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Photo credit: Felipe Guzman
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The guitar has always been an instrument of versatility, but in recent years, a growing wave of artists has been redefining what it means to be a guitarist by stepping into the world of crossover music. These players defy rigid genre lines, blending elements of classical, jazz, flamenco, folk, and rock to create sounds that are both timeless and modern. Known as crossover guitarists, they are reshaping the role of the instrument in global music culture.
Crossover guitarists often emerge from a strong foundation in classical training. This background gives them the technical precision needed to navigate complex compositions, while their openness to other genres allows them to break away from traditional boundaries. For example, musicians inspired by flamenco greats like Paco de Lucía or jazz-fusion innovators such as John McLaughlin often weave together disparate traditions to craft something entirely new. These guitarists are not confined to concert halls or rock stages alone—they thrive in both, sometimes in the same performance.
What makes crossover guitarists particularly compelling is their ability to tell stories that resonate with listeners across cultures. By pulling from multiple traditions, they create music that feels familiar yet fresh. Their compositions often carry emotional depth, connecting audiences who might otherwise be divided by genre. For listeners, the result is an experience that feels like traveling between worlds, where a single piece of music might carry the intimacy of classical guitar, the improvisational energy of jazz, and the rhythmic fire of Latin traditions.
Artists such as Ottmar Liebert, Rodrigo y Gabriela, and Mike Stern have paved the way, showing that the guitar is a limitless tool for expression when barriers are dissolved. Contemporary players, including voices like Maleny Mikels, are carrying that torch forward, building bridges between genres while staying true to their personal vision. Their recordings and live performances highlight not only the adaptability of the guitar but also the ever-expanding global appetite for music that celebrates diversity.
Crossover guitarists remind us that music has never truly existed in isolation. Every style, from flamenco to blues to modern jazz, carries echoes of cultural exchange. By embracing that reality, these guitarists are pushing the instrument into uncharted territory, ensuring that the guitar remains one of the most dynamic and universal tools for artistic expression.
Our Opinion: Why Crossover Guitarists Matter
At Guitar Thrills Magazine, we believe the most exciting developments in guitar music are happening in the hands of crossover guitarists. These are the players who refuse to be boxed into a single style, who take the discipline of classical study, the soul of flamenco, the improvisation of jazz, and the raw energy of rock, then fuse it all into something that feels entirely their own. To us, this fearless blending of traditions is not just innovation—it’s evolution.
Too often, guitarists are pressured to “choose a lane,” whether it’s shredding in metal, staying true to jazz standards, or adhering to the rigor of classical recital. Crossover guitarists prove that these boundaries are artificial. They remind us that music has always been about exchange, about taking influences from around the world and reshaping them into new stories. We see it as the natural future of guitar artistry.
Artists like Rodrigo y Gabriela and Ottmar Liebert blazed the trail, showing that global audiences were ready for music that blended cultures and genres. Today, newer voices such as Maleny Mikels are carrying this vision forward, crafting music that feels both rooted in tradition and refreshingly modern. When we listen to their work, we’re reminded that the guitar is not just an instrument—it’s a passport to worlds of sound we’ve yet to fully explore.
In our opinion, crossover guitarists are the ones keeping the instrument alive, relevant, and endlessly expressive. They give us a glimpse of what happens when technical mastery meets curiosity and courage. They also challenge every guitarist—whether seasoned or just beginning—to think beyond categories and to imagine what’s possible when you stop asking, “What genre am I in?” and start asking, “What story am I telling?”
At the end of the day, that’s what thrills us most about the guitar: its ability to transcend, to connect, and to inspire across borders. Crossover guitarists embody that spirit, and in our eyes, they are shaping the future of music.
Among today’s new wave of crossover guitarists, few stand out with the clarity and creativity of Maleny Mikels. Her ability to weave classical precision with contemporary expression makes her a voice worth paying attention to.
