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Guitar-grooving
Michelle Branch is living out her post-high school
dream job.
She's
Everywhere!
By Feona Sharhran Huff
Additional reporting by Rebecca Vara
May/June 2003
The
CollegeBound Network NewsClick -- Are you guilty
of doodling in school while your assignment-addicted
classmates jot down pages of algebra notes? When
Maverick recording artist MICHELLE BRANCH was
a sophomore at Sedona Red Rock High School (Sedona,
AZ), she, too, had ideas in her brain beyond math.
In fact, Michelle began penning the words to "Sweet
Misery," on her debut album, The Spirit Room,
in that very class."
"I
wasn't in the mood to do schoolwork, and I had
this idea for a song, so I wrote it down," Michelle
shares. "There's probably still a math book back
at the school that has penciled lyrics in it."
Don't
think these were Michelle's normal classroom ethics,
though. She was actually very active and interested
in scholarly subjects, especially history and
English. "History is something that has always
fascinated me," Michelle expresses. "It's a way
for people to learn from past mistakes." As for
her English enchantment, she wasn't fond of critiquing
literature, but instead, loved the creative side
of it. After all, that's how her lyrics came about
-- through creative expression.
Michelle
began exploring her musical endeavors after class,
too, through her involvement with the school's
choir and theater department. She even began performing
a weekly two-hour set at a local restaurant. "It
was a weird experience," Michelle admits, "but
I learned how to deal with a crowd of people who
were eating and talking." Her tough skin eventually
earned her a loyal fan base.
To
progress toward her lifelong dream of becoming
a professional singer, Michelle thought homeschooling
was the best option, and begged her parents for
their approval. She convinced them, explaining
that education was still key, but this particular
method would allow her more time to focus on her
music. It worked. Of course, Michelle didn't take
any scholastic shortcuts. She still got up at
the regular school hour and had morning classes,
as well as weekly violin and guitar lessons. The
only difference? "If I woke up in the morning
and came up with a song idea, I'd be able to work
around my [school] schedule," she says.
More
and more singing engagements came Michelle's way,
including her 2000 debut concert in Los Angeles,
CA, when she opened for HANSON. And applause wasn't
the only thing she scored. "After the show, someone
from Maverick approached me and offered me a record
deal," Michelle says.
Since
The Spirit Room was certified gold in the
United States, Michelle's been even busier. She's
made TV appearances on Late Night With Conan
O'Brien, Live with Regis and Kelly, The
Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Rosie O'Donnell
Show, and many others. Not to mention being
a teen favorite on MTV's TRL, being nominated
for best new artist at the Grammy's, and winning
for Best Pop Collaboration for "The Game
of Love" with CARLOS SANTANA earlier this
year.
When
will we be hearing new tracks from the guitar-strumming
princess? According to Michelle, a new album should
be out by mid-June. And this summer, she'll be
touring the United States with country music's
DIXIE CHICKS.
Even
though Michelle has made the most of her teen
years, she's still ready to tackle more. "After
all the wonderful experiences I've had, the thing
I love most is that people are inspired by music,"
she explains. "I've received e-mails with
wonderful comments like 'When I'm having a bad
day I listen to your songs, and I feel better.
To me, that's the best reward."
So
where can we find Michelle next? "Everywhere,"
if she has any say in the matter. The joy she
has for what she's experiencing, she says, is
something you can have in your academic life and
future career if you have faith in yourself. "It's
important to be the first person to say, 'Hey,
I can do this.'" she shares. "You won't know if
you don't try."
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