MIKE ELLISON hails from ETHIOPIA, grew up in Virginia and fully realized himself as an artist in DETROIT. With FLYTANIUM, the multi-faceted performer combines a global sensibility and incisive poeticism with musical influences ranging from Hip-hop and R & B to Classic Soul and Techno. Ellison’s seductive tenor and passionate approach make him difficult to categorize. He offers self-reflective, relatable lyrics, providing a poet’s perspective and the rhythmic wordsmith skills of an experienced rapper. Yet throughout FLYTANIUM Ellison avoids repetitive flows and cadences in favor of a delivery that changes from one song to the next. The result is a confident, potent and buoyant project. Listeners will find FLYTANIUM to be both sincere and sexy, both danceable and cerebral. The project’s lead single, “Surrender,” is instantly compelling, with a melodic mood that seeps under the skin. This stirring composition layers Ellison’s personal lyrics about sacrifice and failure with captivating music by composer Mark Chu and an ethereal chorus sung by rising vocalist Jessica Hernandez. FLYTANIUM boasts many more golden moments, including "Broken Mirrors", “Stepping Into Destiny,” “Now Is Infinite” and “Save It All,” which welcomes legendary bassist James Jamerson, Jr. to a track that explores the complexities of romantic relationships. From start to finish, FLYTANIUM blends the past, present and future into a gratifying, cohesive continuum. This latest recording signals an evolution for Ellison, who previously released the independent albums AfroFlow and AfroFlow II under the moniker MIKE-E. Ellison developed AfroFlow (flowing from Africa), best described as African-inspired hip-hop, into a platform that supports social, health and charitable initiatives throughout the United States and Ethiopia. He has headlined national concert and community outreach tours with several other notable non-profit organizations. His acting credits span film, theater and television (IMDB: Michael D. Ellison), and Ellison’s repeat performances on HBO’s Def Poetry have led to collaborative projects with the NFL and the NBA. Learn more about Mike Ellison at mikeellison.me