Artist Interview: Michelle Renae
Get ready to dive into the world of music with Michelle Renae, a talented singer-songwriter and producer who has been honing her craft for over 14 years. In this interview, Michelle opens up about her musical journey, from her early days as a young pianist to her current work in Nashville, and shares her insights on creativity, collaboration, and building a successful music career.
Tori: You’ve been honing your craft for 14 years—what first drew you to music and songwriting at such a young age?
Michelle: A huge part of what drew me to music is my mother. She is a very talented pianist and organist and taught me piano since I was very young. She pushed me through hard practices and frustrating songs until I grew very attached to music.
Tori: How did moving between Virginia, Utah, and Tennessee shape your musical style?
Michelle: Oh, it has changed my style a lot. Growing up in Las Vegas, I primarily only listened to pop, dance and hip hop music. My parents have great taste in 80s music and I always really enjoyed classic 80s pop music too. However, going to Virginia, Utah and Tennessee in primarily rural areas, I got exposed to folk and country music. Beforehand, I really didn’t click with that kind of sound, but after a few years of learning, I have a newfound appreciation for folk/country. It’s made me pay attention a lot more to my lyrics, that’s for sure!
Tori: You describe your sound as a “melodic meal” that blends different flavors. Can you walk us through what that means to you?
Michelle: When I write songs, my number one focus usually is melody and the actual sound of songs. I have been paying more attention to lyrics lately, but that always was an afterthought when writing. “Melodic meal” means to me a blend of melodies in both instrumentation and song that compliment each other that really makes someone feel. Learning classical music growing up, I use a lot of those orchestra and symphony arrangement strategies in my production.
Tori: You’ve written over 200 songs; how do you stay creatively inspired?
Michelle: Living life! The best songs come from life and all the little intricacies that happen, good or bad.
Tori: Can you walk us through your writing process, from idea to completion?
Michelle: Hmm, a lot of my songs have been different as far as writing goes! Sometimes, I start with a beat and record the song while I’m writing. Other times, it starts with a phrase that I like. Most of the time, though, I usually get a melody in my head through a dream or just doing something random, and then I sit at my piano and flesh it out.
Tori: “To Stay” was your first official single; what’s the story behind the song?
Michelle: That song was about my current fiancé. We were on-again, off-again in a long-distance relationship, and it was really hard. I missed him a lot, and I wrote that song when we were apart for a few months.
Tori: You managed to record, edit, and mix “To Stay” yourself in just seven months—how did you balance that with school and other responsibilities?
Michelle: I just don’t have a social life, lol. Honestly, though, I just became very dedicated to work and scheduled out my days to the minute, haha. I think it was partly a coping mechanism, which wasn’t ideal, but I did get a lot of work done.
Tori: What's your favorite lyric of any song on the planet?
Michelle: "August slipped away like a bottle of wine" - Taylor Swift, "August".
Tori: Now that you’re living in the country music capital of Nashville, how has that changed your outlook on the music industry?
Michelle: Whoa, it's revealed a lot about just how the industry functions. There seems to be a hierarchy within the industry here. Many of the label representatives don’t go out to bars and writers’ rounds, although these venues claim they do. This is very disheartening to see, as most of the talent I see deserves label chances. But, who knows, TikTok and social media have definitely helped independents.
Tori: How has your role in marketing and audio editing influenced the way you approach your own music?
Michelle: It's helped me with marketing my music. I still try my best not to think about how people will think of my songs when I’m writing them, but once they’re done, my role in marketing has helped me know how to promote my own stuff.
Tori: You’ve worked across genres like pop, country, musical theater, and EDM—how do you adapt your style to fit such different musical worlds?
Michelle: I just listen to a lot of different styles! Growing up, I was the youngest, and of course, I never got AUX privileges, lol. But it exposed me to almost any kind of genre: rock, country, pop, dance, electronic, etc. I fell in love with all of it in one way or another. I actually have a hard time understanding people who only like one genre of music, haha.
Tori: “Dancing With a Ghost” by Heidi Wiedrich was a favorite project—what made that collaboration special to you?
Michelle: Heidi is my fiancé’s sister! She’s my future sister-in-law, although I didn’t know that at the time when I produced that track for her. That track was also the first time I truly dived in and recorded a song for someone else.
Tori: What have you learned from working with other songwriters and clients that you apply to your solo music?
Michelle: I’ve learned different perspectives and values that people place in their songs. Some people value lyrics so much, some people love common phrases, some love pretty melodies, etc. I’ve just learned, most importantly, to keep an open mind!
Tori: You mentioned developing a deeper love for country and folk—how might that influence your future releases?
Michelle: I’m not sure if I will ever release country and folk music myself, but I would definitely produce and record that for other people!
Tori: Looking back at your 14-year journey so far, what advice would you give to young artists who want to build a versatile and sustainable music career like yours?
Michelle: Oh boy, my career is hardly sustainable yet, but one day it’ll get there! My advice would be to just do it. Be embarrassing. Post on social media. Own it. Because the people who truly matter will stick around, and it will hurt at first, but it will be so worth it once things start clicking together.
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