Mark and the Tiger is the musical moniker of singer/songwriter Mark Haberland and his spiritual partner in crime, Jeffrey Lion (the Tiger). Together they are traveling the world making music, having adventures, and diving into the deepest parts of themselves to unravel the mysteries of life!
Originally from Maine, Mark has lived in Los Angeles for the past 10 years and has spent that time discovering who he is as an artist and what that means for his music. His debut EP “Little Adventures” is a showcase of that journey. Each song representing a different piece of the puzzle and another layer to what will ultimately become Mark and the Tiger.
With equal parts Folk music, Pop, and Rock & Roll, Mark’s music is a celebration of storytelling. This is a world that encourages its listeners to open up about their experiences: hardships and triumphs. Truly, Mark’s ultimate goal is to create a community of inclusivity that is built upon radical self expression, adventure, and non-judgment. This is a place where labels do not exist. Through his music, Mark opens up about his own experiences as a human being trying to understand themselves and their place in the world.
Have you always been interested in music? Was there a particular song/performance that made you say “Woah! I want to do that!”?
Without a doubt! About a year or so after I moved to LA I was feeling really uninspired and not sure of what direction I was supposed to be going in. I ended up going to see Florence and the Machine at the Hollywood Bowl by myself. I had splurged on one of those boxes towards the from with the directors’ chairs. I’ll never forget watching her run around the stage, barefoot and singing her face off. It was like being smacked in the face and suddenly I just knew that that was what I was supposed to be doing! Ever since that night I’ve worked to make music my career no matter what.
If you could go open a show for any artist, who would it be?
Florence and the Machine has been the biggest influence on me in my career in so many different ways. It was at a Florence show at the Hollywood Bowl that I committed myself to putting my own music out there. I have so many dreams about opening up for her at that same stage one day.
With the pandemic, how have you found a way to get your music and your message out there?
You know the pandemic was ironically kind of a blessing in disguise for me. It gave me a moment of pause to step back and really think about what music I wanted to put out into the world and how I wanted to approach my career. I took songwriting classes and talked to industry professionals about their experience in music. I pushed myself to learn and grow as much as possible so that when the time came and I was introduced to my producer, I was beyond ready to create this album. It was really amazing because for the first time I wasn’t concerned about gigging or worried about selling tickets or being on social media. I could just focus on me and my writing and becoming the best musician I could be.
How do you feel the Internet has impacted the music business?
It’s kind of crazy to think of how drastically the music industry has changed because of the internet. On the one hand, literally anyone can make music and put it out into the world. It’s pretty spectacular how much the playing field has (in some ways) been leveled. On the other hand, I think that this saturation of content has caused a lot of record labels and music makers to become single chasers. The emphasis is on catchy songs that will go viral on Tik Tok rather than music that pushes the industry forward. Music feels trendier than trendsetting these days. But that being said there are always standouts and maybe the age of the internet means those standouts will come from new and exciting places!
Do you plan your music releases, or do you just finish a song and release it?
I’ve done both. When I was first putting out music, I was just so excited to get it out into the world I released it straight away. But for this release I’m really taking my time. I want to make sure as many people hear about this album as possible and to do that, I’m going to plan it out to the fullest extent possible!
If you could pass on a nugget of wisdom to the next musical generation, what would it be?
Don’t follow the trends! Start the trends. Especially now in this age of social media it can be frightening to stand out from the crowd. But that’s where all the magic is!
Do you have a cherished childhood teddy bear or other stuffed animal sitting on your bed at home?
Well… I don’t have a stuffed animal per se. But I did have a favorite pillow that I had since I was a toddler. Her name was Lumpy, and I couldn’t sleep without her. She kept going through the wash and losing stuffing and eventually fell apart into a sort of rag. But I still have her in a drawer somewhere in my parents’ house! The thing I used to love about her was how she smelled, which I realize now was actually just my own smell. There must be some sort of strange narcism in that!
What was the last TV series you watched on TV?
As I’m writing this I’m actually watching “My Life Is Murder” it’s an Australian (or maybe New Zealand) murder master show with Lucy Lawless, a.k.a. Xena Warrior Princess, as an ex detective who bakes bread and solves tricky cases on the side. Honestly, that’s my dream fallback career. And for the record, slightly campy murder mystery shows are my forever favorite.
What’s your least favorite personality trait you like about yourself?
When I’m in a really heated argument with someone I tend to get so overwhelmed with emotion that I can’t think clearly. I just become a wild mess. I’ve learned to force myself to take a step away to calm down and come back to a situation with a clearer head, but I just wish I could remain calm and cool in an argument. My husband seems to get more logical and cunning as he gets angrier and it’s the MOST annoying thing ever!
As a kid were you ever frightened of a monster under the bed or in the cupboard?
I was terrified of the dark!
If you could learn any language fluently, what would it be?
French and Mandarin!
Do you have any superstitions?
I always knock on wood. I’ve done it my whole life and I don’t see myself stopping anytime soon.
https://www.markandthetiger.com/
