It's hard to create music in your bedroom - I needed 'pivotal' moment to kick on

A fast-rising musician has shared the ‘pivotal’ reason for his success.

Michael Aldag, 22, from West Kirby, has taken his music right across the UK in recent years. Alongside performances during the Eurovision celebrations, he has also established a strong following on TikTok. His comedy sketches ranging from dating life in the 1500s to university accommodation garnered him over 64m likes and nearly 900,000 followers.

It was a period eight years ago, when he was just 14, that set him on his current path. Michael started gigging around Liverpool on open mic nights and became determined to find the skills he needed to make it in music.

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Band went from nan’s living room to touring across the UK

He applied twice to get on the LIMF Academy programme before succeeding the third time around. Part of the Liverpool International Music Festival, it provides education and work opportunities for artists and bands aged between 15 and 25.

These include performance opportunities at the festival, free rehearsal time and global distribution of produced music, bursaries and membership of the Musician’s Union.

Speaking to the ECHO, Michael said: “I was applying to LIMF Academy since I was about 14. I think I got accepted when I was 17, 18. I was there for two years.”

Michael was in the main cohort for the first year before becoming part of the additional Elite Talent Development Programme. He said: “Both times were really integral for me, for my career and its development. LIMF gave not just me but the other artists who were on the project a route into the industry.

"You can have talent and passion and drive and be a really talented young musician, but unfortunately