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Chrisette Michele

 
Artist: Chrisette Michele
See Chrisette Michele Lyrics
  • Born: 1982
  • Active: 2000s
  • Genres: Rhythm & Blues
  • Instrument: Vocals, Performer, Vocals (Background)
  • Representative Albums: "I Am," "Epiphany"

Biography

In a very short span of time, R&B singer/songwriter Chrisette Michele shot from small-time performer up to one of Def Jam's most promising talents, purely based on her unique instrument -- a gorgeous and effortlessly versatile singing voice colored with Billie Holiday-esque inflections of vocal pop and jazz. The jazz-influenced vocalist, born Chrisette Michele Payne in 1982, developed her pipes through singing gospel, first performing for a congregation at age four. God and music were clearly instrumental in her upbringing: her father, who also played the organ, was a deacon, and her mother was the church's choir director. Growing up in Patchogue, NY, a small town on Long Island, the young singer's parents always kept her busy with tap dancing, piano lessons, choir rehearsals, and the like. But at age 17, Michele had an epiphany. After a teacher gave her a CD containing the bossa nova standard "The Girl from Ipanema," she was immediately won over to jazz by Brazilian jazz singer Astrud Gilberto's voice. She spent endless hours isolated in a room with a piano learning jazz standards as they were sung by Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and other greats. She wound up studying vocal and jazz performance at Five Townes College on Long Island. When she began doing gigs at local venues, it was mainly for small audiences at open mics or for auditions. However, shortly thereafter neo-soul singer India.Arie, who spotted her at Manhattan's Village Underground club, enlisted Michele to be her opening act, as did Kem and Angie Stone. And at that same club, she was also discovered by representatives of Def Jam, who were enamored with her vocal abilities and had her signed to the label by 2006. At the end of the year, Def Jam brought her out in full force, allowing her to write and sing the hooks for Jay-Z's "Lost Ones" and Nas' Nat King Cole-inspired "Can't Forget About You." Her album debut, I Am, followed in summer 2007. Adding to the album's influences of gospel, adult alternative pop, and hip-hop, she wrote all the songs herself and worked closely with artists/producers Babyface, Salaam Remi, John Legend, and will.i.am. ~ Cyril Cordor, All Music Guide
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Wikipedia: Chrisette Michele
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Chrisette Michele

Photo by Jalylah Burrell
Background information
Born December 8, 1982 (1982-12-08) (age 26)
Patchogue, New York, United States[1]
Genres R&B, soul, jazz
Occupations Singer–songwriter
Instruments Vocals, piano
Years active 2006–present
Labels Def Jam
Website www.thisischrisettemichele.com

Chrisette Michele Payne (born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Chrisette Michele, is an American R&B and soul singer–songwriter on the Island Def Jam Music Group.[2] She won a Grammy Award for Best Urban/Alternative Performance in 2009 for her song "Be OK".

Contents

Biography

Michele was born in Central Islip, New York, and grew up in Patchogue to parents who worked as deacons to their church. This connection inspired her to reflect on childhood memories in her own debut album. She sings in a jazz style reminiscent of singers such as Esther Phillips, Sarah Vaughn, Jill Scott, Macy Gray, Erykah Badu, and Ella Fitzgerald.

The daughter of a deacon father and choir director mother, she led gospel choirs in high school. She attended Five Towns College in Dix Hills, New York, and graduated with a vocal performance degree.[3]

Music career

Beginnings

Michele has been featured on several popular hip hop albums. Most recently she was featured on The Game's album LAX on "Let Us Live". On Jay-Z's Kingdom Come she was featured on the second single "Lost One", while on Nas' Hip Hop Is Dead, she was featured three times: on the album's second single "Can't Forget About You", the Kanye West-produced "Still Dreaming", and the final track "Hope". Recently she also appeared on the bonus track "Slow Down", from Ghostface Killah's The Big Doe Rehab.

I Am (2007)

Michele's debut album, I Am, was released on June 18, 2007. The song "Your Joy" was released on iTunes as a free single of the week. The album spawned four singles: "If I Have My Way", "Best of Me", "Be OK", and "Love Is You". The album's lead single "If I Have My Way" charted at number four on Billboard's Hot Adult R&B Airplay and number twenty-four on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Following its success, "Best of Me" charted on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks at number twenty-one. In December 2007, "Be OK" was released as the third single, charting at number sixty-four on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and number twenty-one on the Hot Adult R&B Airplay. In 2008, "Love Is You" was released as the album's fourth and final single on the album; it reached number ninety on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and number twenty on the Hot Adult R&B Airplay.

Epiphany (2009)

In 2008, Michele appeared on the track "Rising Up" from The Roots' album Rising Down. Michele guest starred as herself in The CW's Girlfriends, in the episode entitled "What's Black-a-Lackin'?", which originally aired on February 11, 2008. She also wrote a song for Tyler Perry's House of Payne entitled "I've Gotta Love Jones". The video premiered in 2008 on television, though the song is not publicly available.[4] From May to July 2008 Michele embarked on a nationwide co-headlining tour with fellow soul singer Raheem DeVaughn called the Art of Love Tour; Solange Knowles served as the opening act.[5] In September 2008, Michele performed twice at the Evening of Stars: A Tribute to Patti Labelle.

In mid-2008, Michele began recording for her second album, Epiphany. In January 2009, the album's title track was released as the lead single.[6][7][8][9] Released on May 5, 2009, the album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 selling 83,000 copies in its opening week.[10]

Awards and nominations

Vibe Music Award

  • 2008, Breakthrough Artist of the Year (Nominated)

Grammy Award

  • 2008, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance: "If I Have My Way" (Nominated)
  • 2009, Best Urban/Alternative Performance: "Be OK" (Won)

BET Award

  • 2008, Best New Artist: (Nominated)

BET J/Centric

  • 2008, Virtual Awards: Soul Approved: (Won)
  • 2008, Female Artist of the Year: (Nominated)

NAACP Image Awards

  • 2008, Outstanding New Artist: (Nominated)

Soul Train Awards

  • 2009, Best R&B/Soul Female Artist: (nominated)

Urban Music Awards

  • 2009, Best Female Act: (Nominated)

Discography

Albums

Year Album Chart positions Sales and Certifications
U.S. U.S. R&B
2007 I Am
  • Debut studio album
  • Released: June 19, 2007
29 5
  • U.S. sales: 419,000[11]
2009 Epiphany
  • Second studio album
  • Released: May 5, 2009
1 1
  • U.S. sales: 305,623+

Singles

Year Single Chart positions Album
U.S. U.S. R&B
2007 "If I Have My Way" 113 24 I Am
"Best of Me"
"Be OK" (featuring will.i.am) 61
2008 "Love Is You" 90
2009 "Epiphany" 89 14 Epiphany
"Blame It on Me"[12] 28
"What You Do" (featuring Ne-Yo)[13] 57
"Fragile" (featuring Wale) TBA TBA

Featured singles

Year Single Chart positions Album
U.S. U.S. R&B
2006 "Lost One" (Jay-Z featuring Chrisette Michele) 58 19 Kingdom Come
2007 "Can't Forget About You" (Nas featuring Chrisette Michele) 46 Hip Hop Is Dead

Other charted songs

Year Single Chart positions Album
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
2007 "In This For You" 122 [14] I Am

References

External links


 
 
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