Hailing from Stoke Newington, London, Mychelle is a voice that cuts through the ether. Making her name on the busking scene, for years she toiled before being discovered and signed. Since then, Mychelle has continued building a dedicated audience with her folk-inflected RnB ditties.
Mychelle first caught our attention with Forbidden Fruit , a 2022 collaboration with FAMM labelmate ENNY, showcasing her ability to scale those high notes over a finger-clicking beat. Following a series of character-building EPs, Mychelle released her debut album, Good Day , earlier this year. The project takes the listener on an emotional rollercoaster before finding a cathartic conclusion. Throughout the feature-less album, Mychelle is fallible, exposed, front and centre in keeping with the revelatory nature of its themes.
CLASH connected with Mychelle over Zoom on a rainy Wednesday afternoon. Bright and affable, the singer mused on whether busking is a lost art, the industry lessons shes learnt from her labelmates, building community by giving back, and the truth-telling spirit of her debut album.
Your debut album Good Day is quite a heavy ride. Has putting these feelings onto record, and seeing the positive reception, been cathartic?
As a person, Im quite upbeat, and it has been nice to show a different side. Even to have close friends say, I didnt realise that was something you have gone through. It is nice seeing that side of you! I find that they often interview me almost (laughs).
In your early days, you were a busker. Would you say this is becoming a lost art? What impact will this have on artists trying to break through?
I think it was already starting to get lost with social media. I started busking about 11 years ago, and there was no TikTok then and Instagram was a totally different place.
You didnt just do it for the money, but with there not being cash in the same way, it has shifted a bit. But I still love it because it is a way to rehearse and perform. It is good seeing DJ AG doing his thing because it hasnt put busking back on the map, but it creates a nice community, and people come across and discover you. Its almost like a show but its not because youre not expecting there to be an audience.
With my latest album, I didnt know how to play the songs on guitar because it was the first project where I had worked in the studio with a few producers. Whereas with my older projects, I would write the songs on guitar and be busking before Id even gone to the studio. When it came to doing shows, I felt more comfortable because Id practiced through busking. That is why its still very important for me.
Travelling is an important part of your writing process. What about this act inspires you to write music?
With cycling, you cant really text. That freedom allows me to have ideas. Also, I can sing to myself more, whereas on the train, people are looking at me like: what is she doing? Listening to music when in transit is my favourite way to consume music, so maybe thats why I like writing in that space. I love being on a cycle and listening to the music I have saved and feeling like Im in a movie!
When I was listening to the album, it sounded perfect for the live setting. How will performing this live enhance the record?
I dont have plans yet to perform with a full band, which I would love to do. I made the album with that in mind. Ive supported other artists like Michael Kiwanuka, who has an amazing band, and that is what I aspire to be like on stage. Not just performing songs, but creating a full experience of music. I have performed it with just me on guitar, and I would add things that were not in the project.
Your label, FAMM, has names like Jorja Smith and Maverick Sabre on its roster. Have they mentored you? What are the biggest lessons youve learnt from them?
I speak to Maverick Sabre a lot. He always gives the right advice or validates how I am feeling. Its nice because hes been doing this for a long time, and even on this stage of his journey, he has the same thoughts I have. I supported him maybe three years ago now, and that really inspired me; seeing the flow of the show and how it was put together.
I just did Jorja Smiths tour. I dont come across her as much, but on the tour I did, and we had really cute moments. The whole set-up of the live show felt healthy. There was a lot of love in the camp. I also watched every show that they do, and I watched it in different spaces. One night I would be at the sound desk, another night Im on the side of the stage, then Ill be up high or standing. Even though its the same songs, every show feels different. Im constantly taking notes.
When listening to Time Only Time, I noticed your vocal delivery reminded me of Beyonc�. Do you take influence from other artists when approaching certain tracks?
Id say it is quite subconscious. I listen to Beyonc�, and there are feelings that I get from her. It isnt a conscious thing. For me, the whole project is a feeling, which was hard at times. Id be feeling how I would want the song to sound, and then I would have to articulate it. Im not good at that sometimes. But, that was what was special about it; all the producers I worked with allowed me to get to a point where with what I was feeling, they understood what I wanted to hear.
On Time Only Time, it was the same thing with the producer Bastian (Langebaek). I started with the guitar and just kept going. Even in the music, I will feel how I want the bass to sound, and Ill have to try and articulate it. I dont read music, so sometimes it is hard.
The album title is kind of ironic as its called Good Day, but on a lot of the record youre talking about things not going to plan. But by the end you were having a good day, and youve gone through all this pain to get to a better place. How did you use these negative memories to make something positive musically?
Ill talk about these topics and step into the studio, maybe not feeling my best, but its always the best feeling when you leave the studio and youre like, I think I really like this song. This feels like the artist I want to be. I would leave the studio and just be playing the music on my journey home, and feel like I had released something. But I had also gained something at the same time.
Good Day was the first one out of the whole project that I wrote. I remember that period being grey and feeling quite down, but I left the studio feeling uplifted because I loved the song. It felt like the first one where I shifted, and I could see the artist I wanted to step into being. Also, I could see the live element, a big kind of production. When I approached all the songs following that one, I kept the same feeling in mind.
The song was first, but the story came after. I got to a point where I can articulate to you now things that didnt always exist. I needed to get all this emotion out to start a new era. Good Day was the beginning, but it is the last song because it rounds up everything I needed to do to get to that point.
Youve been documenting your sports and fitness journey, which Ive been noticing more with music artists. How has engaging in these activities and putting them out there benefitted you both personally and professionally?
Fitness has always been side-by-side with music. I love to sing, but being an artist, you look inwards a lot and can feel a lot of insecurity. I sometimes feel insecure when I look at myself as an artist and overthink who I am. Sometimes its quite negative, whereas fitness has been a positive thing. When I think of my strongest self, its been in the fitness space. I grew up playing sports, so I always knew I was decent.
The album is a very personal project,with no features. What made you decide to choose Protoje for the remix of Seasons?
My manager mentioned it, and I thought it would give a different perspective. Im really happy with the vibe he brought to it. Im so happy because even with the visuals, he shot them in Jamaica, and I shot mine in my local park in Stoke Newington. It was special because I have family connected to Jamaica. We lost someone in the family, and it was a lovely way to pay tribute to them as they lived in Stokie and they also spent time in Jamaica. It wasnt intentional, but that is how the song played out.
Who are some up-and-coming artists people need to know about?
Nectar Woode, her voice is really beautiful, and were friends. MRCY, as well. Kojo from MRCY actually sang BVs on Seasons and I vocal engineered that at Pirate Studios. Then I have a friend called Connie Eliza, who has started releasing music. Her voice is so sweet. I cant wait to hear more. Also, my best friend Lavaud. We grew up together and played guitar together. I got lessons with her dad to help me with the project. She helped me write Seasons, so that is special.
Good Day is out now.
Having supported the likes of Michael Kiwanuka, and recently labelmate Jorja Smith, Mychelle will take to the stage on a UK and European tour later this year .
Words: Tom Atkinson
