Chrisette Michele

Grammy-winning R&B singer-songwriter Chrisette Michele has a sweet, soulful voice that’s earned her comparisons to both genre legends and her neo-soul peers. • Growing up in Long Island, New York, Michele was the lead singer in her high school gospel choir. She later graduated from Five Towns College with a vocal jazz performance degree. • In 2005, she was discovered by neo-soul star India.Arie at an open-mic gig. The following year, she sang on records by Nas and JAY-Z. • Michele’s 2007 debut album, I Am, yielded the single “If I Have My Way,” a Top 25 hit on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. • She earned a Grammy for Best Urban/Alternative Performance in 2009 from her will.i.am.-assisted single “Be OK.” • Her 2009 sophomore album, Epiphany, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard pop and R&B charts. • Since then, Michele has released the albums Let Freedom Reign (2010), Better (2013), Milestone (2016), and Out of Control (2018). • In 2017, she received heavy backlash for agreeing to perform at the inauguration of Donald Trump. Following the controversy, Michele released the spoken-word poem “No Political Genius.”