MICHELLE RENEE

You don’t know who Michelle Renee is yet, but you will. Part homegirl, part glam girl; she’s a musical force in a beautiful package and she’s about to be the most played artist on your iPod. You might have seen her performing around New York, or maybe you caught her touring with Chrisette Michelle. Or maybe you’ve just heard the name interspersed in conversations about artists who have a deep abiding commitment to quality music, musical integrity and introspective lyrics.
Michelle Renee grew up in the outskirts of Houston, Texas, by way of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Like so many artists, her love for music began at a young age, but unlike so many she wasn’t exposed to the traditional church choir setting. Instead, she found music through school choirs and competitions; performing in various settings from the tender age of six. “It carried all through my life, I was classically trained in school, and used to sing around the house, constantly entertaining family and friends. It was just what I loved to do,” she says. But growing up in a strict home that valued education and leadership meant that singing would forever be a hobby not highly encouraged or discouraged by her parents. “Education was pushed in my home and I excelled at school, sports and my extra-curricular activities,” Michelle Renee says. That meant sometimes singing the national anthem before the start of her basketball games and then running on the basketball court to help her team win.
In college, she would participate in every singing engagement that her class load would allow, including performances with the University of Texas Innervisions Gospel Choir, the group “All You Need”, and a special rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” on the capital steps during a Texas legislative session program.
After college Michelle Renee knew the only option was to move to New York to make her dream a reality, despite the fact that she didn’t have the connections or contacts. While working as a paralegal at a prestigious law firm she began to make the rounds of the New York artists circuit, singing at the popular Maria Davis artist showcase, R&B legends Nick Ashford & Valerie Simpson’s Sugar Bar and performing at every open mic night that she could get to. Despite some hardships and rough patches, she made the resolve to be everything she envisioned for herself.
Her natural beauty and grace has been featured in O the magazine, Cosmopolitan and others, a principle part in a New York City stage performance of The Oscar-winning screen musical “Dreamgirls,” and a spot as an extra in the cinematic event “American Gangster.”
A chance meeting with R&B star Chrisette Michele led to an opportunity to tour from coast to coast as a back-up singer. Her talent, smarts and dedication made a definite impression on Chrisette Michele. “She sang well and made it her business to appear in great spirits no matter what the moment looked or felt like. Michelle was not only my back up singer she often doubled as my publicist on the red carpet, my road manager, and always doubled as my personal assistant making sure I was always prompt, prepared and informed at all times. Professional, smart, well spoken and well educated -- she handles any task with confidence,” Michelle Renee also became a close friend and confidante of the singer. “As a friend, she has been beyond loyal, always with an open ear, mind and heart,” says Chrisette Michele. “I don't know how I would have gotten through the past year and a half without Michelle Renee.”
After the touring ended, Michelle Renee returned to her desk job because dreams don’t pay the rent. But her hunger to get her own music out to the world intensified and she linked up with Top Scale Entertainment and VFerg Music, both fast-rising music powerhouses. “Michelle is a very beautiful, dedicated, hard-working soulful singer,” says Woody Rhodes of Top Scale. “Not too often does a producer get to work with an artist that can express such emotion and passion on a recording. She will do wonders for the music industry.”
Teaming up with VFerg music has allowed Michelle Renee to explore all areas of who she is as a person and an artist. “Writing songs and creating songs are therapy for me, and I want my fans to feel the same when they listen to my music,” she says. “My music is youthful, chill, melodic and I want them to be inspired by not only my voice, but also what I’m expressing through my songs.” Her continual and consistent hard work is reminiscent of Beyonce; completely locking herself away until she gets the track exactly the way she hears it in her head. “Michelle Renee is the type of artist that people lie, cheat, and steal to work with,” says Make 1, a producer with VFerg Music. “She is driven, personable, beautiful, and most importantly she can really sing.” It’s her work ethic that makes her stand apart from other artists, he continues. “Michelle is so passionate about producing quality music and creating accurate expressions of herself that calling her a perfectionist would be an understatement. She is an artist, a lady, and a superstar.”
Her musical influences cover the scope of music, but the people who stay on repeat are Minnie Riperton, Teedra Moses, Beyonce, Raheem Devaughn and Aaliyah to name a few.
So, what can the world expect to hear next from this young phenom? Besides singing back-up for Chrisette Michele and Lloyd, singing lead for Harlem favorite Stereo Crowd, and headlining for the JI Group’s mega-parties she’s assembled a body of work that is deep, inspired and accessible to all types of fans.
And as fans can see from her Harlem smash “Handle,” her music is what friends compare to “a cool breeze while riding with the top down on a summers day.” It is as unassuming as she is in person; free from pretense and ego. “It’s chill, it’s real, it’s genuine, it’s from my heart,” she says.
So world stay tuned, Michelle Renee is going to see if you can Handle her.

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