Michele Denise Michaels
About
[4.97⭐ rating over 141 reviews from another lesson platform]
As a professional teaching artist and vocal coach, I have been helping students of all ages and abilities find their voice for over 20 years. My goal is simple: to give you singing lessons that will change your life forever. You can uncover your voice, build unshakable confidence and have fun while learning techniques professional singers take onto the stage and into the studio. And, you can have a great time doing it!
NOTE: My availability is shown in time blocks. I teach 30-minute, 45-minute and 60-minute lessons. If you need a time not shown, please contact me.
Experience
Private Vocal Coach - Jan, 2008 - Present
A professional singer in NY for many years, I made my Twin Cities singing debut at the Guthrie Theater. As a double-degreed graduate in contemporary vocal performance and music business, I'm a vocal geek who loves everything about the voice. Likely, because of this, I love singers and have never met a voice I didn't like. As the owner of my own vocal studio, I'm a passionate instructor who helps students perform with confidence and excellence.
Professional Vocalist - Jan, 2006 - Present
As a native New Yorker, I grew up singing with my brother and sister in one of the first Catholic gospel choirs in the nation. I also sang in the performing arts program of my high school. It was never my goal to be a solo artist. My parents always encouraged my siblings and me to stay together and that was my plan. So in the '90s, I invited my sister, brother, and four other friends to join me in the McDonald’s Gospel Fest competition. To my astonishment, the newly formed septet reached the semi-finals and my star was launched. Based in Brooklyn, our group performed locally, including singing the national anthem for the New York Knicks. "Simply Mystique" toured the talk show circuit and ranked third out of 10,000 contestants in the Arsenio Hall Flavor of the Future talent competition. A few years later as the members of Simply Mystique went their separate ways, I began working as a background and studio session singer in London.
Having lost most of my sight at age 9, I grew up relying on my residual vision (about 2%), the familiarity with my surroundings, and the support of my family and community. Moving overseas and attempting to live and work on my own stripped me of my illusions of independence. I also found that performing without the group’s support was nearly impossible. Clearly, something had to change. After returning from London, I moved to Minneapolis for blindness training at Blind Incorporated. With my training complete and my newly earned long white cane in hand, I pursued dual degrees in performance and music business. As a busy student, I still performed regularly, debuting as a featured vocalist at the acclaimed Guthrie Theater.
Reviews from Another Lesson Platform
Michelle was very pleasant to work with very relatable and was able to pinpoint what it was that I was exactly looking for to become a better artist for myself. I do hope to build A great relationship while making great music
Michelle is a wonderful teacher with a good sense of humor. I just finished my first lesson and I am already booking my 2nd.
Michele is one of the best teachers and best people yu will ever meet. I have been a multi year student and can't see myself leaving anytime soon! 5 stars is not a high enough rating.
Michele is the best vocal coach.. She is experienced and able to guide you with ease and confidence. I recommend anyone who wants to be better and more knowable about how to use your body and vocal range.
She really has a wonderful personality!
Michele was great. She took time to find out what was my singing expectation and challenges, and she customized a singing plan for me. That was great, and I'm looking forward to working with her.
Michele is very nice and thorough!
Brilliant!!!
She is such an amazing person and singer, and such a great listener
Michele is such a great teacher and a great listener.
Michele is amazing!!! She meets me where my voice is at on that particular day and helps me grow in my specific areas of need. She's the best!
Learned a ton!
She constantly has different ideas how to get me out of my bad singing habits. It's definitely challenging each time,
Michele is awesome. I have learned and progressed so much with my singing in just one year! She is always cheerful and helpful. The lessons are not only informative but they are loads of fun too. She is a great teacher, gives great exercises to enhance my vocals, and also able to give constructive feedback. That feedback is what is needed to make necessary improvements to reach the goals I want to achieve. So happy to be working with this vocal coach. Laura P.
I Love Michele. My singing has improved in just the five lessons that I have taken so far, and I feel more confident in my voice! I look forward to our sessions, and definitely recommend her to anybody who needs a coach!
Wow, what a great first lesson! She was so informative; everything she spoke to me about was valuable to me. I'm looking forward to our following sessions. I know I'm going to learn so much from her and grow as a singer.