ABOUT MALENY MIKELS
Maleny Mikels is a guitarist and composer whose work bridges classical crossover and contemporary instrumental music. Based in New York City, while also spending time in Mexico City, Mikels brings a unique perspective to her artistry, drawing on her diverse background as both a musician and a former lawyer. She began her musical journey at the age of five with keyboards before transitioning to guitar at eight, and by eleven she was studying classical guitar. Over the years, her influences have included renowned artists such as Ottmar Liebert, Paco de Lucía, and later jazz-fusion guitarist Mike Stern, shaping a style that is both technically refined and deeply expressive. Her debut single, In Between Worlds, reflects her fascination with the connection between the physical and spiritual, exploring themes of unseen yet deeply felt experiences. In 2023, she released her EP The Coffee Breakers, featuring tracks like Volar, Volviendo Mil Veces (featuring Vyero), El Universo en Ti, Tan Inesperado, and Por un Tal Vez. With her intricate guitar work and emotive compositions, Mikels continues to establish herself as a distinctive voice in the world of instrumental music.
INTERVIEW WITH MALENY MIKELS AND GUITAR THRILLS MAGAZINE
Guitar Thrills: You began your musical journey at a very young age—first on keyboards, then moving to guitar. What drew you to the guitar as your primary instrument?
Maleny: I remember as a kid seeing any guitar, either acoustic or electric, and thinking it was magical. It was everything about the instrument that seemed so special to me, from its look and aesthetic features to its beautiful sound.
Then I started listening to great guitarists such as Paco de Lucía, Mike Stern, Larry Carlton, Jeff Beck, Steve Ray Vaughn, Andy Timmons, Greg Howe and Steve Lukather, among others, and they blew my mind. I was impressed by the expression, sound and feeling these incredibly talented musicians could get from the guitar. I guess I just couldn’t help it, I fell completely in love with the guitar, I still am.
Guitar Thrills: With your background in both classical guitar and contemporary styles, how do you balance technique with personal expression in your music?
Maleny: That’s a great question. To be honest, when I’m either composing, improvising or just playing, it’s like I’m not thinking at all. I just listen to what comes to me, feel it and flow with it. It’s as if everything regarding technique and theory went to an automatic mode and I just focus on the music and the feeling that comes with it.
I guess it’s like this Japanese concept they have in zen and martial arts called “mushin”, which literally means “no mind” or “without mind”, which describes a state of consciousness where the mind is free of thoughts and it’s just awareness and consciousness. I see it as freedom from the mind.
Guitar Thrills: Your debut single In Between Worlds explores the space between the physical and the spiritual. Can you share what inspired this theme?
Maleny: Sure thing. A few years ago, I had a near death experience. It was a Saturday night, and I had a gig with a band I used to play with at a well-known venue in Manhattan. I was feeling a little bit sick but didn’t think it was anything serious. Long story short, right after the show I ended up at ER, turns out I had appendicitis and then had a very bad allergic reaction to the antibiotics I was given prior to the surgery. I couldn’t breathe. At first, I got scared, it felt as if I was going to fall unconscious and die, but then something strange happened, it felt as if I had got out of my body, and my mind was sharper than ever. It was like a different state of consciousness where everything made sense from a higher point of view, and it was all about love and gratitude. It was a beautiful experience that stays with me to this day. I wanted to share what I felt and saw in the best way I know: music. The single is called “In Between Worlds” as a reference of us existing through space and time.
Guitar Thrills: As a crossover guitarist, you blend genres and traditions. How do you decide which influences to bring into a composition?
Maleny: It is mostly what happens now and what I’m feeling. It is also what the music asks for. Sometimes it feels as if the music spoke for itself and us as musicians are just its listeners and receivers.
At other times it’s about an idea and finding what suits it best.
As for “In Between Worlds” I wanted it to be somewhat classical crossover, as if its classical influences didn’t have a specific time or date.
