Meet Adeline Michèle, a Parisian Singer You Should Be Listening To
by Shonette Reed
A Parisian musician fronting a 17-piece band called Escort, Adeline Michèle has the jazz-funk genre down to a tee, and describes her persona as "If Prince and Chaka Khan had a kid together."
Though not a solo artist, Adeline Michèle released her single "Redo" from her upcoming solo album in March, and the disco sound is perfect for parties at any time of the year.
Escort, a contemporary disco band based out of Brooklyn, NY was founded by Dan Balis and Eugene Cho who met at Vassar College and started making house music in the early 2000s. Though having an old sound approach, the band aims to make music relevant to DJs today.
In 2011, they released their first album titled Escort and their second album this year titled "Animal Nature."
The singer is a fashion maven and though having been born in Paris, Adeline Michèle always knew she’d be a performer in New York. Her dream had always been to pursue music, causing her to drop out of college when she saw that the security of that plan kept her away from her dreams.
The singer is greatly influenced by Diana Ross and even went as far as to describe her as “her musical godmother,” in an interview with Madewell. When it comes to fashion, Adeline Michèle draws from her style icons: Diana Ross, Grace Jones and David Bowie.
“I am singer and bass player. My job is totally compatible with my hair type. Being a performer inspires me to push new limits and try new styles constantly,” Michèle said in an interview with Urban Bush Babes. “I love the idea of being a chameleon so I do a lot of head-pieces, wigs, hats, and when I feel like it I know and can always have my hair all out and free and still feel done up and special.”
Though currently residing in Brooklyn, the Parisian-bred singer searches for pieces of Paris everywhere she goes and that European flair shows up in the things she wears as well as the music she makes.
The singer is one busy lady, playing the role of fashion correspondent on the Meredith Vieira Show, working on her first solo album as well as an album with her band Escort. Adeline Michèle is definitely one of the most fashionable and notable talents of today.
Photo: J. Quazi King / THE QUAZI PERSPECTIVE
Shonette Reed is regular contributor for Coloures and For Harriet from Los Angeles, Calif. With plans to break into the fashion industry as a fashion reporter, she runs her own style blog. Her aim is to highlight the important contributions of women of color in the fashion industry as well as give women of color more exposure within the leading magazines in fashion. You can follow her on twitter @ShonetteReed.
