musician

Enlighten: Uplift & Inspire

English - April 22, 2019 04:30 - 1 hour - 66.1 MB - ★★★★★ - 45 ratings
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Previous Episode: Episode 67 Spencer Lott, maker, puppeteer, artist

Next Episode: Episode 69 Brent Frederick, pianist, arranger, conductor

My guest today is Michelle Willis. Michelle is a British-born, Canadian-raised, and current American-resident, singer/songwriter/musician. Blending jazz, folk, gospel and blues, Michelle’s voice is truly like an angel. No surprise then, that from a very young age she sang with the Toronto Children’s Chorus, the Canadian Children’s Opera Choir and by age 14 Michelle was a professional singer with an Anglican church choir.

Michelle balances her own music with impressive side-woman projects where she collaborates with musicians who inspire her, such as Mike League, Snarky Puppy, Mike “Maz” Maher, Becca Stevens, and David Crosby. You can hear Michelle on her 2016 debut album “See Us Through”, on Snarky Puppy’s "Family Dinner, Volume 2" album, and on David Crosby’s Lighthouse album “Here If You Listen” where she, Becca Stevens, Mike League and David Crosby co-wrote all the songs. Michelle tours with the Becca Stevens Band, as well as with David Crosby’s Sky Trails Band and Lighthouse Band.

Michelle speaks of the important influencers Caitlin Hanford, Don Rooke, and Hugh Marsh at the start of her music career; the delights and strains of tour life; the discipline it takes to carve out quiet, reflective time; and how dedicated she is to nourish and cultivate her own centeredness and creativity.

Having won a grant from the Canadian Council for the Arts, Michelle’s new record will be released in 2020, with 10 of Michelle’s songs. These songs will be offered in 2 versions: live in concert from Toronto (scheduled for the Fall of 2019), as well as studio-produced tracks that she is currently working on.

Michelle has a NYC residency at Rockwood Music Hall, on the last Monday of every month. In fact, join me on Monday April 29, 2019 to hear Michelle live! Check out the links below to find Michelle’s beautifully formatted, comprehensive website, to see her tour schedule, photos and videos. Oh, and don’t forget to follow Michelle on Instagram. Trust me you will be entertained!!

Enjoy the podcast!

Links:
www.michellewillis.ca

IG: @boutwillismusic

www.davidcrosby.com

www.snarkypuppy.com

www.beccastevens.com

www.louiscato.com

www.fabulousfab.com

Mike Maz Maher