you content with where your and crew were standing there watching every-
piano, and sang it with his amazing voice, and career is now? thing. We did a take and I remember him hav-
I was like wow. I realized that was how the Michael: If you had asked me a couple years ing these really warm eyes saying, It’s Ok.
song is supposed to be played and sung. ago why I wanted to be a performer, I would Let’s just have fun. For some reason, that
have said because I wanted to help people, but made me feel so comfortable. It was those little
At about this time in Michael’s life, things were also I wanted to be famous and for the valida- gems of let’s have fun and not think too hard
going well and he was feeling good about the tion. But when Muchy passed my whole per- about it.
direction of his career, his music and his so- spective on so much has shifted and changed;
briety. Then his best friend Muchy passed it’s not about me anymore, its not enough for it Not all the actors are gay, but they sure know
away. He says he became extremely de- to be about me. how to act the part. There was a straight boy in
pressed, heart broken and started questioning the first season who I loved so much who was
everything in his life and what he was doing. Adelante: Do you have a lot projects on the so comfortable walking around in a jock strap.
He says it was difficult to get out of bed, and horizon? He was the character with whom I had to go
this led him to a relapse. Michael: There is another movie I’m working dump the cut-up body. In the film he was really
on. I’m not one to sit and wait around; I usually mean to me. His name is Christopher Ortiz
Adelante: The lyrics of Dancing in the Pain jump into other things. But I’m trying to enjoy and I love him. He was so cute. I love a
are deep. You talk about scrolling through the fruits of my labor. I used to get anxious with straight guy who is so open and so fun.
the phone at old messages. Was that about all the stuff coming at me, but now, it feels like
Muchy? a blessing and it’s been great. Adelante: Some of the things you all did in
Michael: Yes. Go Go were quite funny.
Adelante: Which do you enjoy more, sing- Michael: Yes, its dark and funny, much credit
Adelante: Tell us about Muchy. ing or acting? to the writers and director. Being the lead part
Michael: He was the best person. He was a Michael: I sing every day. I sing when I speak. you have to be there from beginning to end. I
genuine person, with lots of light. He was lov- I sing to the point that I annoy everyone. I can’t think of anything that I did not enjoy.
ing and defended the underdog. He was a very enjoy and love acting, but singing is what I
loyal and fierce friend. My neighbor that be- started doing first. Singing is the quickest way Adelante: Was there anything that was chal-
came a very close friend introduced me to for me to feel something; the quickest way for lenging?
Muchy by handing me a Facetime call he was me to connect to something is through music. Michael: In the first season there was a chal-
on and instantly we were like best friends. Music for me has been more about my feelings; lenging scene where I had to call my mother.
When I finally met him in person, it was like we acting is more about the character’s feelings. I’d had similar conversations with my own
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