Michelle Held

Singer-songwriter Michelle Held's music harnesses all that encompasses the city, from hard-bitten soul to an ethereal grit. Virtually self-taught, she honed her skills at coffee shops and open mics. With appearances at the DIA; TV and Radio spots on WDET, NPR and WXYZ TV20, she has carved out a place in the Detroit music scene. Detroit Metro Times says, "It's her voice that adds the X-factor, that little bit of welcome strange." Her singular voice, razor sharp candor and intricate guitar style honors the past yet owns a timelessness that rings through each song.

PRESS:

"The night started off with an unexpected surprise as Detroit area singer/songwriter Michelle Held took the stage. She is a writer with the great gift of telling heartbreaking and jarring tales in an honest and open delivery. “Fearless" is what my friend called her performance, and it was eternally fitting of this night. I've always said it takes great courage to step on a stage to sing and play for strangers. Harder yet is to sing deeply personal, sometimes uncomfortable songs, while playing guitar and connecting with the audience. On this night, the pure poetry of her words, perfectly enhanced by her splendid uniqueness of the soprano tremolo in her voice, carried the crowd on a raw and emotional journey and moved them to enthusiastic applause after every song. She even put melody to a friend's lyrics (poet Hala Dika) in one of the nights most touching moments. This was everything that pure singer/songwriting is supposed to be about, and it was spectacular.” - John Bayerl, SeMi Bluegrass (3/27/16) SeMi Bluegrass Blog

"The theme of confidence runs through Held's lyrics. She has a unique vibrato voice, a distinct warble, that only adds to her charm. Like her heroes (Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, et al.), her voice is instantly recognizable, but a music teacher might tell her that she's doing it wrong. On plenty of occasions when she was younger, she was mocked because of her voice and she learned to hide it. Now, she embraces that which makes her different." - Brett Callwood, Metro Times Detroit (May 12, 2014) Metro Times Profile

Monday Music Minute with WSGW's Hilary Farrell: Michelle Held's "Good Enough" (June 2, 2014)

Monday Music Minute with Hilary Farrell

Hilary's Song Of The Week

"Although there are plenty of differences in style, for example Held's voice is unparalleled when it comes to vibrato, Michelle Held makes me think of Rickie Lee Jones, early Michele Shocked, and Elizabeth Cotton - quite an aural cocktail." -Mimi Cross, Sirenstories (November 25, 2013)

Sirenstories Blog

UPCOMING SHOWS:

FRI APRIL 15TH- Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum at MSU, Acoustic Lunch, Lansing, MI 12:30pm MSU Event Page

THU APRIL 21ST- Jazz Cafe at Music Hall, Detroit, MI 8pm Jazz Cafe Event Page

SAT APRIL 23RD- Pump House Concerts, E Lansing, MI 7pm

Pump House Concert Event Page

FRI MAY 20TH- New Way Bar, Ferndale, MI 8pm

THU JULY 28TH-Old Town General Store, Concerts in the Courtyard, Lansing, MI 7:30pm

AUDIO LINKS:

"Good Enough"

"Behind These Stone Walls"

"Something About This Town"