Chrisette Michele

R&B singer/songwriter Chrisette Michele shot from small-time performer to one of Def Jam’s most promising talents, purely based on her unique instrument — a gorgeous and effortlessly versatile singing voice colored with Billie Holiday-esque inflections of vocal pop and jazz. The jazz-influenced vocalist, born Chrisette Michele Payne in 1982, developed her pipes through singing gospel. But at age 17, Payne had an epiphany. After a teacher gave her a CD containing the bossa nova standard “The Girl from Ipanema,” she was immediately won over to jazz by Brazilian jazz singer Astrud Gilberto’s voice. She spent endless hours isolated in a room with a piano learning jazz standards as they were sung by Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and other greats. She was discovered by representatives of Def Jam, who were enamored with her vocal abilities and had her signed to the label by 2006. At the end of the year, Def Jam brought her out in full force, allowing her to write and sing the hooks for Jay-Z’s “Lost Ones” and Nas’ Nat King Cole-inspired “Can’t Forget About You.” Her album debut, I Am, followed in June 2007. Adding to the album’s influences of gospel, adult alternative pop, and hip-hop, she co-wrote all the songs and worked closely with artists/producers Babyface, Salaam Remi, John Legend, and will.i.am. The album reached number five on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop chart, and the will.i.am collaboration “Be OK” won a Grammy in the short-lived category of Best Urban/Alternative Performance. "Epiphany" debuted within the Top Ten of the R&B chart, around the time Rick Ross’ “Aston Martin Music,” reached number two on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart. Despite sustained success with Def Jam — “A Couple of Forevers,” off the third album, was also one of her bigger hits. In 2024, Chrisette connected with music producer, Melvin "Mel Man" Breeden, to release her newest project "Hallelujah". A Gospel RnB single where she's having a talk with God.