R&B singer Michele enjoys journey of self-discovery

03/06/2009 7:00 PM, Reuters
Gail Mitchell

"Ne-Yo tricked me into having an epiphany in public."

That's how Chrisette Michele describes her collaboration with fellow singer-songwriter Ne-Yo while recording her sophomore Def Jam album. The aptly titled "Epiphany" is slated for release May 19.

Recalling that she and Ne-Yo would sit for hours at a time, Michele found herself telling him things "I thought I'd be afraid to sing about. But the way he put it down on paper with a little beat behind it, they didn't sound as horrible and I started thinking, 'This might be a cool record.'"

Fans first became acquainted with Michele in 2007. Her debut album, "I Am," debuted and peaked at No. 5 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, spending 73 weeks on the chart. Debuting and peaking at No. 41 on the Billboard 200, the album has sold 421,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The single "Be OK," featuring Will.i.am, won the 2009 Grammy Award for best urban/alternative performance.

The songs on "I Am," which Michele wrote, exude a jazzy feel, while "Epiphany" is more upbeat and youthful. "It's definitely got more of an urban twang to it," Michele says with a laugh. "Some of the songs will make your head bop all the way back and then forward again."

She adds, "I used to think, 'If I don't write the song, how can I express it? But it's so weird. Working with others freed me up more. It's a growth spurt; a chance to show a different side but still explore me."

Michele says she hopes to work with contemporaries Jennifer Hudson and Fantasia. "Before, it was like, 'Where do I fit in?' Like it was the first day of school," Michele says. "But this time I have so much more love around me."

(Editing by Sheri Linden at Reuters)

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