Today we’d like to introduce you to Catherine Michelle.
Catherine, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Although Catherine Michelle is the name associated with my music, my friends know me as Cat. I lived in Irving for the first 18 years of my life and moved to Austin to pursue music and an advertising degree at UT, where I’ve been for the last two years. Growing up, I was always drawn to music. When I was four, I gave my first performance at my church talent show singing a song from Veggie tales, and thus, my career as a musician was born. I picked up the viola in the sixth grade and received classical training from the orchestra programs at Barbara Bush Middle School and Newman Smith High School. In the eighth grade, I started leading worship as a vocalist and guitar player at Irving Bible Church. In high school, I started writing songs. When I came to college, I decided to take my passion for music and put it towards a profession. Since landing in Austin, I’ve performed at various venues around the cities, and have made my way back to the Dallas area to play at Opening Bell Coffee a time or two. This past summer, I travelled to Nashville, TN to record my debut EP with Grammy Award winning producer Mitch Dane. My debut single, A Little More Faith, was released on August 24th and the rest of the EP will be coming out in late October.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I do come from a very privileged background. That’s something I definitely recognize. Having such a supportive family and community has given me opportunities that others don’t get. Even so, the music industry is not for the faint of heart. 90% of it is learning how to deal with rejection. I think that’s been the hardest learning curve, developing resilience. Sometimes I’ll reach out to 10 different venues and hear back from none. But after a while, you start to understand that that’s just part of the deal. For every 10 no’s, there could be one yes, and that one yes could be the one that counts.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Catherine Michelle story. Tell us more about the business.
It sounds kind of silly, but I like to refer to myself as a spunky singer/songwriter. That phrase just perfectly encompasses my personal brand. With my music, I like to focus on conveying my experiences through soulful and skillful songwriting. Songwriting is nothing if not personal expression. My sound can best be described as indie soul pop, but it really includes hints of several different genres. I like to incorporate elements of timeless female jazz artists like Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday while drawing from popular modern rock influences like Jeff Buckley and John Mayer. I think the juxtaposition of different genres to make something new is one of the neatest things about original music. My debut single, A Little More Faith, which was released in August, is very reminiscent of Southern gospel tradition, with a feminine twist on the Leon Bridges brand of neo-soul. I like to believe that unique niche in which my songs can be categorized is a testament to my desire to challenge the conventional bounds of popular music.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Well, I think everything happens for a reason, and that I’ve gotten where I am by my own hard work and the support of those around me. I don’t know if I’ve been lucky, but I’m definitely blessed.
Contact Info:
- Website: catherinemichellemusic.com
- Email: catherinemichellemusic@gmail.com
- Instagram: @cat_uccino
- Facebook: facebook.com/catherinemichellemusic
- Twitter: twitter.com/cat_uccino
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6e8AkN0CRe3gMVaPEUCYRY?si=lfKf15WNQg2Zj7uwtHJVsA
Image Credit:
Emily Baysden Photography, Lexi Truesdale Photography, Mackenzie Maroney Photography
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