(gentle music) - So Michael and I met, I wanna say almost 15 years ago.

He approached me about doing a music video.

And, you know, I didn't know at the time, we didn't know each other at all, so he sent me over some songs to listen to, and I was like, "Wow, this guy, "like this local guy, making good music."

And thought, okay, we can do something really cool with it.

We met a few times and threw some ideas against the wall to see what would stick and we ended up doing this cool project where we blocked traffic on this huge bridge, and he stood on the edge of the bridge strapped to the, you couldn't see the straps, but he's standing over the edge of a bridge.

And we had a lot of fun working together.

We kind of just sort of nudged each other forward, and the energy was really good, and we were both really happy with the results of that project.

And then it just kind of turned into a thing where he sends me music and I shoot back ideas.

And, you know, we put stuff out and it's a great creative exercise for me, and I know for him, it helps share his music in a way with the visuals that opens it up to a wider audience, I think.

- Derrick Borte has done all my videos, actually, and I think the first one was "Overstay."

That was in Richmond.

And it's always about telling the story.

For me, I don't wanna see some guy up there just lip syncing to his own song, pretending to be on stage.

In my music, there's a story to tell.

(somber music) (intense music) - [Derrick] We really try hard to have a narrative, to have some sort of cinematic element to these videos.

Not just be a performer-centric video, but also help tell a story.

♪ We danced across the universe to die here in my arms ♪ - Michael's been a performer his whole life.

I think that if you look at just his musical history, it was always leading towards him being a solo artist, I think, if you really look at that timeline.

And part of being a performer is not just what it sounds like but it's what it looks like, and I think he embraces the challenge of these videos much like an actor would going into a film of some sort.

I think he gets into it.

He's got a story behind each of these songs that are very personal.

His stories, his songs are very personal to him, and I think that the videos, as well, become that way, and he dives into these roles.

He loses himself in a role in a music video as well, and I think he's kind of a natural in that way.

(intense music) - [Michael] What Derrick is so good at is you don't want to really tell him what it's about.

There's clues in there for you to kind of figure it out, but you can come to your own conclusions on your own.

(intense music) ♪ 100 degrees ♪ - I mean, I definitely have some favorites.

I think that "Stay On" is one of my favorites for sure.

From the first time I heard it, I just was taken with, the song just connected with me in a way.

And we did some really cool things with the video in that it was the height of COVID so we couldn't really do like a big production.

So we built an LED box and put a reflecting pool for the floor, and it's just him, but the viewer gets to go on an interesting ride through that video and the song, and it's just one that's still probably my favorite.

(somber music) You know, the one we shot at The Byrd Theater in Richmond was really cool because the theater was full of people, yet they all had VR goggles on.

We had Michael on stage as though he was in that VR world and created this entirely CG, generated world of animated panels behind him, and while the audience is just there zoning out in their headsets and Michael's performing for them, he comes out and just sort of stands there and plugs in.

♪ Be careful what you wish for ♪ ♪ It all might be coming for you ♪ ♪ They can't hear me no more ♪ ♪ They just don't feel it anymore ♪ ♪ I lost it somewhere on the way ♪ ♪ They can't hear me no more ♪ ♪ They just don't feel it anymore ♪ - And then when he's done, they just sort of sit there.

The curtain comes down and he unplugs and kind of walks off the stage, and that's another one I really like.

- Usually, I'll give him a copy of the record and he kind of listens to it.

It's never done.

I mean, it's not mixed.

And so he'll listen to it and a few of the songs kind of rise to the top.

And so then, him and I'll get together and we'll talk about it, and then we start spit balling.

"Well, what if we do this and what if we do that?"

And Derrick is really good at that.

I mean, we've done a lot of videos.

He has a great crew and the guy's a perfectionist, and he is so focused when he's doing this stuff.

And he lives and breaths it.

♪ It's time to be on your own ♪ ♪ Maybe one day we find each other and the stars align ♪ Guy's always looking out after me.

Great dude and a great friend.

♪ Maybe someday I'll love ♪ - Something that I think connects Michael and myself is work ethic.

I mean, the guy is so prolific and just he gets up and he goes in that studio every single day and just bleeds on the board and just guts himself every day.

And he is driven in a way that inspires me to have to try to keep up for sure.

If you look at the books that he's got, that he keeps, these sort of lyric/sketchbooks that he keeps, you can see that there's still so much more material left that he has to get out, that he knows he's leaving for his kids and his grandkids to hopefully get to know him maybe in a way that you don't get to know somebody when they're on their best behavior.

I think you get to know someone with the art that they generate and what they leave behind.

These things are so gratifying to me because it's just like two friends getting together to have fun with a camera and do something cool.

And while there's not the normal pressure that I face on a feature film or something like that, it's a challenge that I embrace and love that time, pushing each other and hoping we come up with something cool.

When you see the volume of visual material that he puts out as well as the lyrics, I mean, he still has more stories to tell, that's for sure.

(gentle music)