Michelle Held didn’t set out to be a songwriter—but somewhere between the weight of unspoken things and the desire to make sense of them, the songs came. What began as a search for meaning, connection, and a sense of purpose, slowly unfolded into something others could see themselves in.
Her voice is unmistakable—fragile and fierce, tender with an edge. Her songs are invitations: into grief, into wonder, into the kind of honesty that asks you to stay a little longer than is comfortable. With a poet’s attention and a deep sensitivity to life’s complexities, Michelle builds a world where small moments carry weight and every syllable matters.
Over the years, she’s quietly built a body of work that resonates far beyond her hometown of Detroit. A three-time Honorable Mention recipient in the Telluride Troubadour Contest, and praised by folk legend Tom Paxton, Michelle continues to carve out a thoughtful, steady path—one that honors intention and takes its time. Her songs don’t offer answers, but they listen well. They become something luminous: a way forward, a way back.
Michelle has released one single to date—not out of hesitation, but out of deep care. She’s more interested in what lasts than what’s loud. Her songs have lived most fully on stages, in quiet rooms, and in the hearts of those who carry them home. A full recording is on the horizon, but for now, the songs remain close to the bone.
Helpless.
The first song my fingers ever found on a guitar. Born from Neil Young's memories of polio as a child—the lyrics don't say it, but it's felt. Thank you, Neil.
“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.”
“Cut from the cloth woven by Carole King and Bob Dylan...As Michelle drew us into her world, I was reminded of the magnetic pull that a guitar paired with lyrical vocals can have on us.”
“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.”
