The Man Behind the Brand: Spotlight on Michael Figge

Michael Figge personifies the landmarks that have raised him. With the booming arts scene of Denver to the North, and the Rocky Mountains to the west, he’s equal parts artist and outdoor enthusiast. Growing up as an Eagles Scout, he has always loved everything outdoors—particularly snowboarding. Even after his time at the San Francisco Art Institute studying fine arts, he came back to his hometown, Littleton, to be closer to the mountains. “As much as I’m inside, I’m outside,” he says, and he makes great use of his time in both. While at school in San Francisco, he underwent an important transition in his creative interests. “I was really into computers at the time,” he said, but he knew he wanted more from visual art than still images. Moving back to Denver, he started studying 3D animation and eventually graduated in digital design. It’s there where he recalls “[falling] in love with everything digital.” After graduating, Michael recalled how difficult it was finding a job in graphic design. But at one of CU Denver’s art internship programs, he met FM4FP’s founder Mona Magno, and she offered to bring him on as an intern developing music videos for Zonra. He loved how trusting she was in letting him explore and develop his own talents and potential as a creative; he has always felt free to explore his own visions. Today, not only is Michael the head graphic designer and a video editor for FM4FP, he also works on branding for FreePeopleTV and Free People Records. “It’s really fun to make what I think is the brand.” Through Mona’s trust in him as a versatile contributor to the team, Michael feels he gets a real experience that has helped his career development profoundly. In tandem with his visual artwork and contributions, Michael has always been equally passionate with sound, making house music under his artist name, Figgetronica, on Soundcloud. He was booked for a show in April that was cancelled when COVID hit.  “It was weird—having all that stop,” he said. Still, he stayed focused on what could be done. Quarantine has helped launch that from a hobby to a second passion: “Here’s some time; here’s that extra time” he remembered thinking. Mona has been helping him with his mastering as he polishes up his new music to be released on Spotify and Apple soon. As he has shifted more into musical pathways, he’s been energized by people’s positive responses, and he sees the potential to develop it into financial solubility down the line. Also working through his graphic design business, http://getfiggewitit.com/, Michael feels it's the time to jump into art—music and graphic design. Michael loves bringing the crafts together anytime he can. “I’ve always had a love for images paired with sounds.” He’s always worked towards that goal. 

Alongside his artistic work, he’s been dedicated to helping out at his family’s business, SOS Technologies, which leases oxygen and AEDs to small businesses (restaurants and hotels). The equipment buffers the time for people in emergency situations waiting for first responders. He’s been working there for over 15 years and can’t even remember when he started. But he loves having it in the background. 

Michael is a versatile creative—through and through. He loves to have found the like-minded community he’s now a part of in Denver and getting to watch it grow.

Written by Tommy Clift

Meet the FreePeopleTV Team

Interview by Tessa Barker

FreeMusicForFreePeople is like a tree with three main branches; Free People Records, The Denver Underground, and FreePeopleTV. Although all of the branches are simultaneously cultivating new ideas and projects, FreePeopleTV’s branch is currently blooming as it prepares for its launch of Season 1. The Denver Underground sat down with the gardeners of FPTV to discuss how they’ve been nurturing the media company and what viewers can expect from Season 1. 

What is your role in FPTV?

JuiceBox: I’m the host of Let’s Get Bizzy Creating, which is an offshoot of the Let’s Get Bizzy podcast which is now collaborating with FreePeopleTV, and I also am a producer. 

Michael Figge: I’ve been the “brand man” for the past year. I’m in charge of branding for the company and I do the visual and graphic designing. 

Fayth Krause: I lead the artist sessions in which we go to an artist’s house, apartment, basically where they create music where they do a bare bones acoustic set followed by an interview. It’s really cool because we get to see them make the music in the place where the magic happens. I film and edit those. 

Luke Barba: Mine is audio engineering. 

Mona Magno: Executive producer is my overarching role. But I would say I am a steward of the vision, cultivating what exactly we do and how we do it. I try to take all of the hard work we’ve done over the past year and find ways for it to be released into the world. 

In your own words what is FPTV? 

Magno: FPTV is exposed music culture. We believe the creative community has stories to tell, so we focus on those stories and offer opportunities for artists to be highlighted and be put into collaborative opportunities—a sort of Denver focused music television. 

Krause: I see it as a media space that is by and for artists in the community. 

Barba: A cultural expressions of the Denver area’s music community. 

There are a lot of Denver based media companies that produce similar video content to FPTV. How would you say FPTV is unique from other media collectives and production companies? 

Magno: I think what sets us apart is the emphasis on creating engaging and compelling media. The heart behind it isn't just creating something for an audience, but we’re creating something that could be utilized by the artists to progress their creative pursuits. 

JuiceBox: I think our production quality sets us apart also. We’re very focused on quality over quantity. We give the viewer the best experience possible as well as highlight the artists being featured in literally the best lighting possible and more metaphorically as well. 

What is the purpose of FPTV? What would the ideal outcome look like for you?

Juicebox: Get rich! I mean that's part of it but more so to make everybody rich. To bring prosperity to the Denver community and wherever we decide to branch out after that.  

Barba: I would agree with that. I want to see artists in our community get exposure. But like we said it’s quality over quantity. It's not just because they’re artists and they’re local; it's because we think they’re really good artists and deserve more exposure than they're getting. 

Krause: There is so much good local music, and I want to see that get celebrated more. FPTV is a way to do that.

Figge: I think we felt some of the stuff we were including when we initially released content didn’t quite get the views, so we’re trying to get more exposure because we really believe that it is good content.

Magno: I hope that people are inspired. I hope that it pushes people to want to create videos or music and ultimately feel a strong sense of pride in what has been developing in Denver in this renaissance that we are a part of.

What can viewers expect from Season 1? 

Magno: Season 1 is focusing on highlights of different segments that we produce. It's a variety of music coverage, whether that's live sets, artists sessions or interviews with artists, just a mix of everything. You’ll also be diving into the FreeMusicForFreePeople universe.

Where can FPTV Season 1 be viewed? 

Magno: It will be streamed on Twitch (@FreePeopleTV) starting on June 3rd at 10:00 pm and will air every Wednesday in June. After every episode airs you can then find it on our website.

On a personal level how has FPTV impacted your life?

Magno: For me engaging in this kind of work is not only my life’s passion, but it also has become extremely fulfilling cultivating this team of other creative people who are also passionate about music and media. I think that part of this project has really made an impact on the way I create art. I hope that we blaze a trail for people to come together who are passionate about the same things: to do something beyond themselves. 

JuiceBox: I am extremely excited and grateful to be a part of FPTV because it has filled me with a sense of purpose and this drive for success just being surrounded by creative folk coming together on this common idea. It really feels like the beginning of something special. 

Krause: It's so nice having creative freedom, and I’ve definitely felt confidence in my craft grow through this. It's so nice to be trusted that my ideas are going to be good as well as receiving honest feedback. I mean how often do you get that in a media company? 

Figge: I like to be able to do what I want to do and Mona has trusted me to do that which is so awesome. I’m really excited to see how this comes together because it's a lot of different people’s hard work. 

Barba: I love that FM4FP is centered around music and art and freedom of expression and not necessarily being bottom line or being a profit machine. It is about the art and that's the important thing. 

The relaxed yet driven demeanor in this group of creatives is mirrored in their work. FPTV Season 1 is a beautiful display of creativity, self-expression and artists who make Denver such an amazing place. Tune in on June 3rd to experience all FreePeopleTV and it’s collaborating artists have to offer.