Michelle is a delight! She is knowledgeable about the voice and singing, she has amazing amounts of patience and energy, and she is the best cheerleader ever! She respects my level of commitment/practice (low) and personal goals (to practice using my voice). My cup is always so full after our lessons ^_^
I learnes alot today and I feel even more inspired to learn to sing and use my gift... wven seeing it as a gift. I look forward to more sessions.
Michele is a wonderful teacher! She is skilled at explaining singing concepts in an accessible and fun way, and she is generally a delight to spend time with. I've learned so much since I started taking lessons with her. Highly recommended!
Michele is seriously the best vocal coach! I have really grown vocally and she gives great suggestions and feedback. I have been with her for over a year now, and I don't regret a thing! She is an incredible person and such a joy to work with. 10/10 from me!
Michele was very professional , yet personable. My daughter asked me "how did you like your coach?" I told her "I liked her", She then replied "Yeah, she was cool", my daughter was "ear-hustling". I am looking forward to further sessions with Michele.
Michele is absolutely fabulous! She is knowledgeable, supportive, kind, and most importantly, has a wonderful sense of humor. She makes every lesson fun and enjoyable. It's definitely the highlight of my week. Thanks Michele!
Amazing first lesson, looking forward for the next!
Michele the best and she knows what she is doing.
Loved her fun use of analogies and scientific breakdown when it comes to her style of teaching!Highly recommend her.
Michelle has a beautiful personality! I have never had lessons before. The first session was amazing! She made me feel comfortable sharing and learning. I can wait until the next lesson is here! She is motivating and patient, extremely knowledgeable about singing and it was a pleasure to work with her!
After just 2 lessons I've learned more than I thought I would. Michele is fun and knows her s***. I'm booking for next week.
I've only had 3 lessons so far with Michelle, but it has been such an enjoyable time learning and building that teacher/student relationship with her. She has such a kind and humble heart that I look forward to each of our lessons. I have high hopes that she will help me get back my confidence and skills in singing. She's such a great encourager.
Michele is literally the best! Made my very first lesson so comfortable and knew exactly what I needed to work on. I look forward to every lesson now! Thank you Michele !
I absolutely love working with Michele, Ive learned so much and already see differences in my voice! shes amazing
I’m blown away by how amazing Michelle is!!! I learned so much in just one lesson. Super excited to continue with my lessons!!!
Michele is absolutely the best! Each lesson is tailored to what you need for your specific voice and goals.
It's been about five months since I started taking online vocal lessons with Michele and I have enjoyed this journey every single step of the way! When it came to singing it has always been something that I loved to do but I wasn't the most confident in my vocal ability. Because of that Michele made it a priority to educate me on how the voice works as well as how to properly use it in a healthy way. Since our lessons first started I gained a huge boost in self-confidence when it came to singing as well as understanding how to properly interpret and emote a song when telling the story! Michele has a very kind, warm, and gentle spirit that can be felt even virtually making our lessons a very safe and comfortable place to practice singing! You can tell she has a passion for what she teaches and that she wants her students to truly succeed no matter what area of music they are pursuing. If you're looking for a very knowledgable teacher with undeniable skill, heart, and expertise, I 1000% recommend Michele, I look forward to our lessons every week :)!
I've been taking lessons with Michele for many years, and she's the best vocal coach in my book! Not only is she incredibly knowledgeable and experienced, but she's kind, patient, and friendly. Lessons are always enjoyable and productive, and my voice and confidence have changed drastically through working with her. Highly recommend starting lessons with her!
I had a super informative and delightful experience with Michele. Thank you!!
Michele and her lessons are fantastic! In the recent past, I was extremely shy about even "trying to sing" let alone singing in front of another person. Even virtually, Michele creates an environment in which I can feel comfortable and safe to sing, sing, sing away. Michele is an excellent, skillful teacher and, as a bonus, she's such a warm person who makes learning and singing extra fun. I started out without any training and thinking my voice probably needed "a lot of work". I now see, with great instruction from Michele and enough practice, I can reach my singing goals. Some of the skills I'm building through singing with Michele have also helped enhance skills in other areas of my life (using my voice more in general, work presentations and meetings, body and breathing awareness, etc.). Highly recommend!
Amazing first lesson!
