Michelle Jaquet DeSevren Branch was born on July 2, 1983, in Sedona, Arizona, seven weeks premature, weighing a mere 3 pounds and 11 ounces. At the tender age of three, she began recording herself singing Beatles covers on her parents' karaoke machine, sending the tapes to her grandmother. This early start in music was soon followed by formal singing lessons at the age of eight, which she continued until she was eleven.
After a brief hiatus, Michelle resumed her singing lessons with Gina Bettum, and later with Gina's husband, who taught her guitar. However, she soon stopped lessons with him, finding herself focusing too much on technical aspects of music rather than its artistic expression. At the age of fifteen, Michelle left school and began homeschooling, with her mother serving as her tutor. This arrangement came with a clear warning: if her grades dropped, she would have to return to traditional schooling.
Michelle's first break into the music industry came unexpectedly, when she was tasked with caring for her younger sister. A family friend, who happened to be a music manager, called her with an opportunity to meet with a prominent industry executive. Without a driver's license, unable to leave her sister alone, and with her parents away, Michelle took matters into her own hands, stealing her neighbor's golf cart to make her way to the meeting. Although the manager was initially uninterested, Michelle persisted, forcing him to listen to her demo tape. A few months later, she received a surprise phone call from the manager, offering her a record deal.
Michelle went on to record an independent album, Broken Bracelet, which she planned to give away at local shows. However, her music caught the attention of Hanson's representatives, who invited her to open for them on their upcoming tour. This exposure led to a record deal with Maverick Records in December 2000.
In the summer of 2001, Michelle's first hit single, Everywhere, shot to number twelve on the Billboard Hot 100, establishing her as a rising star. Her subsequent hits, including All You Wanted and Are You Happy Now?, further solidified her position in the music industry. Michelle's collaborations with artists such as Carlos Santana and Sheryl Crow added to her growing fame, and she went on to perform at high-profile events like the Super Bowl and Latin VMAs. In 2003, she became the first person to perform on top of the Madison Square Garden marquee, cementing her status as a talented and accomplished musician.
