Staff Writers
For Starkids, there’s a familiar name on The Voice this season, Michelle Chamuel.
Okay, well, I’ll be the first to say it: I’m a music snob. Anything and everything mainstream I tend to push out of the way in delirious hipster fashion since that’s simply the way I was raised. I was sure that I had missed nothing spectacular and didn’t bat an eyelash at shows like American Idol and The Voice; that is, until I heard Michelle Chamuel.
Michelle- who was credited along with Brian Holden on Little White Lie song, “Duder’s a Spy”- is a top ten contestant on the NBC singing competition. The very talented indie/pop singer is apart of Team Usher. Mentor Usher thinks she has what it takes to win it all because it’s “all about her when she performs.”
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVlhFyn0I0o]
When I listen to music I listen to what it tells me—or should I say, what it inspires me to do. Just by listening to Michelle sing her sultry “When the World Was Young” I felt refreshed; moved even. Her voice is the sort of voice that you can listen to and feel your soul move along with each note, delving into a state of creativity and growth—something I haven’t heard in a long time.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egBdtLeq7ho]
All that being said, it’s no surprise that she is a top ten finalist on The Voice. If there ever was a voice to shine on that show, it would be Michelle’s. Usher made no mistake in choosing her for his team, and I wholeheartedly never thought I’d be this vested in a show contestant. Tonight on the show, Michelle sang “Just Give Me a Reason” by P!NK, and owned that stage. At one point during the performance Usher stood up to cheer her on. But Michelle was too into the performance, she didn’t care what was going on around her; you can tell she felt those lyrics. The range of vocalization displayed as she sang P!nk’s “Just Give Me a Reason” gave me extreme goosebumps (and that’s saying something since I’m not even a fan of P!nk)—but that is but a plus to the dramatic and commanding presence she exudes on stage. The girl is a singing warrior!
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0sn2lLTgIo]
This is the second go-around for the Ann Arbor native on The Voice, she tried out last year, but unfortunately didn’t make a team, but encouragement from Season two’s Tony Lucca, is what led her to try-out again. Thank goodness she did. Or else, we might have missed out on this:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iv8oXyXTQNg]
Miss Chamuel was also part of a band. And not just any band, but an excellent band named Ella Riot. My favorite song so far? Well, that remains to be seen. But, I highly recommend “Love Child” and “Clubbin” (especially since those two are currently fighting it out for my number one Ella Riot track) if you want a good jam.
Not only did Michelle go to the University of Michigan, she is also fluent in French, plays the piano and guitar, and listens to the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Imogen Heap.
Oh! And as if I needed another reason to love her, she’s also the voice behind the song “Caught in the Lie”, the opener for Little White Lie, a mini TV series by StarKid! For those not in the know, Team StarKid is the majestic mind behind “A Very Potter Musical”, a hilarious parody of the boy wizard’s adventures that we love so much. Thus, Michelle Chamuel plus StarKid equals something akin to magic, rainbows, unicorns and sunshine (not necessarily in that order).
So, if you haven’t heard of Michelle Chamuel (it’s okay, you’re forgiven) go give her a quick Google search and make sure you get to know her—it’ll make your day, I promise. As an indie/pop lover myself, I will be the first to download her CD as a follow-up to her big win on The Voice when its season finale premieres June 18th.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13WdNsmJEo0]
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