Michael Oakley | |
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 Oakley performing in 2019 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Michael James Oakley 3 January 1982 Glasgow, Scotland |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 2016–present |
| Labels |
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| Website | michael-oakley |
Michael James Oakley (born 3 January 1982) is a Scottish synthwave producer and musician. [1]
Oakley was born in Glasgow but moved to Los Angeles in 2016, before settling in Canada in 2018. [2] He attended Williamwood High School in Clarkston, East Renfrewshire. He is a self-taught musician, having taken piano lessons for a short period in his youth. [3]
Having worked in Glasgow's cover band scene for some years, [4] Oakley penned what would become his debut album, California, in 2016. [2] Lesley Daunt of The Huffington Post wrote in 2017 of the lead single "Turn Back Time", "Oakley's captivating beats and celestial synthesizers have given a fresh approach and revival to classic pop". [5]
In 2017, Oakley released California to critical acclaim from The Huffington Post and popular YouTube channel and record label NewRetroWave. [5] [6]
In 2019, the artist released his sophomore album, Introspect, which was listed in NewRetroWave's Top 10 albums list of 2019. [7]
In 2020, Oakley issued the track "Wake Up!", featuring Ollie Wride, as part of the soundtrack to the game Wave Break: High Tide, through Funktronic Labs. [8] In the same year, he contributed an instrumental remix of his 2016 single "Rabbit in the Headlights" to the soundtrack of the mobile game Retro Drive. [9]
On 16 April 2021, Oakley announced the release of a new single, "Is There Anybody Out There", co-written by fellow labelmate Ollie Wride and produced by Jon Campbell of The Time Frequency. [10]
Oakley released his third studio album, Odyssey, on 14 May 2021, through NewRetroWave Records. [11] [12] Callum Crumlish of Daily Express wrote, "The glowing eight-track record oozes style and electronica while managing to steer clear of the cliched building blocks of the genre". [13]
In 2012, while returning from a performance at a wedding function near Glasgow, Oakley rescued two men from a burning car. [4]