Guitar Thrills: Your 2023 EP The Coffee Breakers showcases a wide range of sounds. Was there a central idea or story you wanted the project to convey?
Maleny: Since I’m a guitarist and a composer but not a singer, I wanted it to showcase that nostalgic feeling I get from one of the greatest times for rock guitar. It was a fun project to work on, and I had such a great time producing it at my studio.
Guitar Thrills: Many listeners describe crossover music as a “bridge” between cultures. Do you see your guitar playing to connect different worlds?
Maleny: I can only aspire to achieve that someday. Music is art and art doesn’t know any boundaries. We as human beings are the ones putting labels on stuff, including music.
Personally, I come from a Spanish background, grew up in Mexico City and then moved to New York city. I also have a huge crush on Japanese culture and love to travel, so I’d like to think about myself and about any other person as citizens of the world.
I think every culture enriches the world and I can only aspire to create music that touches people regardless of any ethnicity, beliefs, or any other stuff we can label.
Guitar Thrills: You’ve cited artists like Ottmar Liebert, Paco de Lucía, and Mike Stern as inspirations. What lessons have you taken from their artistry into your own work?
Maleny: I love listening to them as well as many other great guitarists. There’s so much to learn from them.
I used to go see Mike Stern perform live in NYC very often. I’d say he’s one of my greatest inspirations. I’m amazed by his phrasing and improvisation; he’s such a genius. It doesn’t matter how many times you see him perform, he’s truly improvising without repeating himself. And, at the same time, you can tell is Mike Stern playing right away. One thing I try to learn from him is that he’s got his own personal sound that is his trademark sound, and nobody can copy that. I think that’s one of the hardest things to achieve and that’s something I always keep in mind.
Guitar Thrills: Coming from a background as both a musician and a former lawyer, do you feel your non-musical experiences shape your approach to creativity?
Maleny: Well, I don’t consider myself a lawyer since I never truly worked as a lawyer, I just attended university and got the degree. But even back then, I was working as a musician.
I do believe any non-musical experience influences every other aspect of my life, especially music and creativity in general. Everything is connected, so yes, I feel every aspect of my life and every experience I go through teaches me something and shapes my approach to creativity.
Nowadays I’d say one of the things that shapes more my creativity is martial arts. I’ve been practicing for a few years now and I love it. You gotta be in the present moment when you practice martial arts, in the same way you are truly present while composing music or playing guitar.
I believe that to allow yourself to be truly creative you gotta be free of any thoughts and just be present, right now, right here.
Guitar Thrills: In a time when genres are blending more than ever, what do you believe is the role of the guitarist in today’s global music scene?
Maleny: I think right now is a great time to be a guitarist. The role of the guitarist in today’s global music scene has more freedom than ever. You see any kind of guitar players from all sorts of backgrounds doing amazing stuff. There’s like a new wave of instrumental music where you see guitarists leading the band in such a way a singer would do.
There are great projects like Animals as Leaders and Intervals taking the guitar to a new era.
Guitar Thrills: Looking ahead, what projects, collaborations, or directions excite you most for the next chapter of your musical journey?
Maleny: There are quite a few things I’m excited about. I’m currently composing with all sorts of singers through Warner Chappell for their own projects. I like it because it’s always something new and it is also radically different to what I do regarding instrumental music.
What I’m excited the most about right now is my solo project. I’m working on new instrumental music, and I’d also love to have various musicians involved on different tracks.
Conclusion:
Maleny Mikels embodies the spirit of the modern crossover guitarist—technically refined, culturally open, and deeply expressive. Her music proves that the guitar is more than an instrument; it’s a bridge between worlds, traditions, and emotions. As she continues to explore new sonic landscapes, Mikels reminds us that true artistry lies in curiosity, courage, and the ability to connect with listeners on a profound level. If her journey so far is any indication, the next chapters of her career will not only expand her own horizons but also inspire a new generation of guitarists to embrace the limitless possibilities of their craft.
