Singer Mike Posner is best known for his hits including I Took A Pill In Ibiza and Cooler Than Me – but he’s now taking a complete change of pace with a trek across America.
Starting in Asbury Park, New Jersey, the star is embracing his inner Forrest Gump for the trip, and plans to end in Venice Beach, California.
That’s a distance of 2,770 miles and, according to Google Maps, could take 916 hours (31.6 days) on foot, not including rest stops, breaks and sleeping.
Heading up from New Jersey to Detroit, Michigan and then a straight diagonal to his final destination, Mike set off yesterday (15 April) and immediately encountered problems due to rain.
Sharing it off as he spoke to CBS This Morning, he said: ‘When you trek across America, you’re going to encounter every weather there is. Let’s just get into it and bring it on.’
Mike was inspired to do something after losing his father, who died in 2017 to brain cancer, his long-time friend Avicii, who took his own life in April last year, and close pal Mac Miller, who passed away just months later in September 2018.
Dealing with depression following the losses, he sought peace in a Buddhist monastery, giving up his previous lifestyle that catered to his songs including Cooler Than Me and I Took A Pill in Ibiza.
He has now returned to music, releasing new album A Real Good Kid.
‘I’m not raising money or anything, but maybe the cause is just to remind people that life is now, if you close your eyes and open them back up, this is it,’ he added.
The star has invited anyone to join him after announcing his plans back in January, and will be keeping people updated online via his Twitter and Instagram.
During the trek, which took him through Farmingdon, NJ, he said: ‘I’d like to fall in love with the present moment and not worry so much about how far I am from the goal.’
‘The first 30 years of my life, I’ve set a goal out in front of me and worked like hell to get it. I always felt like something is wrong until I get there,’ he added.
‘On this walk…I have to figure out how to be in love with where I am right now. That would be good and be a skill that would benefit my life ahead.’
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