MICO

23-year-old Filipino-Canadian artist MICO has emerged as a distinct voice in alt-pop-rock, pairing emotionally charged songwriting with infectious melodies and high-energy instrumentation. From performing covers in online communities to building a devoted audience through a run of independently released music, MICO’s rise culminated in his breakout EP Internet hometown hero. From there, MICO went on to amass over 100 million global streams, land a Canadian radio hit with “cut my hair,” earn a JUNO nomination for “HOMESICK,” and sell out shows across North America, Europe, and Asia. In June 2026, MICO released his debut album, "When the lights turn on", via Columbia Records. Drawing from the nostalgia of 2000s and 2010s pop-punk while pushing into modern alt-pop and hyperpop, the album captures the emotional whiplash of heartbreak, growing up, life on the road, and returning home to find that everything feels different. That story continues with his latest single, “Everything’s the Same”, written after spending much of the previous year and a half away from Toronto, the song reflects on the strange grief of returning to the people and places that raised you and realizing that time...