Michelle Chamuel
Birth nameMichelle Jacqueline Chamuel
Birth datec. 1986 (age 40–41)
Birth placeWellesley, Massachusetts
InstrumentVocals, piano, keyboards, synthesizer, guitar, violin
LabelIndependent
GenrePop, electronic, acoustic, ambient, film score
OccupationMusic producer, songwriter, vocalist
Years active2007–present
Websitemichellechamuel.com

Michelle Jacqueline Chamuel (born c. 1986)[a] is an American music producer, songwriter and vocalist. She has released several works as a solo artist and in partnership with others. Her works span various styles including pop, electronic, acoustic and ambient. Influenced by Imogen Heap and Max Martin, she is also known by her producer moniker The Reverb Junkie. Her recent works include music production for the film Glitter & Doom.

Early life

Chamuel was born in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Her father was an acoustical engineer and played the violin. She began to play piano and violin at an early age and was fascinated by pop music. In seventh grade she started to sequence music on a synthesizer, sing and compose. She graduated from Wellesley High School and studied performing arts technology at the University of Michigan.[1][2][3]

Career

Ella Riot and early works

In 2007 Chamuel joined the Ann Arbor, Michigan-based band My Dear Disco, later named Ella Riot, as lead vocalist.[4][b] The band toured across the United States and released the studio album Dancethink (2008) and the EP Love Child (2011). The band went into hiatus in October 2011.[5][6] In 2010 Chamuel spoke about being lesbian and named Elton John and Ani DiFranco as artists she looked up to.[2]

After Ella Riot, Chamuel released the eponymous album s/he (2011) with former bandmate Tyler Duncan, an EP titled All the Pretty People (2012) and an EP titled EP 1 (2012) with other artists. She released remix music with original lyrics.[7][8] She names Max Martin and Imogen Heap as major influences. She was influenced by the vocal styles of Heap and Ella Fitzgerald and said they "opened me up to the idea that one could sing melodies like an instrument."[9]

In 2013 she took part in season four of The Voice USA. In the blind audition she sang Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl" and chose Usher as her coach.[10] Her rendition of Pink's "Just Give Me a Reason" received recognition on Pink's official website.[11] Her rendition of Taylor Swift's "I Knew You Were Trouble" received approval from Swift and charted on the Billboard Hot 100.[12][13] Over the course of ten episodes, she advanced to the finals and finished in second place.[10]

Solo albums and later works

Chamuel released her first solo album All I Want in 2013 as The Reverb Junkie. She said her work as The Reverb Junkie centers on creative electronic music, whereas the work released under her own name has a performative and pop focus.[14][15] The album reached number 6 on the U.S. Dance/Electronic Albums chart.[16] She released a single titled "Go Down Singing" and spoke at a TEDx gathering about the connection of music to one's sense of home.[17][3] In 2014 she released an EP titled The Drift with Arjun Singh and an EP titled EP 2 with David Gonzalez.[18][19] In late 2014 she headlined a seventeen city U.S. tour.[20]

In 2015 she released an album titled Face the Fire. Eric Danton of The Wall Street Journal called the album a collection of buoyant pop songs with tightly constructed hooks.[21] The album reached number 21 on the U.S. Independent Albums chart.[22] In late 2015 she released an EP as The Reverb Junkie titled I Am, and she co-wrote and produced "Hang Out with You", a song by singer-songwriter Mary Lambert.[23]

In 2016 she released an EP titled Feel It and spoke about her focus on various aspects of music production.[24] In 2017 she released an album of acoustic songs titled Insights & Turnpikes.[25] She released two instrumental works as The Reverb Junkie including an ambient album titled The Last Person Awake.[26] In 2020 she released a studio album titled Couldn't Stay.[27] She produced the film score of Glitter & Doom, a 2023 musical based on the songs of Indigo Girls.[28]

Discography

Studio albums

Extended plays

Instrumental works

  • Music for: Summer Chores (Vol 1) (2017)[d]
  • The Last Person Awake (Music for: Vol 2) (2020)[d]

Singles

  • "My Dear Disco" (2006)[e]
  • "U and I" (2012)[c]
  • "Go Down Singing" (2013)[e]
  • "A Colorful Christmastime" (2020)[e]
  • "I Wish We Were Kids" (2024)[d]
  • "Lights On" (2025)[d]
  • "Wild" (2025)[e]
  • "Black Black Hoodie" (2025)[d]
  • "Knotted" (2025)[d]

Films

YearTitleNotesRef.
2013Getting Go, the Go Doc ProjectMovie, soundtrack[29]
20191500 MilesDocumentary, original music[30]
2023Glitter & DoomMovie, music producer[31]

Notes

  1. ^ Birth year per Smolski 2013.
  2. ^ The band names were tributes to Matthew Dear and Ella Fitzgerald.
  3. ^ Released as s/he
  4. ^ Released as The Reverb Junkie
  5. ^ Released as Michelle Chamuel