Alot of fun. She helped a really shy person feel relaxed feel comfortable.
Michele is the best. I've been working with her for a little over a year. She's always fun to sing with and has great feedback. I feel like I've improved so much!
This was my first lesson and I feel really good about Michele. She took the time to get to know where I would like to take my voice. She already gave me some techniques to do until my next lesson. I'm happy to have purchased a package.
STELLAR IN EVERY WAY. Still mind blown how much I learned from the free introductory lesson alone. Love how relaxed yet informative the sessions are. Excited to continue my learning journey. Thanks, Michele!!
It was nice to meet Michele Denise for my first lesson in 12+ years. She was genuine, knowledgeable, articulate, and fun and gave me practical guidance right away. I look forward to working with her more.
I always enjoy Michele she is so talented and educated. Thank You so much
Amazing thank you so much!!
I really enjoyed my first lesson with Michele Denise. I am super excited to continue my lessons with her and become an amazing singer!
I really enjoyed my first lesson. Michele was well prepared and the session moved along very smoothly. Can’t wait for my next class.
my first lesson and i love her already
Was so enthusiastic and encouraging during our lesson even though she did not feel well. Thank you
Very friendly, personable and easy to work with. She asked me questions to find out where I’m comfortable with my voice. I was comfortable with her from the very beginning!
She is a great teacher! Knowledgeable. Helpful. Accommodating. So far so good.
Was really fun. She made me feel calm throughout the whole lesson. And answered my many questions
Michelle you are an amazing woman and you are so gifted and talented and I just thank you and I think a higher power for bringing us together I know that we’re gonna do amazing things together and you’re going to help me reach all of my goals as far as the music
Learned lots of good tips that I will be able to use for the entirety of my singing career!
Love her! She is wonderful and knowledgeable. She is so much fun, she will made my lesson the absolute best part of my day. I learned such great techniques from Michele in a short of amount of time that will forever make me a thousand times better of a singer. HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend:
Very patient & down to earth. Great lesson!
Very informative, Genuine, Caring
Michele is so smart! So kind, and so open in her environment that she creates for her students. Can't wait to learn more :) Only wished I started sooner!!
Thank you. You are always awesome!
Michele is the best!!! She doesn't just enhance the voice, she also uplifts the vocalist! (:
The best instructor you can find
She's so amazing, I can tell this is going to be the start of a beautiful experience and connection.
Best instructor ever!
Really excited about the experience. Professional and I can’t wait to train to a point where I can sing better than I used to :)
Michele is kind , patient and a sense of humor. I leave knowing more and feeling confident about vocal training.
Very great teacher. Also really patient
Michele is incredibly kind, talented, and smart! I could not have asked for a better teacher!
Michele is great! Highly recommended.
Michele is awesome! she knows what she teaches and is great at it and I couldn't have asked for a better instructor!
I love this lady! She’s so encouraging and I’ve really grown in my gift with her help.
Always a pleasure taking lessons with her. She has a warming spirit and is awesome to work with! Just by talking with her, you can definitely tell she wants you to succeed
Michele is amazing at what she does! - Beautiful soul!
Michele is personable and easy to understand. I can tell I'm going to be growing in my gift by following her instructions.
So clear in her directions, and deeply encouraging.
Michele is my very first singing instructor. I had a great first lesson with her. I am quite excited for the weeks to come, and am confident that with her expertise, I will become a better singer.
Michele has been a fantastic teacher. I am a veteran musician, I have played in several touring bands and sang backup as a bass player. Michele gave me the confidence I needed to switch to becoming a lead singer, it has been a wonderful experience!
Michele took the time to get to know my personal connection to singing and music, so she knew just where to start with me as her student. I appreciated her explanation of vocal anatomy because that type of knowledge helps me figure out how connect with and work with my body, and I also never knew how nice it feels to have someone listen to and hear all the unique qualities of my voice while speaking. I felt like she could "see" my voice, which made me feel a bit exposed, but also trust her to help me overcome vocal challenges and weaknesses in future lessons.
I haven’t even started and I love her. Just from our first introductory phone call I know Michele will be my vocal coach for life. I’ve met enough people throughout my life to recognize immediately when I encounter someone who not only has passion, sophistication, professionalism, and mad skills, but more rarely the ear and mindset of a keen and effective mentor. I can’t wait to begin the journey I’ve always dreamed of...
