For years, the national media has asserted that the music of Chrisette Michele respectfully invokes the spirit of Billie Holiday. And like Billie, her distinct vocals have made her musical performances distinguishable from her industry peers.
Although Chrisette Michele's talents were undeniable, her debut album stalled at #29 on the Billboard 200 chart, with 26,000 copies sold during the opening week. The strength of I Am resonated with music lovers across the globe, however, and the album would eventually attain gold certification from the RIAA and receive back-to-back GRAMMY nominations in 2008 and 2009: Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (for "If I Had My Way") and Best Urban/Alternative Performance (for "Be OK").
After her GRAMMY win in 2009, the stars aligned upon the release of Epiphany, her sophomore record. The groundswell of public support and her massive "underground" following propelled Epiphany into the #1 spot—taking the industry (and Chrisette) by surprise!
As Chrisette Michele embarked on a promotional tour for Epiphany, she managed to squeeze some time out of her busy schedule and settle down for an interview with Clayton Perry — reflecting on "Porcelain Doll," Billie Holiday, and her recording experience with Ne-Yo.
Congratulations on your recent number one debut. When you first found out, what was the first thing that came to your mind?
"Yeah, right!" [laughing] That's the first thing I said. Then I screamed and yelled at L.A. Reid because he was the one who told me. I told him, "Are you sure? Are you positive?" I was really happy.
Considering the fact that I Am peaked at 29, what were your expectations going in?
Numbers are really more for the business people. I think that when you sing from your heart, you write from your heart and you perform from your heart, you're more interested in the record than how many records you sold. So the first thing I wanted to know was, "What do they think?" I was getting feedback on how many records were sold or what number I was at. What I really wanted to know is, "What does everybody think? Did they like this song? Did they like that song?" My expectations were that people would enjoy the vocals and a new side of me that I decided to expose. It's really a new exploration for me.
Well, I am not alone, when I say that I thoroughly enjoyed Epiphany. And while it's hard for me to pick, I find "Porcelain Doll" to be my favorite track. Do you have any special memories from the studio that are attached to that particular song?
Article comments
1 - Steven
Interesting interview. nice read
2 - stephanie brown
I think chrisette michele is a breath of fresh air. I really love her song "Blame it on me." In this age of non-singing, dancing, jumping all over the place with a mike on your head singers, she is an Epiphany.