Michelle Jacquet DeSevren Branch, better known as Michelle Branch, is a Grammy Award winning pop rock musician who gained fame with her album ‘The Spirit Room’. From a young age, she was immersed in music, thanks to her music-loving mother and exposure to The Beatles in the womb. Michelle’s passion for music led her to start singing at the age of three and receive music lessons at eight. Her dedication to music even led her to compose songs as a teenager and perform in local gigs. Inspired by The Beatles, Jewel, and Fleetwood Mac, Michelle self-produced an album of her teenage compositions. Her hard work paid off when she signed a contract with Maverick Records and released her debut album ‘The Spirit Room’ at just 18 years old. The album became a commercial success, earning double platinum certification. Michelle has also made appearances on various television shows as a musical celebrity.
Quick Facts
- Also Known As: Michelle Jacquet DeSevren Branch
- Age: 40 Years, 40 Year Old Females
- Family:
- Spouse/Ex-: Teddy Landau (m. 2004)
- Father: David
- Mother: Peggy Branch
- Siblings: David, Nicole
- Guitarists
- Pop Singers
- Height: 6’3″ (190 cm)
- Notable Alumni: Northern Arizona University
- Ancestry: Indonesian American, Irish American, French American
- U.S. State: Arizona
- More Facts
- Education: Northern Arizona University
Childhood & Early Life
Michelle Branch is the daughter of David and Peggy Branch. She is of mixed ancestry and has two siblings. From a young age, she loved singing and her parents arranged for her to receive music lessons when she was eight. She received a guitar on her fourteenth birthday and began teaching herself to play and compose songs. She attended Sedona Red Rock High School but chose to finish her education through home schooling in order to focus on her music career. Her parents helped her book local gigs in her hometown to encourage her musical career, where she performed covers of songs by Sheryl Crow, Jewel, and Fleetwood Mac. She self-produced an album called ‘Broken Bracelet’ in 1998, which featured songs she had written as a teenager.
Career
In 2001, Michelle signed a recording deal with Maverick Records. She worked with John Shanks to produce her major label debut, ‘The Spirit Room’, which was released the same year. The album included the singles ‘Everywhere’, ‘All You Wanted’, and ‘Goodbye to You’. She also became friends with musician Justincase and helped him sign a contract with Maverick Records. They collaborated on several songs for his self-titled album in 2002. Michelle also collaborated with Santana, Gregg Alexander, and Rick Nowels to produce the song ‘The Game of Love’ in 2002.
In 2003, Michelle released her second album, ‘Hotel Paper’, which was also a commercial success, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. She earned a Grammy Award nomination for the single ‘Are You Happy Now?’. Alongside her music career, Michelle made appearances in films and television shows as a musical celebrity. She hosted MTV’s ‘Faking the Video’ in 2004 and collaborated with fellow musician Jessica Harp to form the duo The Wreckers in 2005. They released their debut album, ‘Stand Still, Look Pretty’, which featured the hit single ‘Leave the Pieces’.
During the late 2000s, Michelle performed live shows with her sister Nicole providing backing vocals. She also sang songs for other artists, such as Chris Isaak. In 2010, she released an EP called ‘Everything Comes and Goes’, which included the minor hit single ‘Sooner or Later’. In 2011, three previously unreleased songs from the EP were released. Currently, Michelle is working on recording a new album with Martin Terefe.
Major Works
Michelle’s major label debut album, ‘The Spirit Room’, was a big success and launched her musical career. The single ‘Everywhere’ received positive reviews and became her signature song. The album was rated multi-platinum. Her album ‘Hotel Paper’ debuted at No. 2 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and the song ‘Are You Happy Now?’ was nominated for a Grammy Award. The album explored themes of moving on, leaving things behind, and spirituality.
Awards & Achievements
Michelle won the MTV Video Music Awards Viewers’ Choice for the song ‘Everywhere’ in 2002. The song ‘The Game of Love’, performed by Michelle and composed by Gregg Alexander and Rick Nowels, won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals in 2003.
Personal Life & Legacy
Michelle married bass player Teddy Landau in 2004 and they have a daughter named Owen. She is an environmentally conscious animal lover and works closely with the Global Green organization. Michelle also has her own line of lipsticks and nail polish at Flirt Cosmetics.
Trivia
Michelle Branch has her own line of lipsticks and nail polish at Flirt Cosmetics.