Michelle's Bio

There's no one telling 17-year-old Michelle Branch what to wear, how to move, or what to sing about. Nobody writes her songs for her. At a time when we're being force-fed so much overproduced pop, Michelle's music seems honest and real.

As far back as she can remember, songs have always danced around in Michelle's head. When she picked up the guitar at 14, words and music tumbled out of her like she couldn't help it. Where does it come from? "I don't really know," Michelle says, amazed, "Music has always been in me. When I sing, I have a sense of peace, I feel like my brain turns off, and I become the core person of who I am -- the essence of me."

Some of Michelle's shimmering songs come from dreams. "Sometimes I wake up and get confused about where I am, I'm not sure if I'm asleep or awake. I have dreams when I write an entire song, chords and everything. I wake up and hope I can remember the dream-song, and find that I've already written it all down, and I just pick up the guitar and play it." Is it sleepwalking? Sleepwriting, perhaps? "I don't know," she smiles, "It's a mystery."

Michelle hopes to inspire people the way the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin inspired her. "If God had a voice, it would belong to Robert Plant," she declares, "and Jimi Hendrix is so honest when he sings. The cool thing about the Beatles is that they created music that makes you feel the lyrics. When you listen to "Here Comes the Sun," you can just feel the sun's rays. In "She's Leaving Home," "I feel the parent's hearts breaking. I want to give back to people what I get from the music I love."

Michelle already gets letters from aspiring singer/songwriters. "I hope I can inspire people my age to play music," Michelle says, "There are so many "put together" musical acts today, other girls write and tell me -- "they all dance and sing and look so perfect, and it's so hard to watch them, then I heard your music and now I'm writing songs." I hope that continues. I want to be able to speak truth and make a difference. Even though you can't see it or grasp it, most people know love is out there. My album is about love -- songs about what people believe in."

Cause you're everywhere to me,
and when I close my eyes
it's you I see,
you're everything I know
that makes me believe,
I'm not alone,
Cause you're everywhere to me,
and when I catch my breath,
it's you I breathe,
you're everything I know
that makes me believe,
I'm not alone

"Everywhere"