Bio | Liveitsoul

MICKAEL

ZIEBEN

ABOUT

Born in Paris in 1982, Mickael Zieben aka Mike Z. grew up in the Caribbean islands of FWI. He comes from a family rooted in the local music scene.Supported by his step father, a former professional bassist and his musical brothers, he learned classical piano from age five through seventeen.A keen sports enthusiast, he made tennis table his passion for some years. Arriving at High School, he continues his piano lessons, with a more modern harmonic approach. Travelling throughout the USA & Europe only helped to further improve his grasp on the different cultures, opening his eyes to an eclectic music form.

He started enjoying R&B music, Hip Hop, Soul, Jazz, Pop and Movie Scores since being a teenager.His IT studies took him to Paris, where he started composing and producing, inspired by his own experiences and “The way the world turns daily”.He helped many emerging french artists be recognized in the local music industry, by producing and releasing 2000 copies of Tropical Horizon, a successful caribbean album in 2007.Then the single “Ma plus belle page”, recorded in 2009 at the Capitol Studios ( Paris ), was very well received by the audience. And then he never ceased to produce new records for the music industry.

EXPERIENCE

2007-2008

Executive production & directing of the “Tropical Horizon” album

Production of “Caraïbes Attitude Music Video”
Supervision of the overall TV campaign for Trace TV, A1 Guadeloupe
Co-Production & management of the “Tropical Horizon” at the Trabendo (Paris)
Composition of “Movie Show” single at MouseClique Studios, NYC

2011

Wagram Music (Paris)
Co-composer/arranger
“Comprends-moi” from Passion Zouk 2011

2009

The Lion King” musical (Paris)
Composer, Arranger for the leading role’s own project
Live piano playing for French TV Télésud
Production and composition of “Ma Plus Belle Page” by Georges Stevens
Composition of “Ma plus belle page” single at the Capitol Studio, Paris
Production of “Recommencer” single, performed by Naëlle

2012-2013

Mouseclique Studio (NYC)
Producer, Composer, Arranger, Director
“Make it” hip-hop single performed by May Thurd
Partnership with Glen Mosley of Platinum Records
SoundClash Recording Studios (NYC)
Producer, Arranger, Pianist
Abel PM Lawson and Benjamin Arrindell (2002 Grammy Awards Winner)

2010

Wagram Music (Paris)
Producer, Composer, Arranger
“Pourquoi”, “Le Revers De L’amour” and “La Joie”

2014

“Vivre Sa Vie” feature film (Paris)
Soundtrack Composer

2015

Co-production of the single Love You Like This performed by Ambition the Kid
Executive production of “Love You Like This” music video ( www.loveulikethis.com)
Collaboration with Phyllisia Ross
Piano Arrangements acts for NYCE (Eliteproducers) ongoing projects
Composition of “Rose Blanche” single performed by G.NO Gardelino

Ambition’s Bio :

To have Ambition is to have a strong desire to do or to achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work.
That’s what this artist is all about, and how he earned the name “Ambition”.
Early in his career, his drive and determination landed him a deal with Blue Star Records/Atlantic Records as the lead singer of the platinum selling R&B Group Pretty Ricky where he was known as 4Play.
During that stint he was featured in Black Beat, Right On, Vibe and Word Up Magazines, the BET Awards and 106 N. Park. After spending a little over two years in that role, he made the decision to pursue a solo career going back to his roots; writing and performing as “Ambition”. Due to his captivating stage presence, Ambition has performed alongside acts such as Rick Ross, Trey Songz, Keri Hilson, Eric Benet, and many others.
Ambition now spends his time writing, recording, choreographing and performing both as a solo act, and with his band, Radio Tokyo, throughout the US.
As a solo artist and published author, Ambition has already written, recorded and released two mix-tapes (A-Game & Verses/Versus), an LP (Spaceship), numerous singles such as (Put It Down and Sticks & Stones) and a fiction novel “The Shinobi: Tales of the Night Wind”.
He had been traveling to Paris, France in September to film the video for the very first single of the EP called “Love You Like This” produced by Paris based labels “Live It Soul Records” and Black Phenix Records”.

EDUCATION

2012 – 2013: New York Film Academy Graduate
2008 – 2011: Jazz Theory training program
2004 – 2005: Logic Pro & Pro Tools self-learning
1988 – 2000: Classical & Contemporary Piano Education

DISTINCTIONS

Honorable mention at the Inter-Caribbean Piano Contest (Guadeloupe, 1996)
First classical piano prize at the Sainte-Rose Contest (Guadeloupe, 1995)