MICO has been flying under the radar of young pop rock fans, but this Toronto native is sure to make it on top hit playlists soon. 

The 20-year-old musician started in 2019 when he was a high schooler with a dream. His first EP – 21st century heartbreak EP – released in 2020, and second thoughts EP dropped in June of 2022. According to Spotify, he went from 36,000 listeners in 2019 to 1.4 million listeners in 2022.

After listening to his new single,“cut my hair,” it’s easy to see why. The bassist’s steady rhythm leads into the lead guitar chorus effortlessly as MICO’s strong vocals drive the song. The lyrics aren’t going to give you the chills, but they’re powerful and relatable. MICO sings about a past relationship where he gave more than he received and ended up regretting it in the end. 

“Why am I always the one that does the changing / 

I lost tryna fix what’s wrong, while you go do the same things /

I wish I never cut my hair, or called all night / 

Never let you love the songs I liked.”

Yes, “cut my hair” is a catchy teenage love song, but it’s imbued with the excitement of a new, up-and-coming musician. You can see it in his Twitter feed and his TikTok covers: MICO is eager to make new music. And he isn’t yet corrupted by the pop music industry. 

If you need some innocent joy in your life, listen to “cut my hair” and give MICO a follow.