On Sunday, September 28, local fixture and nationally recognized singer-songwriter Micah Iverson will celebrate a milestone that has been years in the making. With the release of his debut EP, Hideout, Iverson moves from being a familiar voice at Hatteras Island restaurants to a recording artist making his mark on the wider music world.
The album release will be accompanied by a celebration at the Inn on Pamlico Sound, with a gathering of friends, family, and fans who have followed Iverson’s journey from his television breakthrough on NBC’s The Voice to the creation of a body of original work that reflects the life he has built on the Outer Banks.
For Iverson, the release of Hideout is more than a professional milestone—it is the culmination of a story that began half a world away, carried him through a televised competition seen by millions, and eventually grounded him in the small-town community of Hatteras Island.
A Global Beginning
Iverson was born in Tokyo, where his parents were based for much of his childhood. His earliest years were shaped by a life lived between cultures, often traveling back to the United States for family visits but growing up in Japan until his late teens.
“I actually held the record at the Japanese hospital where I was born [as one of the] heaviest babies,” Iverson said, “until my younger brother came along and broke it.”
Despite his later success as a musician, Iverson wasn’t a child prodigy. “I didn’t start singing or playing an instrument until I was about 15 or 16,” he recalled. “My mom had me in piano lessons on Fridays in high school, but I gave them up to play tennis instead.”
Micah’s first time performing an original song for a live audience in 2018.
When he arrived in the U.S. for college at the University of Virginia, music became a more central part of his life. He joined the Virginia Gentlemen, the university’s oldest a cappella group. “We wore bow ties and got to sing at the White House Christmas party,” Iverson said. “That was my first real experience performing for big audiences.”
Discovering Songwriting
After graduating, Iverson remained in Charlottesville for a year, working at a startup and immersing himself in the local music community. A weekly songwriter’s circle introduced him to the process of creating original material.
“It was this event called ‘The Local,’” he explained. “You’d write a song, it had to be original, and there would be a three-piece band to back you up. It was a really fun community. The first time I wrote a song was for that event, and that song—‘Something Blue’—is going to be on the album.”
That early songwriting experiment, dating back to 2018, would lay dormant for years before resurfacing on his first professional release.
Pictured: (l-r) Chelle, Megan Danielle, Sara Collins, Samantha Howell, Mandi Thomas, Kelly Clarkson, Micah Iverson, Tayler Green, Jules, Gigi Hess, Anya Cheyenne — (Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC)
A Breakthrough on The Voice
The turning point in Iverson’s journey came in 2020, when he decided to audition for the hit television show The Voice.
“It was my friend who signed me up,” Iverson admitted. “I was living in Atlanta after college, and my friend said, ‘You’re a good singer, you should try out.’ I had never seen the show—only YouTube clips where the chairs turn around.”
The process from an Atlanta parking lot to a television stage was fairly grueling.
He waited in line from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. in Atlanta, singing a few lines for a producer before moving forward. After two months of callbacks, he was flown to Los Angeles along with 250 others for a month of rehearsals, coaching, and preparation for the televised auditions.
When his turn came, three celebrity coaches—Nick Jonas, Blake Shelton, and Kelly Clarkson—turned their chairs in support. Iverson chose Clarkson.
“She was an amazing coach and taught me a lot about my voice in the short time I had with her,” Iverson said.
Micah on The Voice
But his season coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing the second half of the show to take place remotely. “That kind of made us miserable,” Iverson said, “but I still think I did pretty well. I finished in fifth place, the last person standing on Kelly Clarkson’s team.”
That national exposure became a springboard, convincing Iverson that music could be more than a hobby. “It’s when I realized I could really do this as an artist,” he said.
Finding Hatteras
Iverson’s path eventually led him to Hatteras Island, thanks to his husband Patrick, a veteran of the Outer Banks’ ocean rescue teams.
“Patrick has worked in ocean rescue everywhere from Buxton to Ocracoke to Nags Head,” Iverson said. “He dragged me out here, and at first I thought, ‘Why am I here? This isn’t where I saw myself—I thought I’d be in a city.’ But sure enough, it grew on us. We made a home here, and found a community here.”
That community quickly embraced him. Playing regularly at restaurants, Iverson built a loyal following while also financing his music. “People who came out to see me play at restaurants inadvertently paid for my album,” he said.
Living on the island also gave him perspective on what makes Hatteras unique. “Hatteras Island isn’t like other vacation spots,” Iverson said. “It hasn’t succumbed to the vices that most places have. It still has a strong sense of community and personal relationships. Every time I run into Food Lion or Conner’s, I’ll inevitably see someone I know. It’s that small-town vibe in one of the most beautiful places on the East Coast.”
Recording Hideout
With encouragement from his close-to-home and national fanbase, Iverson began working on his first record. He reconnected with Sam Roller, a college friend and producer at LoveGrove Studios in Brooklyn.
“Sam has an incredible ear and production skills,” Iverson said. “Over the course of a year, I recorded about six or seven songs. We’d sit in the studio and play around until we found something that felt true. Out of those, we chose three for the EP.”
The result is Hideout, a singer-songwriter collection anchored by heartfelt vocals and intimate arrangements. The album includes “Something Blue,” Iverson’s first-ever original song, and “Hideout,” the title track, about finding refuge and safety in another person. “It’s someone you can let your guard down with,” Iverson explained. “That’s why it’s so special to me.”
The EP artwork shows a small cottage in Vermont where Iverson and Patrick lived for six months, a place where he wrote prolifically and performed frequently. “It was just a hideout,” Iverson said. “That’s why this project means so much to me.”
What Comes Next
Micah on Hatteras Island
While Hideout is a three-song EP, Iverson is already planning a full-length album for January 2026. “I’ve written so many songs over the years, but I’ve only been happy about a handful of them. That’s typical of any artist,” he said. “We’re going back to the studio in November to record more.”
The release party on September 28 at the Inn on Pamlico Sound will gather many of the people who played a role in this chapter of Iverson’s life, from fellow musicians like Rory Kelleher, Brian Surratt, and Jessie Taylor, to friends and fans who have cheered him on along the way.
“It’s about getting everyone together who has had an impact on not just this album, but on this season of my life,” Iverson said.
Listening to Hideout
The EP will be available for purchase through micahiversonmusic.com, where fans can order CDs. For those who prefer streaming, the songs will be released at midnight on September 27 on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, and other major platforms.
For Iverson, the project is not just about music—it’s about honoring the community that has supported him, from his family and friends to the islanders who show up for his live sets week after week.
“It actually takes a lot of time and money to make an album,” he said. “But what makes it possible is community—people who believe in you, who show up, and who remind you why you’re doing it.”
“This is my first time releasing any music at all,” he added. “It’s a little nerve-wracking, but it’s also really exciting. I’ve been carrying these songs for years, and now I finally get to share them.”
And while his voice has carried him onto national television and into recording studios in Brooklyn, Iverson knows that Hatteras Island is at the heart of his story.
“This place isn’t just where I live,” he said. “It’s home. And I can’t imagine a better place to release this first album than here, surrounded by the people who made it possible.”
Event Details:
Hideout EP Release Party
Sunday, September 28, 2025
Inn on Pamlico Sound, Buxton
Tiki Bar and limited menu available 5-8 p.m., Micah performs live at 6 p.m.
Hideout will be available for streaming on all major platforms starting September 27 at midnight.
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