That’s the driving force behind MIKE’s latest project, the incisive, extraordinary Showbiz! The two shared a deep bond, and when she passed away in early 2019, MIKE plumbed the depths of his grief, trying to figure out where and to whom he belonged. At this point in his career, MIKE spends chunks of each year on tour and devotes his time in New York to writing and recording. Starting with 2022’s Beware of the Monkey, MIKE began uncurling. MIKE’s raw immediacy is still there—most songs don’t have more than one verse—but this is not a step back into the shadows so much as a mindful reset.