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Recording Artist, I Am

The line is literally wrapped around the building, but not one person ever complains. Everyone is intently focused on coming face to face with the artist that People magazine is currently lauding as one of the music industry's most pleasant surprises of 2007. The artist in question would be Chrisette Michele, of course, and with her debut album - I Am - serving as the can't miss album of the summer, the resolve of those fans in line no longer comes as a surprise.

For Michele, the attention that she's receiving has been a long time coming. A lifelong musician at heart, the honest energy emoted through her lyrics, takes listeners to a highly identifiable place - a point that she's extremely proud about. "The way the fans receive my music has been amazing," she explains. "I think a lot of that comes from the honesty in my music. I never try to give you anything but all of me. Because of that, it's easy for others to relate to what I'm going through or trying to explain through my music."

Rapper/CEO Jay-Z certainly agreed. His ringing endorsement of Michele along with similar sentiments from Nas provided her instant credibility within a typically skeptical industry.

"The effect that Jay-Z has had on my career is one that can't be underestimated," she says. "I mean who wouldn't want an artist of his stature to come out and celebrate you as the next big thing? That opened the eyes of many people that ordinarily wouldn't have given me a second look. Now it's just up to me to prove him right." - dewayne rogers

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