About

Hi, I’m Mike.

I’m an independent artist and producer working under the name Down Special. I started playing piano at five, switched to guitar at twelve, and began producing as a teenager on Fruity Loops before eventually experimenting with Pro Tools, Sibelius, Cakewalk, Reason, and just about anything else I could get my hands on.

After briefly studying business at Duquesne University, I went on to attend NYU’s Music Technology program in Steinhardt and later transferred into the Clive Davis Institute, where I deepened my focus on songwriting and production.

For years I primarily produced and wrote for others. Eventually I felt the need to step forward and make music under my own name — partly to take creative control, and partly to express things I couldn’t articulate any other way.

Most of my work is produced “in the box,” but I incorporate live guitar and keys where it serves the song. I didn’t originally plan to sing, but over time it became one of the most direct and meaningful ways for me to communicate.

I value collaboration and genuine connection. If you’d like to reach out, feel free to connect through social media or email: downspecial10x@gmail.com.