How would you describe your musical style?
Eclectic Indie chamber folk/rock
Who were some of your music influences that inspired your passion for songwriting?
Joni Mitchell, The Beatles, Bowie, Kate Bush, Fleetwood Mac, Chrissie Hynde, Leornard Cohen, Lucinda Williams and Hildegard of Bingen
What would you like your fans to take away from your songs?
I would like them to feel uplifted, inspired and not alone. I hope my music touches their hearts and lifts their vibration.
Describe the most exciting highlight of your music career.
Having a fabulous review of One Breach a single I released in March in Melody maker magazine of London along with an interview!
What is the best concert you have ever attended?
So many good ones!!! Elvis Costello London in 1984 or Andrew Bird at one of his residency concerts the Fourth Presbyterian Church Chicago with My Brightest Diamond.
What are you currently working on right now?
Scattered Light is finally finished set to be released on the 21st of July. I’m waiting for the final editing of a music video for Into the Silence one of the tracks. Along with working on lyric videos for all the songs on Scattered Light, I’m in the middle of recording several songs and continue to write now that my energy is back. I am also working on a line of song quote (blank inside) note cards that I’ve been selling on my merch table.
Is there a song you have written and released that stands out as your personal favorite, and why?
Never Blue, from my Love Forever release. I love how I ended up writing it. Be careful what you say to me as it can end up in a song. At a Balitmore American Craft Show one February, some ladies were in our very colorful booth of mobiles and jewelry we make. One mentioned ” she used all the colors in her house “but never blue”. I stood there dumb struck like I drank the cool-aid saying to myself, all the colors never blue several times. The song was written that May. It’s uplifting and dreamy with layered guitars and vocals.
How have you evolved as a songwriter over the last 2 years during these challenging times?
The lock down gave me more time to write and experiment along a new perspective like so many. I spent hours turning myself into a choir on several tracks composing the arrangements without my producer, Brian Leach whom I’ve worked with since 2013. I wrote songs from props in a female song writer circle which was a new and inspiring. The big challenge in the end wasn’t Covid but a rare cancer diagnosis presenting as a skull based tumor located in my upper left nasal passage which has changed my inner landscape acting as a deepening and has opened a new chapter in my creative life. Unfortunately my cancer journey continues on after initial treatment but I am strong and continue to write and record and hope to go on tour in the fall and next summer.
If you could co-write a song with one of today’s biggest songwriters, who would that be?
Andrew Bird
What are your future plans for you as an artist/songwriter…what do you hope to accomplish?
To continue to write, record music and have it listened to so it can touch as many people’s hearts and souls. I’m planning on working on a project with Davis Kowal with the same jazz feel as Season of Light. My big dream to have an out door concert somewhere in Europe in an ancient out door theater in the round with a small orchestra, choir and band. Thank you for this interview and your support!
LINK TREE: https://linktr.ee/michelleshafermusic
End of Interview