From Chicago, IL, the diverse and dynamic Artist and Singer/Songwriter Michaella releases a relatable and somewhat regretful lyrical message with her atmospheric Pop/R&B hit, "Fool 4 U." From recording acoustic covers in her childhood bedroom to releasing music for listeners to form a deeper connection with, Michaella is undoubtedly an artist to keep track of. With the goal of creating music to express her own emotions and engage listeners through her thorough concepts and sonic cadences, Michaella is demonstrating immense passion and stamina within her career.
With her recent hit, "Fool 4 U," Michaella goes in deep on this three-minute bop and takes listeners through a troubled relationship she's unfortunately endured. While singing of the regret she holds for trusting someone unworthy with her heart, Michaella serenades us over the song's masterful blend of organic/synthetic instrumentals that offer the ambiance of Pop and R&B.
"Fool 4 U" opens with a plucky electric guitar that sets the Pop-infused tone. Once the warm beat drops with sonic claps and the same plucky guitar under a filter, Michaella's bright and melodic vocals make their appearance and quickly captivate the listener's undivided attention. As she continues to sing of toxic love and to move forward for the better, we can feel the emotion and power merely through Michaella's shimmering vocals. As the song continues with mid-tempo R&B drum patterns and organic guitar, we highly appreciate the authenticity that Michaella has carved this single with.
Ending the song off with Michaella's angelic vocals accompanied by the vastly spacious instrumentals/production, we can't get enough of what the single "Fool 4 U" brings to the table, as we're grooving away while relating to Michaella's deep lyrical content.
Was it challenging to sit down and create a song regarding a fairly personal aspect of your life with "Fool 4 U?" What was the most difficult part of the song's creation?
It’s always tricky trying to find a balance between vulnerability and not getting too personal. Even though I had to expose pieces of myself and my situation in the lyrics of this song, the writing process was supernatural. Since it was inspired by something that I actually experienced, it was easy coming up with words that I needed to say to the person that the song is about. I treated it as my piece to a conversation that needed to be had. The hardest part of creating this song was experiencing the pain or confusion that I did in order to find the inspiration to write it. Fool 4 U was originally written for a songwriting placement opportunity with a major recording artist. There was a deadline that I had to meet so there was a lot of pressure in that regard trying to write it in a way that reflected her sound and style a little more than my own on such short notice. We ended up submitting too late, but since the producers liked the work that I did on their track, they agreed to let me keep the song for my catalog so I could release it.
How did you create your lyricism within "Fool 4 U" to tell your side of the story while also empowering listeners to get themselves out of cyclical relationships?
The lyrics served as a message containing everything that I wanted to say to the person that I wrote the song about. It’s a one-sided conversation that allowed me to express how I was feeling or what I was thinking about while I was going through it. My lyrics recall things that we both did to damage the love which eventually led us to call it off. There’s a lot of back and forth/call and response going on to emphasize the dynamic of the relationship. I start off with calm melodies and then eventually transition to something more powerful for the prehook and hook. The power and voice fluctuations in the cadences served as the tool to portray and build up emotions. With the combination of raw lyrics and a strong, sonic sound for my melodies, I hope to empower listeners to walk away from a toxic cycle and focus on themselves.
Do most of your songs offer this warm blend of Pop and R&B similar to "Fool 4 U?" How did you go about merging these to sounds to create the single's sonics?
A good majority of my song catalog, both released and unreleased, demonstrates a blend of elements of two or more genres. My songs that are already released definitely lean more towards a Pop and R&B vibe. For “Fool 4 U” specifically, I blended short, concise lyrics with a soulful and easy flowing melody in order to get the right sound for the track.
Seeing as you don't usually conform to one specific genre, how would you describe your sound to someone who's never listened before?
I would describe my sound as a blend of smooth and sultry while I’m a little more reflective and emotional in my Pop and R&B songs. I switch up to something more confident and sensual when I create anything in the EDM or Hip Hop realm. From singing catchy pop cadences or something smooth and soulful to belting ballads or spitting rap verses, I enjoy creating music that best fits my current situation, my energy, or my season of life.
What can listeners anticipate to hear next from you Michaella?
I’ve got a lot of things in the works right now. I’ve been experimenting a lot with my sound and lyricism and began to explore unfamiliar territories by writing and recording to different genres such as EDM or Hip Hop. I have a few collaborations that I’ve been working on for the past couple of months that I’m extremely excited to share with my listeners. I’m working really hard on releasing music more consistently. I’m eager to show the world everything that I’ve been pouring my heart and soul into. It’s taken a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to get me to this point in my career and I know that it’s only up from here.