Michael grew up on comic book versions of the Greek Myths, Arthurian legends, and Edgar Allan Poe. By college he developed a love of philosophy, and graduated early to try to build startups in Silicon Valley. After a 7 year stint studying psychology, history and religion, a clarification of life purpose led him back to his early love of media, whereupon he produced 36 essays and 100+ YouTube videos around spiritual ideas and perennial philosophy, including a 30-episode live show called Philosophers on Twitch playing Flight Simulator.

In 2022, he hatched the vision for Hallsong.