People usually get to know my music first and only later
find out that a female produced it. Also, it probably
helped that I've been a tomboy my whole life, so I never
feel intimidated by being in a male-dominated industry
and I really don’t think about it. Gender is really
not an issue. Enjoyable music is”. She has many
years of experience in several instruments such as the
drums, piano, saxophone, and steel pan, with hundreds
of performances across the East Coast under her belt since
the age of 17.
Michelle’s
background is in R&B but she considers herself a producer
with “no boundaries or rules in any genre of music”.
She started producing tracks for herself because she always
wanted to be an R&B singer. It was when people heard
these tracks and voiced how much they liked them, that
she realized that maybe she could really do this as a
career and perhaps even produce for other people as well.
“I'm still my worst critic though, but then again
it makes me challenge myself to always do better. Even
with every track, I try to get better and better as a
producer”, she says. One question a lot of people
ask her when they first find out that she is a producer
is “So, who does the beats?”, or “Do
you do all of it, or just some?” Her answer to that
is, “I do everything from start to finish. From
the first chord to the last…programming the drums,
playing the keys on it…I rarely use any samples
because I am a musician and I love to actually play.”
She’s also the Chief Engineer at Catalyst Soundezign
Studios and is usually the one responsible for most of
the actual vocal recordings and even mixing some tracks.
She
also loves singing, but knows there are some songs that
she can give what they need vocally and then there are
others that she cannot, this is when she takes the pride
in finding “that voice” from someone else
who can provide the delivery it deserves. She enjoys the
whole process of seeing how another artist interprets
her music.
In
early 2005, Miche composed, produced and partly wrote
“Trinidad” a new anthem for Trinidad and Tobago,
featuring herself, Juicy (of Red Army) and Red Lyte. The
song was part of the Trinibashment 91.9fm’s “Soca
for Summer” campaign and did well on radio stations
in Trinidad as well as North America. She also produced
the anti-violence song “Pick D’ Shells”
performed by Benjai and Khari Kill, which at one point
reached #3 on Synergy TV (CIN cable network based in Trinidad
) after just 2 weeks of airing on the show. It also spent
a year and a half on the Punch charts, only coming off
in Summer 2005. Her first solo pursuit and soon to be
released track entitled, “We Love We Soca”
will show a different side of her as a vocalist, writer
and producer. Just like how “Trinidad” was
an ode to the country, this song will be an ode to Soca.
Her four year-old daughter, Heavyn, is her main inspiration
to be successful in the game. She wants Heavyn to see
“Mommy” doing what she loves and doing it
well, so that when she grows up she will be driven to
pursue her own dream knowing that it is possible to achieve,
as long as you really have the passion and love for it.
Heavyn might even follow in her footsteps, “She
basically grew up in the studio and knows most of the
lyrics to the songs that I produce. She has the uncanny
talent of recognizing and naming artists that I’ve
worked with by just hearing their voice on songs she’s
never heard. I’ve been fortunate to work with some
incredible artists/writers that have positive topics so
that she is also able to enjoy it and I don’t really
have to worry about the lyrical content. There are some
things she can’t listen to but the majority of it,
I love being able to share that with her”.
Catalyst
is wrapping up production of their upcoming album, Soca
Rizin’, of which Miche produced every track, with
Kasey Phillips joining her in co-production of two of
them. So far, 6 songs have been released, Khari Kill’s
“Ghetto Chant”, Benjai’s “Jah
in Your Life”, Gailann’s “Look Excuse”,
“Always on My Mind” (Breeze Riddim) by Vybe
ft. Michelle Sylvester, Juicy’s “Gone”
(Breeze Riddim) and Juicy ft. Fresh Life’s “Get
This Party Started”. Most, if not all, are in circulation
in Trinidad on stations such as Trinibashment 91.9fm,
Red 96.7fm, 96.1WEFM, Flow 93.5FM (Dr. Jay the Soca Prince)
in Toronto, BBC Radio (Alex Jordan) and Unique 101.2fm
(Sugar K), both in London, and other stations across the
United States and Canada. Soon to come is another track
by Gailann and the title track entitled “Soca Rize”
by Maximus Dan. This album will showcase Miche’s
versatility as well as establish her as one of the industry’s
prominent producers. She lives and breathes Catalyst Entertainment
and believes that, “We are a team of talented and
driven individuals drawn together by our PASSION for music
and entertainment, and because of that passion, formed
a family intent on making a change in the industry, a
CATALYST”. Soca and Miche are indeed “rizin’”
and something tells me that they will not stop anytime
soon.
For more information on Michelle and/or Catalyst Entertainment,
contact Kifana Hinkson-Holder, PR, pr@catalystent.com,
or call the Catalyst Studio at 718-495-6993
