Words: MacKenzie Pause

Photo: Deborah Lopez

The story of Ingrid Michaelson merits as much mention as the singer-songwriter's music. The quick-witted redhead from Staten Island paved a new road for independent artists, proving the definition of music-industry success has evolved. And while her story inspires, her music casts irresistible bait that hooks everything in its path; musical comparisons range from Norah Jones to Lisa Loeb (probably because she has that "hot librarian" look), but Michaelson's songs seem to take on their own personality through pop and folk melodies along with vulnerable, honest lyrics that anyone can relate to.

The business model she has became known for catapulted her career through commercial placements. If you want to know more details of how this former children's theater teacher made it big through Myspace, placements on Grey's Anatomy and an Old Navy Commercial, Google her name and I promise you a plethora of information will be available to you. Michaelson's song "The Way I Am"  flooded people's homes with a contagious melody and identifiable lyrics that quickly warmed more viewers than the Old Navy sweaters it was used to hawk, inspiring over 650,000 digital downloads of the song. The story is unique, but the most impressive twist to her auspicious career is that it all happened without the aid of a label.

While Michaelson works very hard with a trusted team, her success unfolds in an unconventional way that seems to receive more attention than the actual music.  

"It's a weird sort of existence for a musician, to be so recognized for her business model and not for her music," Michaelson says. "I'm not gonna look a gift horse in the mouth, I mean most of my press in the Times and Billboard and Rolling Stone, it's all been not about my music really, but the story of me kind of going about things in a different way, which I'm totally proud of, but my music is taking a back seat to that. It's just a displaced feeling, but I wouldn't be selling records if the music wasn't speaking to people in a way that is positive."

If she is worried about true appreciation of her music, selling 210,000 copies of her sophomore album Girls and Boys without a label should dispel any doubt, and prove the fans want more of Michaelson's music than just what Grey's Anatomy reveals to them. The label-less tale of commercial success makes Michaelson's story stand out amongst other new artists, but it's her soft, sincere voice, haunting piano melodies and painstakingly personal lyrics, however, that captivate listeners' hearts, creating deep connections with her music.

"I write the way I think and the way I want to speak," she says. "I feel like I can say things that people think and feel, but in a way that they never would have voiced it themselves. I don't write anything enigmatic and confusing. I use the essence of what I'm feeling. I feel connected to it, and it's so tangible."

While the media wades into the story of how her success came to be, the fans dive in head first, completely immersing themselves in everything Ingrid, anxiously awaiting the release of her follow-up album.

"It's going to be different," says Michaelson of the next album. "It's a little further off kilter and a little darker ... I like dark sentiment with sort of happy, upbeat music because it throws off people."

Whether following her own path leads to the indies or the majors, Michaelson has no plans to lose creative control.

"I've never said that I would never sign," she says. "I've just always wondered how far I could go without signing. Now I'm touted as the indie darling, so if I ever sign to a label, the heavens will crash down on me."

Witty, sarcastic, sincere, humble and humorous could all describe Michaelson's highly audience-interactive live performances. Allie Moss, Bess Rogers, Chris Kuffner and Elliot Jacobson, all talented players in their own right, complete the band accompanying Michaelson on her headlining U.S. summer tour. Greg Laswell, who played Michaelson's “clown boyfriend” in the video for “The Way I Am” and is one of her “favorite artists ever,” provides support.

Ingrid Michaelson plays Orlando's Social June 11, St. Petersburg's State Theatre June 12, and Jacksonville's Jack Rabbit's June 13.

ingridmichaelson.com