Michelle Held is a singer-songwriter whose music is heart-centered and deeply resonant. Known for a voice that recalls folk legends, she blends beautifully crafted, poetic lyrics with soulful, genuine narratives that capture the human condition. Her songs invite listeners into a space where authenticity and warmth shine through, building a timeless connection across generations.
Held’s self-written and -produced debut single The World Moves On, featuring strings by Sav Madigan and Katie Larson of The Accidentals and horns by CJ Camerieri, is an evocative and hopeful folk song that realizes the fragility of life. The subject is personal; Held’s childhood was marked by great tragedy with the unexpected loss of her father. This is a reflective piece about those moments when everything unalterably changes forever and yet, somehow the world keeps spinning as if nothing has changed at all.
During her earlier years as a stage actress performing in small professional theaters throughout the Midwest, Held was gifted an old Fender acoustic guitar and found herself investigating the music of Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen and Nina Simone. This opened a world she’d never known existed: one in which poetry and melody collide and songs have strong intention. These discoveries sparked a change in trajectory.
After more than a decade of dedication to her new art form of choice, Held's talent has earned her three consecutive Honorable Mentions in the prestigious Telluride Troubadour Contest. Folk icon Tom Paxton said, “Two years ago, I told Michelle that I thought she had the gift. I am changing ‘thought’ to ‘know.’” Caryn Rose of Detroit Metro Times writes, "There are thousands of folk singers who say they’re influenced by the likes of Dylan but where they fall to the wayside is that they offer nothing new or noteworthy to the culture. Where Held emerges above the fray is not just the unique technical qualities of her vocal instrument, multi-textured and commanding, but also her emotional approach to the songs."
“Two years ago, I told Michelle that I thought she had the gift. I am changing ‘thought’ to ‘know.’”
“There are thousands of folk singers who say they’re influenced by the likes of Dylan but where they fall to the wayside is that they offer nothing new or noteworthy to the culture. Where Held emerges above the fray is not just the unique technical qualities of her vocal instrument, multi-textured and commanding, but also her emotional approach to the songs.”
“‘The World Moves On’ is a thoughtful contemporary folk song, ruminating deeply on the passage of time, the passing of heroes, the steady relentlessness of it all... This song presents a few opportunities for Michelle to share her memorably one-of-a-kind warble, a vocal texture that helps secure a spot in the listener’s memory and sets her apart from other singer-songwriters in and beyond the folk genre.”
“That is a beautiful song. That is Detroit’s own Michelle Held on 101.9 WDET… so this is the debut single from Michelle Held, who has been a part of the Detroit music scene for better than a decade. So, the next time you see somebody working away in a notebook in a coffeeshop someplace, you have no idea what they might be working on.” ”
“Held plays gentle folk with oft-scathing lyrics. It’s her voice that adds the X-Factor; that little bit of welcome strange.”
“I met Michelle when she came to my music club, the Old Quarter Acoustic Cafe, in Galveston. I was first drawn to her voice with the beautiful Joan Baez-ish vibrato. Then I noticed her writing and started focusing on the stories coming from that voice. A unique and beautiful musician.”
“The theme of confidence runs through Held’s lyrics. She has a unique vibrato voice, a distinct warble, that only adds to her charm. Like her heroes (Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, et al.), her voice is instantly recognizable..”
“Lines like “We are frightened by things we don’t understand/Like where the soul does meet the earth or the color of a man/A hero paved us a better way and handed over the baton/Ain’t it funny the way the world moves on” dig deep into her thoughts and leave listeners with something to ponder on.”
“Michelle: Hummingbird with a raven’s heart, you are stronger than you know. You are a warrior, explorer, finding your way through this decade of uncertainty. You bring true Spirit to a shaking place, with a voice we have not heard in a long, long time. Keep circling the song. It is important.”
Where Lyrics Matter is a curated Spotify playlist of songs with finely crafted lyrics by independent artists I admire. Save, spin and share.
