# Michael Sempert

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**Michael Sempert** (born 1981), also known as **Mike Sempert**, is an American singer-songwriter and film/tv music composer based in Los Angeles, California.[1] He was signed to the record label [Velvet Blue Music](/source/Velvet_Blue_Music) in 2014 and released his first solo album, *Mid Dream*, the same year.[2] Sempert has composed music or written songs for multiple films and television shows including *[Grey's Anatomy](/source/Grey's_Anatomy)*, [*Bloodline*](/source/Bloodline_(TV_series)), *[A Room Full of Nothing](/source/A_Room_Full_of_Nothing)* and *[Bixler High Private Eye](/source/Bixler_High_Private_Eye)*.[3][4] He is the founder of the San Francisco-based band Birds & Batteries.[5] Sempert's original compositions have been licensed by [ABC](/source/American_Broadcasting_Company), [Netflix](/source/Netflix), [NBC](/source/NBC) and others for use in their television shows.[6]

## Biography

### Early life and education

Sempert was born in 1981, in [Boston](/source/Boston), Massachusetts. He attended and graduated from [Brookline High School](/source/Brookline_High_School) in 1999. Sempert studied jazz and classical piano throughout his childhood.[7] In 2004, he graduated from [Tufts University](/source/Tufts_University) as well as [New England Conservatory of Music](/source/New_England_Conservatory_of_Music) where he majored in Peace and Justice Studies and Jazz Composition, respectively.[8] During his early years, Sempert was influenced by the music of Talking Heads, Stevie Wonder Thomas Mapfumo, Tom Petty, Squeeze and Weather Report.[7][9]

### Career

Sempert started his professional music career in 2004. He formed the band, Birds & Batteries, as a sole member and recorded an album of [demos](/source/Demo_(music)) called *Nature vs. Nature*. The demo collection was released as the album, *Selections from Nature vs. Nature* in 2005.[10]

In early 2005, Sempert moved to San Francisco where he expanded Birds & Batteries and assembled a four-member performing band which included Brian Michelson (drums), Jill Heinke (bass) and Christopher Walsh (guitar).[11] As the songwriter, lead-singer and multi-instrumentalist, Sempert wrote and produced four albums and two [EPs](/source/Extended_play) for Birds & Batteries which were released between 2005 and 2012.[12] During that time, the band toured United States extensively and performed at numerous festivals and concerts including [South by Southwest](/source/South_by_Southwest), [Noise Pop](/source/Noise_Pop), [35 Denton](/source/35_Denton), Mission Creek Festival, and Doe Bay Festival. The albums by Birds & Batteries were reviewed by [NPR](/source/NPR), *[The Fader](/source/The_Fader)*, *[San Francisco Bay Guardian](/source/San_Francisco_Bay_Guardian)* and *[Pitchfork](/source/Pitchfork_(website))*.[13][14][15][12]

Sempert moved to Los Angeles in 2013 and began composing music for films, television shows and commercials.[16] He released his first solo album *Mid Dream* in 2014, on the label [Velvet Blue Music](/source/Velvet_Blue_Music).[citation needed] The single "Finest Line" from the album *Mid Dream* was featured in [SyFy](/source/SyFy)'s television drama, *[Defiance](/source/Defiance_(TV_series))* in 2015. The same year, he released an album of instrumental [electronic music](/source/Electronic_music) under the moniker Volcanic Legacy titled *Uncanny Valley*. Sempert's second solo album, *Tend the Flame*, was released in 2016. The songs from the album were used in various television shows including *Grey's Anatomy*, *Quantico*, *[Heartbeat](/source/Heartbeat_(2016_TV_series))* and *[Stitchers](/source/Stitchers)*. Over the years, Sempert's compositions were featured in various television shows such as *[Kingdom](/source/Kingdom_(American_TV_series))*, *[*Bloodline*](/source/Bloodline_(TV_series)#Season_3_(2017))*, *[Gossip Girl](/source/Gossip_Girl_(season_4))* and others. Between 2015 and 2019, Sempert composed music for the feature films *Jaywalking*, *A Room Full of Nothing*, *Sex Weather*, *Roads to Olympia*, *Bixler High Private Eye* and the short films *Stock*, *Dynamite* and *A Seasonal Thing*. His third solo album, *Reunion of Sparks* was released in early 2019.[17][18]

## Filmography

As Songwriter[18] Year Title Song 2018 Grey's Anatomy "Distance" 2018 The Fosters "What I Want" 2018 Revenge "Mid Dream" 2017 Kingdom "The Weather" 2017 Bloodline "For A Long Long Time" 2017 Quantico "Distance" 2016 Heartbeat "Distance" 2016 Stitchers "Distance" 2015 The Missing Girl "Finest Line" 2018 Revenge "Mid Dream" 2014 Defiance "Finest Line" 2010 Gossip Girl "Lightning (UTNG Version)"

As Composer[18] Year Title Type 2020 Love in Dangerous Times Feature film 2020 The Kid Who Only Hit Homers Television film 2019 A Seasonal Thing Short film 2019 Roads to Olympia Feature film 2019 A Room Full of Nothing Feature film 2018 Bixler High Private Eye Television film 2018 Dynamite Short film 2018 Stock Short film 2018 Sex Weather Feature film 2018 Jaywalking Feature film 2018 Homestate Feature film 2015 Hey Short film

