Amna Nawaz: And to finish off this week, we have a talented young talent that you may have seen online.
Jeff Bennett: Yeah, his name is Miles the Music Kid.
That’s what he’s called.
And his videos are touching the hearts of audiences all over the world.
William Brangham presents the story for our arts and culture series, Canvas.
Miles Bonham, musician: Are we getting new audio tracks?
William Brangham: Eight-year-old Miles Bonham, a four-foot-tall music-producing genius…
Miles Bonham: Twelve semitones down.
William Brangham: …Apparently you can do anything.
Miles Bonham: At first, I didn’t have any particular ideas, I just wanted to make music.
And then you’re like, oh, OK, this is cool.
William Brangham: Miles is an internet sensation.
Millions of followers tune in to watch him put his own spin on other songs or create his own compositions, the best of which are what he calls “bangers.”
He started on a little guitar at age four and quickly progressed to piano.
Neither of his parents are professional musicians, but they began sharing videos of their son online.
And before they knew it, Miles had used high-end recording software to produce complete multi-track songs, complete with drums, bass and vocals.
M: That’s just his personality.
He just – it just flows through him.
Music is his means of self-expression and a great passion.
William Brangham: His songs have gone through so many different transformations.
Miles said only about one in 10 people achieve banger status.
So do you know when it’s finished and when you feel like, “This is good, I’m done, I can now blend this”?
Miles Bonham: I mean, I’m a perfectionist, so I always listen to something multiple times before I call it done.
QUESTLOVE, MUSICIAN: Miles is my guy, my buddy.
William Brangham: And that perfectionism helped him make some really cool friends, like Questlove of the Roots, who gave Miles a drum set, and Grammy-winning producer Mark Ronson.
Miles is part of a generation of up-and-coming young musicians with huge followings online.
How do I keep it normal for him?
How do you keep him as a normal 8-year-old boy living with his sister in your home and life?
How do you do that?
Woman: That’s a very easy question. He’s a normal kid.
I mean, he’s literally a normal kid.
He does everything a normal kid would do.
And, as it happens, he also has musical superpowers.
William Brangham: Their son is a rare breed, a social media superstar who doesn’t have access to social media.
His mother and father, who asked that their full names not be published, say they walk a delicate balance between protecting Miles and supporting his passions.
Woman: I don’t think it’s healthy for children to be on social media at a time when their brains are still developing.
And he doesn’t experience the dopamine rush, so he doesn’t really care.
He’s just like any other kid and just focuses on having fun and doing what makes him happy.
William Brangham: Whenever a young genius emerges, there are those who assume that there must be some crazy parent behind the scenes who is determined to set that kid up for success.
Is that so?
What is going on here?
Man: In our case, that’s about as far from the truth as you can get, right?
If Miles were to say tomorrow, “Dad, I want to be a lawyer. Or a tech entrepreneur. Or whatever it is,” we would both breathe a sigh of relief.
William Brangham: What do you want to be when you grow up?
Miles Bonham: I guess I’m a musician, producer and songwriter.
So I write my own songs and I sing my own songs.
William Brangham: Miles has just released his first original single for the film soundtrack, “You Can Be a Hero.”
And given his age, this is likely just the beginning.
Miles Bonham: Two, three, four.
(MUSIC) WILLIAM BRANGHAM: I’m William Brangham with “PBS NewsHour.”
Jeff Bennett: I love that his mom described his talent as a “musical superpower.”
That’s exactly right.
Amna Nawaz: Yes.
He found what he wanted to do.
How grateful I am.
Good for you.
