ENTERTAINMENT
From Issue #7
Michelle Branch
Focusing on What's Important
By Maya C, 17
In the arena
of popular music today, there is a prevalence of artists who
over-emphasize sexuality and materialism. It could be girls
in thongs that shake their jelly or guys with hot cars that
are as oiled up as Texas. Either way, the audience gets tired
of the same recycled trends and turns to something real - something
that they can listen and relate to. Michelle Branch.
Michelle
has decidedly chosen to focus on the quality of her craft and
produce music that is appealing in its honesty. But has she
ever felt the need to capitalize on the 'sex sells' ideal? "Never,
actually. I'm really fortunate with the people I work with and
I have creative control over everything I do. I always have
the last say in what I do, and I definitely speak up if I don't
feel comfortable about something." Such a clear-headed
approach ensures that she stays true to herself, and doesn't
become a slave to marketing pressures.
In the whirlwind
world of the music industry, her solace is her music. She vents
and expresses herself through it. "If I wanna be alone,
or if I'm having a bad day, I pick up my guitar. Music is my
release," she explains. Since embarking on this non-stop
journey, she feels that she, as a person, has not changed although
other things have, "My surroundings have definitely changed,
and I've had to adapt to that - being away from home constantly,"
which was strange to her at first. But she's had a year of solid
touring to practice being on her own - and tries to keep in
contact with her closest friends and family as much as possible.
"All
I do these days is work, so if I ever do need advice, it has
to do with work," she laughs. And the person that she turns
to the most is her manager, "He's kind of like a brother
to me, he basically knows everything about me."
With her
skyrocketing success, she is still adjusting to her increasing
popularity - and the fact that she isn't able to have the typical
teenage relationships. "It is difficult trying to make
a relationship work, especially at my age because you're still
starting to get into it and you don't really know what's going
on. Throw in traveling, and not being able to contact each other…so
seeing a boyfriend isn't really gonna happen that often,"
she laughs.
Unencumbered
by outside distractions, Michelle is free to work on her craft
and dream up ideas. "In the past year, with everything
that's been going on - my songwriting has definitely changed
more towards personal experiences that I'm going through or
that other people are going through," she explains of her
development as an artist.
Michelle
Branch is in-charge. Staying focused on what's important has
ensured her success as she skillfully avoids the trials and
tribulations of the pressures that surround her.
