Singer-songwriter Michelle Kash is kicking off the new year with her sultry, moody cover of Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus.” Following the release of two new singles, “Smoking Gun” and “Hurt Me” last year, Michelle’s cover of “Personal Jesus” finds her at her most confident and serves as the perfect start to 2020.
Inspired by everyone from Aretha Franklin, Joan Jett, Patti Smith, and Jefferson Airplane’s Grace Slick to Fiona Apple, Cat Power, Portishead, and Florence + the Machine, Michelle grew up playing guitar and piano and writing poetry of her own and was surrounded by art and creativity during her globe-trotting childhood. In addition to her music, Michelle has had a lifelong commitment to philanthropy and advocating for gender equality, female empowerment and is a fierce fighter for animal rights. With a goal to focus heavily on these core values on top of releasing new music this year, 2020 is shaping up to be incredible for Michelle Kash.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself for anyone who might not be familiar?
I am an indie-pop artist from New York. I have released a few singles and I am about to release a cover of Personal Jesus by Depeche Mode. I love animals, cabins in the middle of nowhere, puzzles, and popcorn.
What first inspired you to get involved in music?
I never thought I would be involved in music. My relationship with music was always as a listener. My voice came to me after a mediation and it was a complete change of sense of self for me. I had never heard my voice sound like this before. I started singing, recording myself, rearranging songs and putting old poetry to music. I joined a gospel choir and was also doing my own music. After a while, writing and performing felt too emotional for me that I decided to take a break. It was a big identity change for me and I didn’t really know how to navigate it. I would hear myself and I would almost freak out. It was a mindfuck. On an island in Greece, a friend pushed to hear me sing. I sang for her and she said, “are you kidding…you need to be doing this.” It was a final push I needed. I moved to LA, met Aaron Kamin and we just clicked. We wrote and recorded and I started performing around LA…and it’s just grown. It’s been an incredible journey.
Last year, you released your debut single, “Smoking Gun” followed by “Hurt Me”. Now that both songs have been out for a bit and you’ve had some time to reflect on them, what are some of your favorite things about them?
My favorite thing about my songs is what they mean to me is always evolving. Smoking Gun seems to apply to every relationship that I have been in since then. It’s kind of crazy. When I write, it’s a way of making sense of an experience… I think it’s pretty cool when it changes to mean something else in the current moment or during a performance.
With these two songs being some of the first music many people would hear from you, did you have any goals in mind when you began working on them?
My only goal was to write a song that was honest. Smoking Gun was written after this crazy night that confused the hell out of me. An old lover came back into my life and it was one of those indescribable connections that is also toxic. I felt so high on adrenaline the next day. I didn’t know what to do with all of my feelings and this situation I was thrown into. I felt lost and confused and writing this really helped me express it and process it.
You also just released your cover of Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus”. What about this song resonates with you or made you want to cover it?
I had been looking for something that I could put into the live set. I had always loved Personal Jesus and had a vision of a savior within myself or whom I look for in others. It could be an emotional savior, sexual savior, whatever. The arrangement kind of spoke to my shadow self which is a quality I look for when connecting with a song or when I’m writing. I hadn’t seen a woman cover the song, which added another dimension.
Do you have any other cover songs in mind after this?
I have some originals that will be released next that I’m really looking forward to. I’m particularly excited about a new song called Lions.
You’ve talked before about how, like with meditation, music is something you used as a sort of therapy. How do you feel you’ve grown over the last year or so while writing and recording music?
I think I have integrated myself as an artist into my identity. As I mentioned earlier, in the beginning it was something that I struggled with. And now it’s just natural. Doing the work, allowing creativity to flow, It’s been a great lesson in discipline but also letting go of control. I can have an idea of where I want a song to go, and then it will completely surprise me. As a performer, I feel I have let go more and become more comfortable. But it’s all a continuing practice.
What would you like for listeners to take away from your music?
I’ve gone through incredible feelings of loneliness and depression and during those times, music and poetry were there for me. Iit literally saved me and saved my life. I felt connected to myself and to the artist in a shared experience. I would love for people to feel a relatability and to know that they are not alone.
Going into the new year, do you have any big plans coming up? Any goals for 2020?
My goals this year are to write and record more songs, play more shows, go on tour, and collaborate with other artists. I would love to continue to grow as a performer and be as vulnerable and authentic as possible.
My personal goal is to make animals lives better. I do a lot of animal rescue work and I just relocated dogs in need from India to the States. I am helping a clinic in Dharamsala, India, with things they need such as a generator to keep the lights on and an operating light for surgery.
Thank you for taking the time to chat with us! Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Thank you for having me! If you’d like to keep up with my art and see the Personal Jesus music video follow me on social media @michellekashmusic
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