We’re all important to someone. Logan Mize‘s new song “I Need Mike” is a reminder that, even when life feels heavy and our troubles feel insurmountable, we’ve got someone there to help — someone who needs us, too.
Written by Blake Chaffin, Mize’s frequent collaborator and friend, “I Need Mike” comes from Mike’s friend’s perspective. Mike, the narrator explains, is struggling to get his life together — but his friend is sharing these details merely to set the scene, not to judge Mike, who is clearly a ride-or-die friend.
“Mike’s the kinda guy that don’t laugh at your dreams,” Mize sings. “… I always had his back, and he had mine / Yeah, I never needed nothin’ quite like / I need Mike.”
“While it’s a really sad song, there are some redeeming parts of it — and I think it’s an important message,” Mize says of the song, which, along with its music video, is premiering exclusively via The Boot. “There are so many young guys that get lost, and you hear stories like that all the time, but I think this song just provides some hope.”
Mize’s “I Need Mike” music video furthers the song’s story: It shows a struggling Mike, and the friends who are trying to always have his back.
“Everybody knows that guy in their town — there are probably several of them — who just get into a rut and can’t quite pull themselves out of it,” Mize says. “It’s like, ‘Man, if you just hang on and keep trying, and wake up every day and keep giving it your best, you’re going to pull out of it.’ And then so many people don’t. So, that’s kind of where that song came from.”
Like the song, the “I Need Mike” music video ends with Mike’s friends heartbroken and grief-stricken after his death. The clip includes the information for the Suicide Prevention Hotline.
“This video was tough to make because I think we all know someone in our life who has gone down this path,” Mize says. “I do believe, however, that the best way to bring awareness to anything is through art. Right now, I think mental health is more important than ever, so I hope this reaches the people who need to see it.”
“I Need Mike” is one of 11 songs on Mize’s forthcoming new album, Welcome to Prairieville, due out in full on Friday (Oct. 1). The artist spent about a decade conceptualizing and writing the record, largely with Chaffin.
“Early on in our careers, we came up with this concept where we’d basically write songs about an imaginary place that we came to know as ‘Prairieville’. Growing up in middle-of-nowhere towns, we took all the characters we’ve encountered over the years, stories that stood out to us and just our life experiences overall, and from there, we painted our own versions into this tiny town,” Mize shares. “When it’s all said and done, it isn’t exactly a place you can pinpoint on a map, but I like to think it’s a representation of all the one-stoplight towns across the nation. At the very least, we’ve all driven through a Prairieville.”
Originally from Clearwater, Kan., Mize charted in 2015 with his debut single, “Can’t Get Away From a Good Time,” and his 2019 single “Better Off Gone” has been certified gold. He’s also had his music featured in a Cotton commercial and Hart of Dixie, a CW series.
Fans can keep up with Mize and learn more about Welcome to Prairieville at LoganMize.com.
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