Michele is great! I’m learning a lot and her examples are very helpful
Michele is a fantastic teacher and great person! I learned a lot even in my first lesson! She completely understands my goals and I look forward to working with her more! I personally could not imagine a better fit. Thank you Michele! See you next week! -Jon D
Michele is fantastic- clear direction and super fun!
Very straight forward and helpful lessons in a comfortable setting
Michele is not just a very gifted teacher, but a coach/mentor who truly understands my individual vocal abilities and how to get me to the next level. I am a Jazz Vocalist in my country and have been taking lessons with Michele through Skype for some months now. With all the skills and knowledge I have gained from doing her classes so far, I have propelled into a professional singer where I am sought out to perform at different events. A couple months ago, I had performed at a tourism awards event in my country -a huge event- and it was the first time in all my years of performing anywhere that I got standing ovation with people screaming while I performed. I can tell you it is such a gratifying feeling when people show that level of respect and love. In past years I did get nice comments after I performed, but never at this level. I HIGHLY recommend her to anyone who truly wants to grow in their musical journey.
Michelle is a very responsive and clear instructor. I enjoyed her spirit and attitude toward teaching.
Michele is funny, kind, patient, and professional. She breaks down highly technical knowledge into understandable, bite sized pieces. I've learned a great amount in a short period of time and I can feel my voice opening up and sounding more rounded and full.
Michele is excellent. She makes you feel comfortable, relaxed, and says just the right thing to help you understand how you should think about what and how you're singing. she's helped me tremendously.
We liked the first lesson very much!
Amazing!!!
Michele was fun right away and made me very comfortable. Online worked great and saved the driving time!
Michelle is a great teacher, very personable and a stickler for details. She is very thorough in her approach to teaching. My daughter thoroughly enjoyed her and definitely learnt a lot from her.
She's amazing. Helps you in every way and is easy to work with.
.
Lesson was excellent. Michele made me feel comfortable and friendly. Very helpful lesson
I'm a beginner so I can only comment about Michele in my circumstance & she's been GREAT for me!
Knowledgeable and personable!
Amazing, Michelle Is great!!!
Michele is a wonderful person and instructor.
Great first lesson made me feel very comfortable looking forward my second session
This was a great lesson and I am looking forward to future ones.
It was really nice and I enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to more! - Maliah
She was wonderful. I can't wait until next lesson!
I didn't rate Michele as a 5 star....but that's because I was only a 1/2 star pupil, and, while her efforts were valiant, and the experience was GREAT, my performance was, in my opinion, very poor. Michele was encouraging and supportive, and her efforts were far above a 5, but you can't get blood out of a turnip, or an old man who smokes and has cold to sing. On second thought, can we rate her a 10? She really did try very hard. I'm hoping the next session will be better. How could it not?
Friendly, honest and encouraging!
I love singing with her! She is the perfect fit for me.
Great patience with my 5 year old
We just love Michele. My doughter is 5 yeas old, and in 2 min. communication with Michele she felt comfortable with her teacher. Lessons is fun, high quality, with a very good tempo. My doughter love to sing, and she try to sing different level of difficulty of songs. After lessons with Michele, she was able to sing more difficult songs more exactly. For me its was surprise and sign of result. I appreciate Michele and want stay with her until its possible.
My daughter Syncere (13 yrs. old), is taking the voice lessons. She is excited every week and ready for her lesson. As Michele said to Syncere, she has a big voice and Michele is greatly helping my daughter to control her voice is a healthy way, as well as understand the importance of not straining her voice to get great results. I am grateful to have found her.
Michele was great, thank you!
Michele is an angel! I have been taking lessons with her for about 6 months now, and have learned so much more than ever imagined. As a vocalist in training, I would like to make this my full time career, and Michele has been a breeze to work with. She makes it fun, but allows you to structure your lessons based on what you feel you need to work on and improve. I would recommend her in a heartbeat!
Best instructor ever!
Michele quickly figured out how I like to learn and what I am interested in. She makes the lessons so fun and encouraging and I leave each session excited to learn more about my voice!
