Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with MJ Ultra

As a self-proclaimed “theater nerd,” singer-songwriter MJ Ultra grew up in a small town in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with big-city ambitions. He followed his heart and moved out to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the arts—not in music but rather in film and television. It was on set of his first project that he reignited his love for music, and he hasn’t looked back since. He’s taken the industry by the horns with his relatable lyricism and soulful vocals, touching the lives of everyone he encounters. Pop Culturalist caught up with MJ to chat about his career and his latest single “Moonlight.”

PC: You moved to LA to pursue a career in acting. While you were on set, you caught the music bug. Tell us about your journey as an artist and discovering your passion.
MJ: I grew up in theater. I was a theater nerd from Pittsburgh. I went to a performing arts high school there. I went to a conservatory after high school for theater. It was a bit more of the same thing. I was like, “I need to do something else.” I always loved film, and I figured, “What the heck—I’ll go to LA, I’ll give it a shot, and I’ll try it for a couple of years.” My first audition was for one of the sequels of Pirates of the Caribbean. I booked it. I was like, “Man, if it’s this easy.” [laughs]

But while I was on set, I met another actor. We were sharing a car and I shared my favorite rap song, and he told me that I had to meet this kid around my age who was a rapper. He introduced us and we ended up becoming best friends. His name is DJ Paper. He forced me in front of the microphone, and I started falling in love with it. I picked up a guitar, and I started writing songs. I couldn’t put it down—so much so that acting took a backseat. My first big song placement was in Justin Timberlake’s movie Friends with Benefits. I was like, “Wow. I can make money at this?”

It was never really part of the plan for me. I never considered a musical career, and it was never anything I focused on or studied for. I certainly didn’t know the business or the craft. I just emulated, taking my favorite bits and bobs, and threw caution to the wind and went for it. Here we are about nine years later. I’m still learning the craft. I was late to the party, but I love it. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
MJ: That’s a really good question. Musically, it’s the bands and artists that I was listening to when I got into R&B and soul like Musiq Soulchild, D’Angelo, and Prince. Prince was a huge influence—still is to this day. And of course, ’90s rock bands because I was a kid in the ’90s and I grew up on those bands and songs.

Professionally, I work with this songwriter named Harold Lilly. He wrote a lot of hits for Alicia Keys and Ruben Studdard and a bunch of other artists. He gave me my first bit of real advice when it comes to music. It was about perseverance, staying the course, and believing in it despite the crazy odds that we have to go through—not only that but also learning the craft. There’s a reason why only a handful of songwriters write the major hits. It’s because they know the craft: Linda Perry, Paul Simon. So that was a real eyeopener into the world of songwriting and the craft.

PC: Despite being late to the party, you’ve had a lot of success already in your career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out?
MJ: I was actually talking to someone about this the other day. Having placements and accolades is great because it means that people were listening and you’re doing the right stuff. But a year and a half ago, I was in the UK doing a bunch of school tours. I’m talking to kids about cyber-bullying and how to stay safe online. Then of course, I played music. Getting to see these songs that mean so much to me resonate with these seventh, eighth, and ninth graders is why I do what I do. I got to see their emotional reactions and hear them tell me how much this music impacted them. That’s the reason I started. That’s definitely one of the fondest moments in my career for sure.

PC: You have a new single out. Tell us about “Moonlight” and the inspiration behind the track.
MJ: Yeah! As a songwriter, I like to challenge myself. I’m such a nerd and a bit of a trivia history nut. So I was always fascinated with the female form. If you notice the sculptures from Rome and Greece, the women have a little more curve on them. They’re not what we’ve become obsessed with today or expect today from the feminine form. So it’s a bit of an ode to that. I pulled a bunch of references in the song to the women of the classical period as far back as Cleopatra. It’s a fun song paying homage to the female form.

PC: You’re getting ready to release a new body of work. How does it differentiate itself from your 2016 release, Ocean Drive?
MJ: Ocean Drive was a really personal album. It’s a culmination of several years. A lot of those songs happened over the course of five or six years. These songs are a bit more reflective of where I’ve been since.

PC: Of all the songs that you’ve released thus far, if you had to pick one that best encompasses you as an artist, what would it be and why?
MJ: I would say “The Recipe.” It’s a song off of Ocean Drive. It’s an indication of who I am in a lot of ways. Not only stylistically—all of my favorite influences are in there musically, from the vocal harmonies to the musicianship. Lyrically, it talks about my journey from Pittsburgh, my hometown, to Los Angeles. I perceive Los Angeles through my small-town optics. So if you’re looking to learn anything about me, you’ll get all the nuances in that song.

PC: Having been a part of this industry now for nine years, what’s the biggest lesson that you’ve learned?
MJ: For anyone starting out, it’s about learning the business. You have to learn it and not allow it to discourage you or interrupt your creativity. I recall a time where songs came so much easier to me because I didn’t care about what was happening around me, what everyone else was listening to, and what the industry was doing. Now I have to work towards it in order to get rid of that governor, so to speak. That’s the biggest lesson that I’ve learned is to stay true to the song and serve the song. The rest will fall in place.

PC: This is a strange question given our current climate, but as we look ahead to the rest of 2020, what does the year hold for you?
MJ: It is a strange question because I don’t know. From week to week, it seems to change. I’m not sure, but I’m kind of flourishing in this space. I’m working a lot more. While we’re all waiting to get back to normalcy, I’m going to keep working on music, creating music, and navigating it a song at a time. Hopefully, by the end of the year, I will have seen more of the world. I hope to tour to promote this music. By the end of the year, maybe we’ll have an album.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
MJ: Bob Dylan. I guess that’s not surprising. I’m not sure.

PC: First album you bought?
MJ: Nirvana’s Bleach

PC: First concert you attended?
MJ: Elton John

PC: An album that changed your life and why?
MJ: It’s Sixteen Stone by the band Bush. It was released in 1996, I think, and I was entering adolescence. The hormones were firing, but it was the savviest, saddest music that just spoke to me for some reason. It changed my life and made me want to emote and be an emo kid.

PC: A venue on your bucket list to perform at?
MJ: The O2 in London

PC: A must-have on the road?
MJ: Tequila

To keep up with MJ, follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and Spotify. Pick up or stream “Moonlight” today.