## Discography

Birds & Batteries Studio Albums[19] Year Album Type 2005 Selections from Nature vs. Nature LP 2007 I'll Never Sleep Again LP 2009 Up to No Good EP 2010 Panorama LP 2011 Unfold EP 2012 Stray Light LP

Solo Studio Albums[17] Year Album Type 2014 Mid Dream LP 2014 Mid Dream Complete Sessions LP 2016 Tend the Flame LP 2019 Reunion of Sparks LP

Volcanic Legacy Studio Albums Year Album Type 2013 Stray Light Remixes EP 2015 Uncanny Valley LP

## References

1. ["Good Morning Young artists and Ms.Metronome"](https://www.ted.com/talks/mike_sempert_good_morning_young_artist_and_ms_metronome#t-5673). *ted.com*. [TED (conference)](/source/TED_(conference)). Retrieved August 28, 2020.

1. ["Mike Sempert"](https://velvetbluemusic.com/artists/mike-sempert/). *velvetbluemusic.com*. [Velvet Blue Music](/source/Velvet_Blue_Music). Retrieved August 28, 2020.

1. ["Bloodline – S3E8 "Part 31" – Music and List of Songs"](https://www.what-song.com/Tvshow/34/Bloodline/e/108781). Retrieved August 28, 2020.

1. ["Grey's Anatomy S14E12: Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger Music"](https://www.tunefind.com/show/greys-anatomy/season-14/56471). Retrieved August 28, 2020.

1. Catlett, Stephanie (March 25, 2011). ["An Interview with Michael Sempert of Birds & Batteries"](https://littlevillagemag.com/an-interview-with-michael-sempert-of-birds-and-batteries/). *littlevillagemag.com*. Little Village. Retrieved August 28, 2020.

1. ["Michael Sempert – crew A Room full of Nothing"](https://aroomfullofnothingmovie.com/team). *aroomfullofnothingmovie.com*. Retrieved August 28, 2020.

1. ["Mike Sempert of Birds & Batteries (1995–1999)"](http://www.theowlmag.com/features/high-school-reunion-mike-sempert-of-birds-batteries-1995-1999/). *theowlmag.com*. The Owl Mag. Retrieved August 28, 2020.

1. ["Tufts Magazine Archive Online"](http://news.tufts.edu/magazine/winter2001/news/news6.html). *news.tufts.edu*. Tufts University. Retrieved August 28, 2020.

1. Murphy, Tom (March 30, 2011). ["Michael Sempert of Birds & Batteries on Panorama and San Francisco"](https://www.westword.com/music/michael-sempert-of-birds-and-batteries-on-panorama-and-san-francisco-5674634). *westword.com*. [Westword](/source/Westword). Retrieved August 28, 2020.

1. Mason, Stewart. ["Selections from Nature vs. Nature – AllMusic Review by Stewart Mason"](https://www.allmusic.com/album/selections-from-nature-vs-nature-mw0001907491). *allmusic.com*. [AllMusic](/source/AllMusic). Retrieved August 28, 2020.

1. ["Birds & Batteries Daytrotter Session"](https://www.pastemagazine.com/noisetrade/music/birds-batteries/sep-30-2010-daytrotter-studio-rock-island-il). *pastemagazine.com*. [Paste](/source/Paste_(magazine)). September 30, 2010. Retrieved August 28, 2020.

1. ["Meaning what?"](http://sfbgarchive.48hills.org/sfbgarchive/2010/02/23/meaning-what/). *San Francisco Bay Guardian Archive 1966–2014*. [San Francisco Bay Guardian](/source/San_Francisco_Bay_Guardian). Retrieved August 28, 2020.

1. Young, Susannah (November 3, 2009). ["Out in the Woods"](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/11600-birds-batteries-out-in-the-woods/). *pitchfork.com*. [Pitchfork](/source/Pitchfork_(website)). Retrieved August 28, 2020.

1. ["Birds and Batteries: 'I'll Never Sleep Again'"](https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14696186). *npr.org*. [NPR](/source/NPR). September 27, 2007. Retrieved August 28, 2020.

1. ["Birds & Batteries, "Sneaky Times""](https://www.thefader.com/2009/11/02/birds-batteries-sneaky-times-mp3). *thefader.com*. [The Fader](/source/The_Fader). November 2, 2009. Retrieved August 28, 2020.

1. Thompson, Alex (April 12, 2016). ["5 SF-to-LA Transplants Reveal What They Miss Most About the Bay Area"](https://www.7x7.com/5-sf-to-la-transplants-reveal-what-they-miss-most-about-the-bay-area-1787316381.html). *7x7.com*. [7x7](/source/7x7_(magazine)). Retrieved August 28, 2020.

1. ["Mike Sempert Album Discography"](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/michael-sempert-mn0002660217). *[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)*. Retrieved August 28, 2020.

1. ["Michael Sempert – Filmography"](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7736169/). *[IMDb](/source/IMDb)*. Retrieved August 28, 2020.

1. ["Birds & Batteries – Album Discography"](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/birds-batteries-mn0001415106/discography/all). [AllMusic](/source/AllMusic). Retrieved August 28, 2020.

## External links

- [Michael Sempert](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7736169/) at IMDb

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