Local musician Mike Zanidean, better known by his artist name Hooper Turnt Sanger, achieved a career-high recently with his new album Mindset, which peaked at number two on the iTunes hip-hop charts.
Zanidean released the album on Aug. 28, where it quickly rose up the charts, only being beaten out by DJ Khaled’s new album GOD DID.
“The last project hit number four and it really showed me that the support and people around me are pushing for me to win,” said Zanidean. “So with this project, my goal was to go number four or higher.”
“Everyone involved, all my supporters, all my friends and family who help push and promote and market the whole project, helped me hit number two, and to me that’s just something I never thought possible when I first started doing this music thing. So hitting number two meant the world to me.”
Unlike Khaled’s album, which features additional artists on all but one track, Zanidean chose to remain the sole artist in his entire new project, which he says added another layer of difficulty in making a popular album.
“I think the immediate correlation between a feature filled album and becoming a top selling album is the fact it’s blending and mashing a bunch of different fan bases into one project,” he said.
“I never really have many features on my albums because when I started I couldn’t get people that could sing to do a feature for me, or other rappers wouldn’t take me seriously, so I had to learn how to sing melodies how to song write and pretty much level up all the aspects just to be able to have an album that potentially sounds like it has features on it, but really it’s just me.”
Now that he’s reached this career milestone, Zanidean is ready to keep moving forward and complete even more achievements with his music.
READ MORE: Maple Ridge singer becomes Fraser Valley’s hip hop artist of the year
“I already have another solo project I’m ready to roll out, as well as a group project with another artist that will be coming out at the end of the year,” said Zanidean. “Other than that, I just continue to stay in the studio, working hard and keeping focused on bettering my art.”
Fans of Zanidean can catch him on his upcoming November and December tour dates, which have yet to be announced. Both his new album Mindset, and all of his prior albums are currently available on both iTunes and Spotify.
RELATED: Classic rock hits to be played this Monday at Maple Ridge park
Have a story tip? Email: brandon.tucker@mapleridgenews.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.