Michelle Chamuel

Michelle Jacqueline Chamuel (born 1986) is an American singer, songwriter and producer. She has released several works as a solo artist and in partnership with others. She was the lead singer of the band Ella Riot and the runner-up on season four of The Voice. Influenced by Imogen Heap and Max Martin, she is also known by her producer moniker The Reverb Junkie. Her next album titled Couldn't Stay is set for release on September 1, 2020.

Michelle Chamuel
Background information
Birth nameMichelle Jacqueline Chamuel
Born1986 (age 33–34)
Wellesley, Massachusetts
GenresPop, electropop, electronica
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, producer
InstrumentsVocals, piano, keyboards, synthesizer, guitar
Years active2007–present
LabelsThe End, Independent
Associated actsElla Riot, Theo Katzman, Mary Lambert, Usher
Websitemichellechamuel.com

Early life

Chamuel was born in Wellesley, Massachusetts, to Joalie Davie and Jacques Chamuel. Her parents are Jewish of Egyptian descent. Her father was an acoustical engineer and played the violin. She started on piano and violin at an early age. In seventh grade she started to sequence music on a synthesizer, sing and compose. She graduated from Wellesley High School and studied performing arts technology at the University of Michigan.[1][2][3]

Career

2007–12: Ella Riot and early works

In 2007 Chamuel joined the Ann Arbor, Michigan-based band My Dear Disco, later named Ella Riot.[4] Initially the band was instrumental, and her addition as lead vocalist was a turning point in the band's direction.[5] The band's name was in part a tribute to Ella Fitzgerald.[6] The band toured extensively and released two definitive works, Dancethink and Love Child, and went into hiatus in October 2011.[7][8]

In a 2010 interview with AfterEllen, Chamuel spoke about being out and lesbian in the music industry, staying true to herself, and artists that inspired her such as Elton John and Ani DiFranco.[3]

After Ella Riot, she moved to Amherst, Massachusetts, and worked independently. She released an album titled s/he, an EP titled All the Pretty People and an EP titled EP 1 in partnership with other artists. She released remix music with original lyrics and vocal compositions and collaborated with several musicians as a featured artist.[9][10] She names Max Martin and Imogen Heap as major influences. She was influenced by the vocal styles of Heap and Ella Fitzgerald and said they "opened me up to the idea that one could sing melodies like an instrument."[11]

2013: The Voice and All I Want

Chamuel took part in the fourth season of NBC's The Voice. In the blind audition she sang Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl" and chose Usher as her coach.[12] In her first live performance she sang Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors".[13] Over the next four live performances she was voted into the Top 5. Her rendition of "Just Give Me a Reason" was called a killer performance by Pink's official website.[14] Her rendition of Taylor Swift's "I Knew You Were Trouble" received an enthusiastic approval from Swift and charted on the Billboard Hot 100.[15][16] In the final round she sang Annie Lennox's "Why" and U2's "One" in a duet with Usher.[17] She came in second place.[12]

     Performances and results     

Chamuel released her first solo album All I Want in September 2013. She called the album her "solo electronic project" and said her studio work as The Reverb Junkie focuses on creative sound works, whereas the work released under her own name has more of a pop focus.[18][19] The album debuted at number 6 on the U.S. Dance/Electronic Albums chart.[20] In late 2013 she spoke at a fundraiser for "Voices from Inside", an organization dedicated to empowering women.[21] She released a single titled "Go Down Singing" and spoke at a TEDx gathering about the role of music in shaping one's sense of home.[22][23]

2014–present: Solo albums and later works

In January 2014 Chamuel and producer Arjun Singh released an EP titled The Drift. The EP features hip hop artist Isaac Castor.[24] She released a song on Valentine's Day titled "Made for Me" and an EP titled EP 2 in April 2014.[25] This was her second EP in partnership with producer David Gonzalez. In 2014 she performed several shows in the U.S. and Ireland, including a seventeen city U.S. tour.[26]

She released the album Face the Fire in February 2015.[27] She said as a teenager she was obsessed with pop hits on Top 40 radio and in this album she wanted to produce well-crafted pop music.[11] She performed an acoustic version of "Golden", the album's third track, on VH1's Morning Buzz show.[28] The album debuted at number 21 on the U.S. Independent Albums chart.[29]

Chamuel released an EP titled I Am in November 2015 under The Reverb Junkie moniker. She co-wrote and produced "Hang out with You", a song by singer-songwriter Mary Lambert.[30] She released an EP titled Feel It in August 2016. This was the first of several works each in a different style.[31] In interviews leading to the EP's release, she spoke about her focus on all aspects of music production.[32][33] In May 2017 she released a self-produced album titled Insights & Turnpikes, a singer-songwriter style album which included several stripped-down acoustic songs.[34]

In 2017 to 2020, she released two instrumental works under The Reverb Junkie moniker, titled Music for: Summer Chores and The Last Person Awake, and three singles, "A Complicated Time of Year", "Couldn't Stay", and "Enough Love".[35][36] Her next album titled Couldn't Stay is set for release under The Reverb Junkie moniker on September 1, 2020.[37]

Discography

Released as: Michelle Chamuel–1, The Reverb Junkie–2, s/he–3.