Can you say- AAAWWWEEESSOMMMEEE?!!!!!!! Michele is so AWESOME!!!!!!! Best Instructor I ever had! Fun, knowledgeable and wonderful to work with. She was particularly great at helping me enhance the uniqueness of my voice. I am more than satisfied!!!! I highly recommend her! LOVE her!!! Thanks Michele!!!!!!!!
I LOVE Michele. I've had a lot of experience singing and performing over the years, often paid, and I am still learning SO much from her. I expected to dive right into "fixing" my singing problems, but she is really laying a grounded and centered foundation with me. Especially for finding my best voice, not the one I think I "should" have. And relaxing everything about singing. Plus she's just so dang friendly and welcoming!
Michelle is a warm and engaging individual who listens to what I want out of my lessons then provides expert coaching. Recaps the lesson at the end so I know what to work on. Lover her style and skill!
I've been training with Michele for the past few months, and it has been quite a unique and rewarding journey so far! Her commitment and desire for her student's progress is strong, and in a short amount of time she has helped me look at and work with my vocal instrument in ways I never have before. Professional, highly skilled and knowledgeable, intuitive, great sense of humor and warm spirit.
To be the best you have to be taught by the best. Michele is definitely is the best!
I attribute my singing career to Michele. She was my very first singing teacher. She pointed me in the right direction when I got my first choir solo as a teenager in church and remained as a member to help support me several years later when I became the director of that same choir. She created our our former a Capella group where I did my first TV voice performances (and my first recorded album) and she's responsible for creating a musical environment that inspired me to attend conservatory and graduate with a degree in music. Thanks sis!
Michele is awesome and she knows her craft. Her style of teaching puts you at ease where you can train at your best. She will critique your voice, give positive feedback and provide you with corrective techniques to improve. She will even coach you on caring for your voice so you can soar far beyond what you ever thought possible. From my first lesson, I knew I had the perfect instructor.
Michele is a true talent and a dedicated music teacher and performer. She is well-experienced in the music business, and has remained positive throughout the years in all of her music endeavors. She's a benevolent and virtuous PRO, and I always look forward to her joyful dedication, in and out of the music room.
Michelle is an awesome teacher. She balances honest feedback with encouragement and support so that you can learn and grow as quickly as possible. She also makes it fun! Lessons are both laid-back and organized. It's so exciting to hear my own progress! If you're thinking of taking singing lessons, take from Michelle.
Michele is an experienced and accomplished singer and coach. We've worked together professionally as artists, and I've seen first hand her ability to move an audience, convey the emotion in a lyric and tell a story. Michele is also an avid student of the craft and knows what it takes to develop your instrument to a higher level as she believes that an artist's growth is continuous and unending. For beginners, intermediate level singers and professionals alike - if you are serious about taking your vocal and performance abilities to a higher level, do not hesitate to work with Michele.
After being in a singing group with this super talented songbird for a couple years, I strongly endorse Michele. Her patience is probably her greatest strength. She has a great "ear" for music as well. With an uncanny sense of humor and a tranquil setting in which to learn, I ferociously recommend .
Michele is a superb teacher. Her own musical knowledge and abilities are extensive, so she can use varieties of approaches to get specific results. She teaches good technique for breathing and singing so that we can make our best sound and not damage our vocal cords. I absolutely recommend her.
Michele is a fabulous singer and a wonderful human being! While I don't have experience with her as a teacher, I enjoyed working with her as an artist and colleague and her singing definitely demonstrates her knowledge of the vocal instrument. As a person she is friendly, personable, thoughtful and encouraging of all those around her. We worked together on an inter-generational theater production and she was an inspiration to all involved.
Great teacher and extremely friendly and helpful! Would recommend to every type of skill level.
Confidence to Sing! Michele is a kind and wonderful teacher. I credit her for starting me on my musical journey. She helped me develop my technical proficiency, interpretive skills, individual creativity, and self-confidence. One would be wise to work with her.
A+ Instructor Michele is a gifted and powerful singer with a passion for learning and teaching. I would highly recommend her to anyone. She is confident, smart, funny, and will put you at ease.
