Interview with Vocalist and Rock Star Alum MiG Ayesa

May 04, 2026

Interview with Vocalist and Rock Star Alum MiG Ayesa

by Mick Michaels

Cosmick View: Hello, MiG, and welcome to The Cosmick View/Metal Babe Mayhem Ten Pounder! Thanks for taking some time out of your day to speak with us. It's greatly appreciated.

MiG: Hey Mick! Thanks for having me. What a thrill this is to be here and talk about such a special event.

CV: What's the feeling like for you being part of this Rock Star Reunion event? Is it like a homecoming of sorts?

MiG: Whenever I ever touch base with my Rockstar Alumni it always feels like a homecoming. My compatriots from the show I akin to being like ‘war buddies’. We shared so much and were so vulnerable with each other, that we leaned on each other, relied on each other and supported each other during and after the show. Rock Star: INXS was a life-changing event for all of us. So to celebrate this reunion after two decades of life is more than a celebration, it’s like a validation that we were and still are on the right path.

CV: How has the music world changed since your introduction to show business back in the late 90s?

MiG: I don’t even recognize it! In the late 90’s there was no streaming, no social media, no smartphones. We were still buying CD’s and thinking MiniDiscs would be making a comeback after people would get sick of those Lo-res MP3s. Haha! There was still the promise that if you could get a recording deal, you were set! You’d be guaranteed a team of specialists to guide you and promote you enough that you’d sell millions of records and tour the world… we were young, we were naive, we had hopes and we had dreams. All that seems to have warped into - Well, at least we have all the creative control. We can record whatever we want in our home studios, and produce a full album with a relatively tiny budget - but we better get our followers up to try to break through the 150,000 new releases of the day. And we’d be luck to get a million streams so we can get $50 to pay for our subscription. Our recorded music now has become more like a calling card to entice people to see our live shows or follow us on our socials. It’s a whole different ball game.

CV: Since being a finalist on the very first season of Rock Star, your flight to bigger and better things has been nonstop. What has been one of the major highlights for you on this journey so far…and why? What does it represent to you?

MiG: Rock Star opened many doors for me - I got signed to Decca/Universal, recorded my debut album at Capitol Records in LA and at Abbey Road Studios in London with 60 piece orchestras and a myriad of superstar musicians like Peter Frampton, JR Robinson, Matthew Wilder and Rob Mathes. I eventually moved from London to the USA, and starred in a couple of shows on Broadway like ROCK OF AGES and BURN THE FLOOR. I continued my theatre run with WE WILL ROCK YOU, doing two major international tours including a European arena tour, and worked closely with Brian May from Queen and Ben Elton to workshop the sequel called THE SHOW MUST GO ON. I also got the opportunity to work on several projects in the Philippines (where I was born) such as THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY and a world premiere of the Air Supply musical ALL OUT OF LOVE. I am touring the USA constantly with Windborne Music with symphonic concerts of THE MUSIC OF QUEEN and THE ROLLING STONES, and one coming up doing a BON JOVI SYMPHONY, and I have the honor of playing with Skid Row’s Rob Affuso in his band the SoulSystem Orchestras. So to actually be a very busy working musician even 21 years after the show I feel is my greatest accomplishment. I feel I still have so much to give and that I am on the right path.

CV: With so many credits and accomplishments to your name, is there something you still have your eye on achieving as a musical artist?

MiG: I just need to get my original music out there…not for anything but to satisfy my creative needs. I recorded an independent album called MORE THAN EVER but released that 15 years ago. I have a vault full of songs I have written in my life and need to record them…to breathe life into my ‘babies’.

CV: Do you prefer the theater stage to that of film and television? If so, what do you see as the most beneficial aspect to being in theater that film and television don't provide?

MiG: I love it all! I wouldn’t say I have a preference. The immediate satisfaction of performing before a live audience is a hard drug to give up, but to reach a wider audience through mass media and to be allowed to be an audience member as well as cast is pretty special.

