Finding MICHELLE’s “PULSE” in New Music and Touring
Photo by Jimmy Fontaine
[UNPUBLISHED:] Before we dive into your music in full, I’d love to know more about how the group came to exist. I know that you’re all native New Yorkers, but how did you come together to become an artistic collective and create MICHELLE?
[SOFIA:] Julian and Charlie are responsible for our formation. They called us in and some other great collaborators and friends of ours to do these sessions and make this project that was just a passion project at the time, just to get through a very brutal city summer.
[JAMEE:] We recorded HEATWAVE in the summer of 2018. At the time, we thought of HEATWAVE as a fun summer project, and we didn’t have any intentions to form a band. But, after playing our first show, we really clicked as a group and our commitment to MICHELLE gradually grew.
[JULIAN:] In a certain way, we were bound to MICHELLE being what dictated our lives before we ever agreed to MICHELLE being a thing we wanted to take seriously.
[UNPUBLISHED:] I’ve also been wondering, as none of your names are Michelle, how did the group come to be named MICHELLE?
[JAMEE:] The story we tell is that we just wanted to name ourselves after a singular femme name, like all the icons: Brandy and Beyoncé and Rihanna and Adele.
[SOFIA:] It was either this or Gertrude. I went in for my sessions for HEATWAVE, and I never went back to Julian's apartment. All of a sudden, I found myself in a group chat and everyone was suggesting names for the album and names for the band. I was in college just like, “This is just some project I did. I guess it's cool, I'm down with whatever.” Then someone threw out ‘HEATWAVE by MICHELLE.’ I think we had argued about HEATWAVE being the title for the album. And I think I pitched it being like, “HEATWAVE’s a cool name.” Then I went back into hiding at NYU and then people were like, “MICHELLE.” And I was like, “Okay.” Something like that. That was my personal experience, which doesn't usually match the reality of what happened. But that's just my perspective.
[CHARLIE:] Other candidates for names that were thrown out in the group chat before we settled on MICHELLE were I Sniff Paint, and Delicious Breakfast.
[UNPUBLISHED:] I want to give you a major congratulations on your newest single “PULSE,” which is a sophisticated and fun alt-R&B dreamscape that I cannot get out of my head. What was the inspiration behind “PULSE”?
[EMMA:] The lyrics feel really clear - we wanted to write something decisive and groovy. Inspired by extremes in energy and a high-stakes situation that lives on the dance floor. We started writing lyrics to just the drum and baseline so from the jump we could make sure it danced.
[UNPUBLISHED:] “PULSE” follows up your expansive album AFTER DINNER WE TALK DREAMS which was released in March of this year. Do you think “PULSE” is entering MICHELLE into a new musical era? If yes, what can fans expect in the newest evolution of your music?
[SOFIA:] We’re getting older, and developing new perspectives on our lives and our identities. We also have listened to more music and have felt connected to different songs and styles than we did when we were younger. I think this all feeds into the sounds of the new songs we’re working on that you’ll hear soon.
[UNPUBLISHED:] Working as a six person musical collective sounds intimidating to me in terms of creating new music with so many ideas and styles. What is your creative process as a group?
[EMMA:] We write in smaller groups. Sometimes people come in on songs that those smaller groups write, but I don’t know that we’ve written a song from scratch all 6 of us - that does sound intimidating. Most other creative things we do as a unit – even if it’s one person painting or designing or something, there is a lot of collaboration along the way so that everyone feels represented in the work. Takes a lot of trust, cause we are trusting and encouraging those who do production to represent themselves and us / trusting someone designing merch that they will do them, as well as call to us y’know.
[UNPUBLISHED:] I know you’ve hit the road lately, including opening for Mitski on part of the Laurel Hell Tour, your current run headlining on The Lavender Tour, and I actually got to catch your set earlier this month at All Things Go in DC which was an absolute blast. What is the experience like for you all being on the road and playing your music live?
[EMMA:] The songs get to have a new life in the live show. Tour has really high highs and really low lows. It’s really a wild thing – going across the country as the six of us to do this, live this – but it’s been really special.
[SOFIA:] Touring is my favorite. The shows are so fun, our fans are always so kind and welcoming. I also try to treasure in-between moments – stopping at rest stops, checking into hotels, loading into the venue – as much as I can, because those are the times that confirm to me that I’m currently living my dream.
[UNPUBLISHED:] With so much strength and support for your music at present, what comes next for MICHELLE?
[JAMEE:] “PULSE” comes out on October 18, and then we leave for tour again at the end of the month. The Lavender Tour was extended to include the US southeast and parts of Europe! We’re very excited to get back on the road!
[UNPUBLISHED:] If you could go back to 2018 as you were just starting MICHELLE, what advice would you give your younger selves?
[SOFIA:] Collaboration isn’t about ensuring your ideas are at the forefront of the work. It’s about working with others to make something greater than the sum of your ideas together.
[JULIAN:] Try to explore the tools you have to their fullest potential instead of switching to new tools.
[UNPUBLISHED:] Is there anything else you want the reader to know?
[SOFIA:] “PULSE” is out on October 18. We’re on the road in Europe and the US in November. A new album coming soon.
