After a wait that felt more like two years than two months, MICO has officially released his debut album, When the lights turn on! With 10 incredible tracks that each hit a little too close to home, our favorite alt-pop-rock artist has blown us away once again.
MICO’s debut album brings us along on his journey through heartbreak, growth, and identity. Let’s break down some of our favorite parts of When the lights turn on without actually breaking down into tears. (Spoiler alert: we failed.)
You can order and save MICO’s When the lights turn on now!
The Track List
- ‘Open up your eyes’
- ‘Like you mean it’
- ‘Do it all again’
- ‘WHY ARE YOU HERE’
- ‘DREAMBOY’
- ‘OH!’
- ‘Shoes’
- ‘Your favorite flowers’
- ‘Learning to love’
- ‘Can’t keep crying’
The Album
From the track list alone, we can see the highs and lows of the album with the uppercase versus lowercase stylizing of each song title. When the lights turn on opens with ‘Open up your eyes,’ a track with chill verses that then explodes at the chorus. It’s the perfect entry point to the album and MICO in general, for anyone who’s discovering him through this record. Then, we get into MICO’s pre-release songs: ‘Like you mean it,’ ‘Do it all again,’ and ‘DREAMBOY.’
Following ‘DREAMBOY’ and his other pre-release singles, the second half of the album squeezes every last drop out of our hearts. The melodies and lyrics are as tender as they are heart-wrenching, which is our favorite MICO formula. He’s been giving us snippets of songs all month, including ‘OH!,’ ‘Can’t keep crying,’ and more. We’re so glad to finally have the full versions to blast in our room, car, office, friend’s house, and everywhere else.
‘WHY ARE YOU HERE’
We dive into the section of the album where MICO screams his desires, feelings, and fears with ‘WHY ARE YOU HERE.’ Nestled between his pre-releases, this pop punk track is about meeting someone who keeps sending you mixed signals. They act like they want you until you reciprocate. And then all of sudden, they aren’t interested anymore. MICO sings his frustrations with this push-and-pull dynamic, and we can already hear ourselves screaming along to the chorus at his shows.
‘Shoes’
As soon as we heard a teaser of this song, we knew ‘Shoes’ would end up being one of our favorites from When the lights turn on (even though the full version still feels too short). With its gentle guitar instrumental, this track bares all of MICO’s innermost feelings. He sings about not feeling like you fit in your own shoes and wanting to trade places with others. The vulnerable lyrics capture these feelings of inadequacy and urges to escape so well, and we can’t seem to pull away from ‘Shoes.’
‘Your favorite flowers’
We all know about the friends-to-lovers trope, but what about the reverse? MICO’s ‘Your favorite flowers’ has become our new favorite lovers-to-friends anthem. It’s about the journey between two best friends trying to make sense of their feelings for each other while going through so many life-changing events. Though they ultimately find their way back as friends, it can feel bittersweet yet equally reassuring. Because platonic love is just as significant as romantic love, if not more.
The Running From A Feeling Tour
In case you missed it, MICO is going on tour this fall! The Running From A Feeling Tour has 34 dates spanning three continents and 32 cities. Starting in September in the States and Canada, MICO will be on the road for just over two months. Five shows are already sold out and three venues have been upgraded since the announcement. But don’t worry; you still have the chance to snag your tickets!
US & Canada
- 09/22/26 — Philadelphia, PA — Brooklyn Bowl
- 09/23/26 — Norfolk, VA — The Norva
- 09/25/26 — Pittsburgh, PA — Roxian Theatre
- 09/26/26 — Detroit, MI — St. Andrew’s Hall *SOLD OUT*
- 09/28/26 — Milwaukee, WI — Turner Hall Ballroom
- 09/29/26 — Chicago, IL — House of Blues
- 09/30/26 — Minneapolis, MN — First Avenue
- 10/02/26 — Denver, CO — Ogden Theatre
- 10/08/26 — Vancouver, BC — The Vogue
- 10/10/26 — Seattle, WA — The Showbox
- 10/11/26 — Portland, OR — Wonder Ballroom
- 10/13/26 — San Francisco, CA — Regency Ballroom *SOLD OUT*
- 10/15/26 — Los Angeles, CA — Fonda Theatre *SOLD OUT*
- 10/16/26 — Los Angeles, CA — Fonda Theatre
- 10/17/26 — Las Vegas, NV — House of Blues
- 10/19/26 — San Diego, CA — House of Blues *SOLD OUT*
- 10/20/26 — Tucson, AZ — La Rosa
- 10/22/26 — Dallas, TX — Echo Lounge & Music Hall
- 10/23/26 — Austin, TX — Scoot Inn
- 10/24/26 — Houston, TX — White Oak Music Hall
- 10/26/26 — Nashville, TN — Brooklyn Bowl
- 10/27/26 — Atlanta, GA — Masquerade
- 10/29/26 — Washington, DC — 9:30 Club
- 10/30/26 — New York, NY — Webster Hall
- 10/31/26 — Brooklyn, NY — Music Hall of Williamsburg
- 11/02/26 — Boston, MA — Paradise Rock Club
- 11/03/26 — Providence, RI — Fete Music Hall
- 11/06/26 — Toronto, ON — Danforth Music Hall *SOLD OUT*
- 11/07/26 — Toronto, ON — Danforth Music Hall
Asia
- 11/19/26 — Singapore — Capitol Theatre *UPGRADE*
- 11/21/26 — Manila, PH — New Frontier Theatre *UPGRADE*
Australia
- 11/26/26 — Sydney, AUS — The Roundhouse *UPGRADE*
- 11/28/26 — Melbourne, AUS — Northcote Theatre
- 11/29/26 — Brisbane, AUS — The Triffid
What do you think of MICO’s debut album? Are you sobbing while listening to When the lights turn on as much as we are? Let us know your favorite song on Twitter! You can also find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit.
Looking for more new music recs? THP’s got you!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MICO:
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Julie Dam
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