CV: Some of the criticism as of late comes from those who believe music in general does not have the same meaning or impact on society as it once did. There are those who feel it has gotten lost or even forgotten about. What do you think… has music lost its connection?

MiG: I disagree. I believe that music still has the power to change the world and to move people to act. We see that so evident today as we are going through such turbulent times, music has a way of uniting us and moving us. It’s just delivered differently and it’s more a sense of us ‘discovering’ music amongst all the noise. There are still amazing artists creating amazing work… you just have to look for it, as the music shoved in our face is probably not the music that will touch our souls. We do live in a society where we all have ADHD and if we don’t like what we hear in the first five seconds we scroll away. That I’m afraid is the norm. But if we really want to look for it, the magic is still there.

CV: Do you feel an artist who works cross-genres, even cross-generational genres are more bankable as a performer? And would you say that having such an ability is essential to keeping not only the legacy of a genre alive but the artist's legacy as well?

MiG: I love so many genres of music and I love to play as many as I can. I think to be a commercial musician you do need to have some flexibility with this. There are some shows I do to pay the bills, and some I do for the pure love of it. There is something innate in the way you perform that will lead you more to a certain genre, and if you remain true to that genre it will pay dividends. However, in a realistic world, if you are able to work in other genres, then your music life-span and job prospects grow accordingly. But when you write your music, people like to know a starting point of where you come from. Where you take them is part of your journey too.

CV: What are your thoughts about many artists using backing tracks? Is this a new development, or has this practice been going on longer than listening audiences were aware of?

MiG: This is an old ‘behind the curtain’ thing where our magic is revealed. We’ve always used tracks to our benefit in some way or other. With the development of technology it’s just being used more and more. I have no issue with backing tracks being used to enhance a performance but to never REPLACE a live performance. I come to see a live show, I want to see a live performance. My favorite shows are stripped back, even acoustic shows, where I really get to hear true artistry and marvel at someone’s prowess and command of their instrument. But if it calls for a big show, let’s give them a show that can really leave an impact. Using ‘click’ tracks to enhance your presence is a way to do it.

CV: Even with so many of the ups and downs and ins and outs associated with having a professional music career, what do you believe being in music gave you that no other career path would have?

MiG: Variety. No two days have ever been alike! That can be tiring sometimes, but always freeing and exhilarating. There’s always a need to get better, to sing better, play better, be smarter… each new show has its new challenges. Every week I’m learning new songs, traveling to new places. It forces you to be creative in ways you haven’t even discovered yet. And despite the downsides and disappointments, it still feels like I’m 15 years old, playing with my friends and doing what I love. I feel it is a privilege to do what I do and am so grateful for every opportunity it brings.

CV: In addition to the upcoming Rock Star Reunion event, what more can fans expect coming from you in 2026 and beyond?

MiG: I still have those songs burning a hole in my back pocket so I hope to have something new to release this year. Maybe we can even have another Rock Star Reunion, but let’s focus on this one on May 21 first. It’s going to be truly a magical evening!

CV: Thanks again, MiG, for taking the time to share with our readers. We wish you all the best and continued success.

MiG: What joy being here. Thank you for having me and I hope to see you all at The Avalon!

Check out MiG at:

https://www.facebook.com/share/1RouYoahgq/

https://mig-music.com/tour?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPNTY3MDY3MzQzMzUyNDI3AAGn3yxCF1aQYjHLW8FCETXiwZktae95TCXKJ_m761fnDETY0d_4BrqFPCBf0Po_aem_4pUJcPjg711tnC5pacSMNA

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My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, author, show host, big dreamer and guitarist for the traditional Heavy Metal band Corners of Sanctuary. Writing has always been a creative outlet for me; what I couldn't say in speech, I was able to do with the written word. Writing has given me a voice and a way for me to create on a multitude of platforms including music and song, articles, independent screenplays, books and now, artist interviews. The Cosmick View is an opportunity to raise the bar and showcase artists in a positive and inspirational light. For me, it's another out-of-this-world adventure.