References

  1. ^ Anne-Marie Smolski (May 30, 2013). "Wellesley native in final six on 'The Voice'". WickedLocal.com. Archived December 7, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
  2. ^ Bendix, Trish (September 9, 2010). "Interview with Michelle Chamuel". Afterellen. afterellen.com. Archived October 3, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
  3. ^ "How Music Takes You Home: Michelle Chamuel at TEDxShelburneFalls". youtube.com TEDxTalks. November 28, 2013. Archived February 25, 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 24, 2013. I fell in love with pop music. I fell really hard as a little fourth grader. (time 9:08) It makes us feel a certain way, and I was fascinated by it. (time 9:47)
  4. ^ Zoe Gorman (August 25, 2011). "Ann Arbor band Ella Riot is blazing a new trail". The Blade. Archived August 11, 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
  5. ^ Cosmo Girl (July 8, 2010). "Unsigned Finds: My Dear Disco". Seventeen.com. Archived January 25, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
  6. ^ Roger LeLievre (November 8, 2011). "Taking a break from Ella Riot, two of its members fly solo with duo s/he". AnnArbor.com. Archived August 11, 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
  7. ^ Sal Christ (January 9, 2012). "SoundCloud Gems: The Reverb Junkie". 303 Magazine. Archived August 1, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 4, 2013.
  8. ^ "Interview with The Reverb Junkie". Indablog. January 26, 2011. Archived from the original on November 12, 2013. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  9. ^ Jason Price (October 12, 2014). "Face The Fire: Michelle Chamuel On Her Career, New Album And Upcoming Tour!". iconvsicon.com. Archived July 31, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
  10. ^ Gena Mangiaratti (June 19, 2013). "Amherst's Michelle Chamuel runner-up on The Voice". Gazettenet.com. Archived from the original on July 25, 2013. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
  11. ^ "Watch Michelle Chamuel's Rendition of 'Just Give Me A Reason'". pinkspage.com. May 22, 2013. Archived from the original on October 29, 2014. Retrieved September 6, 2014.
  12. ^ Daniel Kreps (August 30, 2014). "Taylor Swift Joins 'The Voice' as Guest Mentor". Rolling Stone. Archived April 5, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved September 6, 2014.
  13. ^ "Billboard: Hot 100 – June 22, 2013". Billboard Magazine. Archived November 22, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
  14. ^ Jeanette Batur (August 22, 2013). "Former 'Voice' Contestant Michelle Chamuel Announces New Album". cambio.com. Archived from the original on December 31, 2017. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  15. ^ "The Bill Newman Show 9.17.13 – minutes 48 to 51". whmp.com. September 17, 2013. Archived from the original on October 17, 2013. Retrieved October 1, 2013. Audio interview archive, mp3
  16. ^ "Dance/Electronic Albums Chart - September 28, 2013". Billboard Magazine. Archived from the original on March 9, 2015. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
  17. ^ Jennifer Arellano (November 18, 2013). "Listen to Season 4 'Voice' runner-up Michelle Chamuel's new single". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 29, 2014. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
  18. ^ "The Drift EP combines Michigan music talents - interview". michiganradio.org. February 18, 2014. Archived December 7, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
  19. ^ "EP2 – Odd Year & The Reverb Junkie". bandcamp. Archived June 12, 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
  20. ^ Miles Raymer (October 6, 2014). "The Voice's Michelle Chamuel returns with 'Face the Fire'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived January 25, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
  21. ^ Eric R. Danton (February 3, 2015). "Michelle Chamuel Hits Milestone on 'Face the Fire' (Exclusive Album Premiere)". The Wall Street Journal - Speakeasy. Archived from the original on March 12, 2016. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
  22. ^ "Independent Albums Chart - February 28, 2015". Billboard Magazine. February 19, 2015. Archived from the original on March 6, 2015. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  23. ^ MJ Santilli (July 10, 2016). "Mary Lambert and Michelle Chamuel 'Hang Out With You' Music Video". mjsbigblog.com. Archived September 22, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  24. ^ Feel It EP: *Heather Hogan (July 21, 2016). "Michelle Chamuel is more than that queer girl with glasses from 'The Voice': The Autostraddle Interview". autostraddle.com. Archived August 18, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 16, 2016. *Trish Bendix (May 10, 2016). "Michelle Chamuel talks taking control on her new 'Feel It' EP". Afterellen. afterellen.com. Archived October 3, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  25. ^ Julie Sprankles (September 22, 2017). "The Voice Fan Favorites: Where Are They Now?". SheKnows.com. Archived May 8, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
  26. ^ "Bandcamp: The Reverb Junkie". bandcamp. Archived January 1, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
  27. ^ "The Reverb Junkie releases a lovely electronic tune, entitled, 'Find My Way'". Bong Mines Entertainment. August 13, 2020. Archived January 23, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved September 1, 2020.
  28. ^ Dave Quinn (March 19, 2024). "Indigo Girls Reflect on Barbie's Memorable 'Closer to Fine'". people.com. Archived March 20, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  29. ^ "Getting Go, the Go Doc Project – Soundtracks". IMDb. Archived October 19, 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
  30. ^ "1500 Miles – Cast and crew". IMDb. Archived October 6, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
  31. ^ "Glitter & Doom – Cast and crew". IMDb. Archived September 8, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved September 7, 2023.