An excellent singing teacher - highly skilled, patient and kind Michele believes in serving her students. Her purpose and focus are on helping you achieve your singing goals - whether you want to sing on stage, in your choir or in your home. She is patient and gentle and her ears are exceptional! She can hear what you are doing "wrong" and can instantly find ways to help you fix it. She combines exercises and work on songs to help you improve your voice. In addition, her long vocal career and varied singing experiences make her the perfect instructor for beginners and advanced singers alike. I highly recommend her!
Teaching Style
As a professional teaching artist and vocal coach, I have been helping students of all abilities find their voice for over 20 years. My goal is simple: to give you singing lessons that will change your life forever. You can build unshakable confidence and have fun while learning techniques professional singers take onto the stage and into the studio. And, you can have a great time doing it!
Note: If you are hoping to meet at a different time on one of the days I teach (see Preview Instructor Availability to the right), use the "Send a Message" button to send me a request.
About my vocal lessons/coaching:
Most students come into lessons with the same question: "Am I any good? Is there hope for me?" Well, here's the thing... The vast majority of professional vocalists never went to school for singing! Most professional vocalists had family and friends that told them they were talented and that they should pursue singing. Most professional vocalists started out copying the sound of other recording artists, struggling for years to find their own unique voice.
The KEY difference between professional vocalists and average singers is (9 times out of 10) the presence of an influential teacher/mentor!
The right teacher/mentor pushes you to grow continuously; beyond what you think is possible. The right teacher/mentor has wisdom and information to share from inside the music industry. The right teacher/mentor genuinely cares about you as a person.
I teach so that I can be that life-changing mentor for my students, giving them that missing link for success.
About me:
I grew up in NYC and "cut my teeth" across a variety of genres: rock, jazz, R&B, gospel, and choral/classical. You name it; I've sung it. In addition to being a vocal coach, I travel the nation as a musician/performing artist, professional speaker, and author. Please take a moment to watch the video clip below.
During our first few lessons, I commit to offering you honest and professional feedback about your strengths and weaknesses. I want to help YOU find YOUR own voice. I want to take a look at YOUR goals, and YOUR dreams, and figure out what makes you tick.
During lessons, I draw on my dual B.A. degree in vocal performance & music business as well as industry experience. I offer insights on what works and what doesn't as a vocalist, whether you are looking to pursue singing vocationally or just as a hobby.
I can help you:
- Stop feeling nervous
- Develop impeccable technique
- Learn the “ins and outs” of being in the music business
- Assemble your press kit, record a demo, and start to get gigs
- Much more!
Check out what my students have to say!
"Wow, what a great first lesson! She was so informative; everything she spoke to me about was valuable to me. I'm looking forward to our following sessions. I know I'm going to learn so much from her and grow as a singer." - Daniel
"Michelle is a delight! She is knowledgeable about the voice and singing, she has amazing amounts of patience and energy, and she is the best cheerleader ever! She respects my level of commitment/practice (low) and personal goals (to practice using my voice). My cup is always so full after our lessons ^_^" - Madeleine
"Michele is a wonderful teacher! She is skilled at explaining singing concepts in an accessible and fun way, and she is generally a delight to spend time with. I've learned so much since I started taking lessons with her. Highly recommended!" - Molly
"Michele is seriously the best vocal coach! I have really grown vocally and she gives great suggestions and feedback. I have been with her for over a year now, and I don't regret a thing! She is an incredible person and such a joy to work with. 10/10 from me!" - Kristin
"After just 2 lessons I've learned more than I thought I would. Michele is fun and knows her s***. I'm booking for next week." - Jeff
I would love the opportunity to meet you and hear where you want your singing to take you. Please, get in touch!
Curriculum
I have over 20 years of experience teaching, including online lessons.
To get to the best of your online lesson, I recommend wearing headphones. For students seeking a pro experience, adding a separate microphone (i.e. Blue Yeti, USB mic) can really raise the level of our sessions.
Finding a place to have your lesson.
I have seen many students in their cars (I had one client join from their RV), basements, and garages. Ideally, your singing space will be somewhere where you can be alone and away from distractions.
A final note: my curriculum is centered around working with adult voices.
Credentials & Affiliations
Bachelor of Music - Vocal Performance
B.A. in Music Business
2022 Best of Minneapolis Awards for Music School - Minneapolis Award Program - January 2022