Soundtracks

Title Film Year Ref.
"Fallin Fallen" Getting Go, the Go Doc Project 2013 [38]

The Voice performances
gollark: It's my alt.
gollark: (base 36)
gollark: Where N = bee?
gollark: How do I sign up?
gollark: How do I post posts?

References
  1. Anne-Marie Smolski (May 30, 2013). "Wellesley native in final six on 'The Voice'". WickedLocal.com. Archived from the original on August 29, 2017. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
  2. Early life:
  3. Bendix, Trish (September 9, 2010). "Interview with Michelle Chamuel". afterellen.com. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
  4. Zoe Gorman (August 25, 2011). "Ann Arbor band Ella Riot is blazing a new trail". The Blade. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
  5. "Local Band Spotlight: My Dear Disco". Detroit Free Press. February 11, 2009. Archived from the original on November 5, 2013. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
  6. Bob Needham (March 23, 2011). "My Dear Disco has new name - Ella Riot". AnnArbor.com. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
  7. Cosmo Girl (July 8, 2010). "Unsigned Finds: My Dear Disco". Seventeen.com. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
  8. Roger LeLievre (November 8, 2011). "Taking a break from Ella Riot, two of its members fly solo with duo s/he". AnnArbor.com. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
  9. Sal Christ (January 9, 2012). "SoundCloud Gems: The Reverb Junkie". 303 Magazine. Retrieved August 4, 2013.
  10. Early works:
  11. Jason Price (October 12, 2014). "Face The Fire: Michelle Chamuel On Her Career, New Album And Upcoming Tour!". iconvsicon.com. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
  12. Gena Mangiaratti (June 19, 2013). "Amherst's Michelle Chamuel runner-up on The Voice". Gazettenet.com. Archived from the original on July 25, 2013. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
  13. Chelsea Lewis (February 23, 2014). "Top 10 'Voice' performances featuring contestants". starsandcelebs.com. Archived from the original on December 27, 2019. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
  14. "Watch Michelle Chamuel's Rendition of 'Just Give Me A Reason'". pinkspage.com. May 22, 2013. Archived from the original on October 29, 2014. Retrieved September 6, 2014.
  15. Daniel Kreps (August 30, 2014). "Taylor Swift Joins 'The Voice' as Guest Mentor". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 21, 2015. Retrieved September 6, 2014.
  16. "Billboard: Hot 100 – June 22, 2013". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
  17. Zayda Rivera (June 18, 2013). "The Voice Season 4 Finale Recap". NYDailyNews.com. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
  18. Jeanette Batur (August 22, 2013). "Former 'Voice' Contestant Michelle Chamuel Announces New Album". cambio.com. Archived from the original on December 31, 2017. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  19. "The Bill Newman Show - minutes 48 to 51". whmp.com. September 17, 2013. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
  20. "Dance/Electronic Albums Chart - September 28, 2013". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
  21. Anne-Gerard Flynn (September 5, 2013). "The Voice's Michelle Chamuel to do fund-raiser in Northampton". masslive.com. Retrieved September 6, 2014.
  22. Jennifer Arellano (November 18, 2013). "Listen to Season 4 'Voice' runner-up Michelle Chamuel's new single". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
  23. "How Music Takes You Home: Michelle Chamuel at TEDxShelburneFalls". youtube.com TEDxTalks. November 28, 2013. Retrieved December 24, 2013.
  24. "The Drift EP combines Michigan music talents - interview". michiganradio.org. February 18, 2014. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
  25. "Made For Me (crunchy v day version)". bandcamp.com. February 14, 2014. Retrieved February 14, 2014.
  26. Performances 2014:
  27. Eric R. Danton (February 3, 2015). "Michelle Chamuel Hits Milestone on 'Face the Fire' (Exclusive Album Premiere)". The Wall Street Journal - Speakeasy. Archived from the original on March 12, 2016. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
  28. "Golden (Big Morning Buzz Live)". VH1.com. March 17, 2015. Archived from the original on March 21, 2015. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
  29. "Independent Albums Chart - February 28, 2015". Billboard Magazine. February 19, 2015. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  30. Sunnivie Brydum; Allison Tate; Drew Kiser (July 8, 2016). "Mary Lambert Wants to 'Hang Out With You' and She's Bringing Puppies – video interview". Advocate. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
  31. "Metric Halo Gear is the Voice for Singer, Instrumentalist, Songwriter, Engineer and Producer Michelle Chamuel". etnow.com. March 8, 2017. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
  32. Heather Hogan (July 21, 2016). "Michelle Chamuel is more than that queer girl with glasses from 'The Voice': The Autostraddle Interview". autostraddle.com. Retrieved August 16, 2016.
  33. Trish Bendix (May 10, 2016). "Michelle Chamuel talks taking control on her new 'Feel It' EP". afterellen.com. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  34. Mark Franklin (June 3, 2017). "DIY expert Michelle Chamuel serves up a new album". Idol Chatter. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  35. "Bandcamp: The Reverb Junkie". bandcamp. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
  36. "Facebook: Michelle Chamuel – A Complicated Time of Year". facebook.com. December 23, 2019. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
  37. "Facebook: Michelle Chamuel – Couldn't Stay album". facebook.com. August 4, 2020. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  38. "Getting Go, the Go Doc Project – Soundtracks". IMDb. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
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