Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Lily
Michelle, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Michelle Lily is a Universal published singer, rapper & Sony published songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she has released albums and singles worldwide. She began singing at the age of 4 which initiated her love of music and for the spotlight. She later recorded her first demo at the age of 13 and signed her first production deal when she was only 15 years old.
She began singing in various venues, participating in TV shows and began writing her first songs. The Daily News covered a story on Michelle at the young age of 16, highlighting her success and desire to win a Grammy one day. She studied with vocal coach, Andrea Martin of Sony Records, known internationally for her work with Tony Braxton, Mariah Carey and Leona Lewis. Michelle recorded songs for various compilations with other well-known artists from the New York hip-hop scene, while simultaneously crossing over into the world of fashion.
Michelle collaborated with numerous brands and became the co-face of Nokia’s campaign for The Middle East and Europe. She was featured on a virtual Billboard in Times Square and has been featured on the WB11 morning news.
In 2007, Michelle left home in NYC and went to Italy for a modeling contract. She became the face for the ultra luxury brand “Kiton”. While working in Milan, she was offered a record deal and immediately began working on her first solo debut album entitled “The Real Me.” In 2009, the album was released in stores throughout Italy. Michelle’s song “Summer Love,” reached #1. As a result of her success, HipHopTV asked Michelle to host the show “Open Mic,” where she spent 3 years.
In 2014, Michelle was a special guest on Italy’s top show “Chiambretti.” Through the years, she has performed in sold-out stadiums and clubs around the world. In addition, she has performed for Pepsi, Whirlpool, Mercedes, Honda & Samsung; and has been a coach on XFactor, seasons 8 & 13. She coached the contestants and co-wrote finale performance pieces, one of which “The Reason Why” by Lorenzo Fragola won the season and became double-platinum. Michelle has worked with Adam Clay, Dr. Feelx, Spankers, Cece MC, Meaku, Nesli, Two Fingerz, Dargen D’amico, E-Green & Terron Fabio from “Sud Sound System.” She has been featured in Oprah’s “O” Magazine and PLAYBOY.
After numerous hit singles in Europe, Japan and Russia, many tours, collaborations and placements in over 50 compilations worldwide, she released her U.S. debut album “Shine” (2019). The album is featuring her hit songs “Magic” and “One World.” In 2021, Michelle released another album in the U.S. entitled “POP” including hits “Popstar” and “Come With Me” featuring Mayule. In 2021, Michelle released “Sunday Morning” with DJ Molella and “Me Ne Voglio Andare – New Wave” with Cece Mc and in 2023 she released “Ti Amo.”
Currently, Michelle Lily is recording in both English and Italian. In 2024, she released “Pazza Di Te,” “Balla Con Me,” “Cielo Grigio,” (with The Cayler), “Superstar” (with Khalid Brooks), and her latest single “Love Song.”
At the moment, she is recording an album based on Disney’s princess movie soundtracks featuring ballads. In February 2025, she’s releasing a dance single produced by DJ Molella entitled “Larino Carnival” and a summer hit with Adam Clay entitled “Number One.”
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
In my career, there have been many extreme highs and lows. The music business is a cut-throat industry. It has a very dark side as many already know. I found it full of fake people. Executives don’t play fair and success is usually “bought.” I’ve seen numbers in record sales manipulated and radio placements controlled. There is very little space for true talent. I’ve seen people with very little talent arrive to the “top” and those who are very talented stay at the bottom. At the end of the day, it’s a business. Money talks and people flock in that direction. It’s actually quite simple. There are a few people on top that make the rules and everyone else works for them. There is a lot of pressure and politics coming from different directions. In this environment, it’s easy to lose yourself.
In retrospect, some of my experiences have not been positive but they pushed me to work harder. I found myself in quite a few crazy situations through the years on tours, with booking agents, brands, contracts and record labels, to name a few, but through it all I tried not to let it bring me down. I learned to stay focused on what I believed in and not let the industry and executives sway me into doing something that I didn’t want to do. I never cared to make music that I didn’t believe in, as I simply wasn’t interested in becoming a product. I never liked following the rules. I’m a girl who sings ballads, hits Whitney high notes, can do a Mariah whistle note and then rap 16 bars. For the most part this was always a problem. Executives never knew what box to put me in, because ultimately I couldn’t fit in a box, metaphorically speaking, and I never allowed them put me in a box. I was always highly opinionated and they couldn’t control me. I’m from Queens, New York and sometimes I had to pull out the “Queens.” Many called me a Diva but I just knew what I wanted and knew my worth.
In 2017, I decided to leave that all behind and open my own record label. Lily Entertainment was born. I wrote my own music and produced everything myself. I chose my own engineers and music production teams; hired my own graphic design and web design teams; released my own music and distributed it how I wanted. I have an amazing team of talented people that I can count on that work with me closely in order to bring each product to market. I have a rule that I only collaborate with people that can bring something positive to the table and exude positive energy. I choose the artists I collaborate with on tracks and the results are magical. Doing it my own way, I re-discovered my love for music. It all goes back to basics. I do it because I love music and I love to sing and as a result, I feel my music has gotten just so much better.
Having to deal with less politics and BS in the industry, left more room to do what I love and allowed me to grow as an artist. I challenged myself to sing and write in more than one language. I also no longer feel like I have to choose between singing or rapping in English or Italian. Vocally, I continue to challenge myself; and lyrically – I continue to grow. Ultimately, all the struggles through the years in the industry helped create this version of me, so I’d say that all the bumps in the road helped me climb the mountain.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My music is a reflection of my heart. I feel it represents me, my moods, my personality and showcases my talent. Some tracks make you want to dance while others can make you cry – but generally, I make music to make people feel good. I write all of my music. While some people write diaries, I – on the other hand write lyrics and melodies. It’s a conduit for me. Many of the lyrics are excerpts from my daily life so they are relatable. I try to transport people through music to a safe space, emotionally speaking. I write based on my mood, hence the reason why I have so many different genres in my catalog. I have piano ballads, Rap, Dance tracks, Pop songs, R&B and even Reggae. I believe that music has healing powers and it can be quite therapeutic, so I try to give people an outlet from daily life. I believe this sets me apart from many other artists that typically stick to one genre. As an artist, I’m eclectic and my music reflects that. I believe that Art has no boundaries – so neither do I. I take each project as a new opportunity to explore and evolve.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I absolutely love Miami. There is a certain vibe in the air once you set foot here. I’ve lived in many places and traveled to many parts of the world – and, I’d say that there is no place like Miami. It’s not perfect. The traffic is terrible, there is always construction, and the city is overwhelmed by tourism during the winter season. Nevertheless, I appreciate the fusion of cultures. The food is world-class. The locals are super friendly people and smile a lot, unlike New York or LA. Besides, music is everywhere. You can’t cross the street without encountering someone blasting music.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://michellelily.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michellelilyofficial
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/MichelleLilyTV
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1YVmYsinsAfeChyjozMjf9?si=rPkzvrFnShentyQJWrftKw
