Ever since live music started taking a long siesta with the advent of the pandemic in 2020, people have turned to the comforting sound of personal speakers. If you can’t jump along to a bass in person, might as well do it in the comfort of your own home. And that makes choosing your sound projection device that much more crucial.

If it’s sound we’re talking, might as well leave it to Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Miguel to tell you what you need to know.

The artist has teamed up with Modern Fidelity to produce a one-of-its-kind high end wireless speaker, one that prides itself on looking just as good as it sounds. Affectionately termed “MODFI,” Miguel’s collaboration, the MODFI-7 is all about amplifying the space you’re in.

“I have a belief, I wonder why we have to sacrifice one [sound] for the other [aesthetic]?” he says in an exclusive chat with VMAN. “And when I found MODFI, what really made me fall in love with them is that it’s form and function. I’ll never forget having a studio apartment, and having no space, and wanting everything to still have a vibe and to create an energy and a space that I wanted to show off to my friends. It’s these little things, it’s these simple choices that really just add value to your whole vibe, to your life, and to your living space.”

Miguel’s own collaboration has been about translating the journey from artist to experience, being able to tell the story of that experience in the best way possible. “And it starts at quality over quantity, it starts from sustainability,” he adds. “And it also starts with passion, and everyone living their passion and their own riot, whatever their daily riot is. What ended up coming out was a speaker that’s of high quality, but then also conveys a sense of preparation and durability, tough enough to withstand your daily riot.”

If that daily riot has been grinded to a halt by the throes of a pandemic, he’s with you (and so are we, to be honest). “Our point of experiencing music for the past year was pretty much through speakers. We’ll get back to live music. But for the past year, that’s been our life,” he says. Given that situation, it should seem like the answer is bringing the adventure of a live show home, which is what MODFI terms as their claim to fame. “Especially as a musician, you’re always looking for a way to translate the truest version of what you’re capturing in the studio. Anyway I can do that now in my day to day life, whether it’s playing back music that I recorded, or playing records from my favorite artists that I love, is the best.”

You may be wondering, what does a Grammy-winning artist with multiple top ten albums listen to, especially when given the right hardware? Obviously, we had the same question. “This may be surprising, Joe Rogan’s podcast is top of my list, in terms of podcasts. I do a six phase meditation daily and you can stream that off of YouTube, that’s always a go-to.”

But wait, there’s more. “In terms of artists I’ve been listening to lately, I make playlists all the time. On a Sunday or when we’re cooking, I always pull up this curated playlist called “Summer Madness Radio”, from Khruangbin’s “Summer Madness,” this band from Houston, they’re fucking sick. If you fuck with Tame Impala, you’ll love Khruangbin. In the playlist is “Time to Walk Away” by Washed Out, “Dragonball Durag” by Thundercat. Cleo Sol is in there, Little Dragon is in there, Terrace Martin, James Blake, SAULT, Moses Sumney. That’s the go-to.” (This is the closest match we could find, Spotify users).

The artist believes in living the kind of sonic life you aspire to with products that assure you do that with the highest of quality. But it’s more than just about good sounds and good looks, it’s about good vibes. “I think that the products and the things that we invest our time in should reflect that energy,” he says. “I just want to make things that help inspire that. And I’m really excited to reveal that.”

Pre-orders for the sleek MODFI-7 wireless personal speaker begin May 20th. The system will be available in a classic white, black, or walnut finish, shipping this Fall. You can find out more about it on their website. Just turn it on, relax, and let the soundwaves take you where you need to go.