Michelle Branch

Beginning with the acoustic based self-released Broken Bracelet in 2000, Michelle Branch has always been a young woman in a big hurry. The release of Michelle Branch's major label debut The Spirit Room in 2001 ushered in an entirely new movement in pop music, busting open the door for the new crop of females who write and play their own songs, after all--there was no other female artist on the charts who wrote and performed all the songs on her record, and her music was distinctively driven by guitars and lyrics as opposed to loops and dance oriented videos. And the results spoke for themselves: over 2.5 million records sold, a Grammy Award, an MTV Viewer's Choice Award on the basis of 4 top 10 hits and sold out tours with Sheryl Crow, a smash duet with Carlos Santana and an invitation from the Dixie Chicks to tour arenas this summer. Amazed by her abilities, the press used phrases like "old soul" and "wise beyond her years" to explain her skills. "I never wanted to be the 'young female' artist- I always looked at myself simply as a 'female' artist." Other artists saw what she saw. "When I worked with Sheryl Crow and Carlos Santana, both said something to me that I will never forget--'You're the real deal.' And when artists of that caliber say things like that, it helps me to remain focused on the songs and not my age."