Michelle Tumes

Courage.  It is one of the rarest commodities in the music industry today, especially among artists.  After all, courage requires adhering to your passion, your creativity, regardless of the outcome. Taking a song from the piano in the living room to the studio with a strong sense of faith and abandoning thoughts of commercial success, can be liberating. On her self-titled, fourth full-length album, Michelle Tumes displays this rare form of courage in every possible way.  



After three releases on Sparrow Records it was time to part ways with the company that had nurtured the beginning of her recording career. The irresistible pun would be that Tumes left the nest and found herself in a place where she needed courage; courage to forge the next chapter in her musical life. 



“Though it was so difficult, I left Sparrow, and decided to take a hiatus from putting out records and touring.  I really needed some time to regroup, to get back to where I started in every way.  I knew I needed to get back to just writing what I love, and just leave the rest to God. I prayed that the Lord would give me a new direction.”



And new direction is what He gave her. In the interim of creating her own music, she wrote for other artists (Disney Radio’s Jump 5 and the Italian tenor, Alessandro Safina), and secured a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell. She moved from Nashville to Los Angeles with her husband, Doug. Tumes decided to hone her craft and went back to University via correspondence from Australia, delving into ancient history and literature. After adjusting to her new life, Michelle began writing songs again for herself, taking her time.  



Several years passed.  The innocent love which characterized her early career--a love for sharing her heart through song--began to return, only this time with wisdom to match it. Her publisher, Judy Stakee (Sheryl Crow, Jewel, Michelle Branch) guided Tumes through a grueling time of refinement that was extremely challenging. Many songs made their way to the drawer of her desk. One day, after sensing that her song writing had captured the relationship she has with God, her husband said, "Let's make an album."  The journey of the recording began.  It is in this motivation that she once again enraptures audiences with her sound.



Michelle Tumes is one part classically influenced one part worship, one part singer/songwriter, all parts inspiring.  One might compare the material to a blend of Enya, Tchaichovsky, U2, and Bjork, if it wasn’t, well.so unique.  There are rich orchestral movements (conducted by Michelle), vibrant piano selections (written and performed by Michelle, and songs which feature everything from live drums to ambient samples (yes, produced by Michelle as well, along with her husband, Doug).  And through it all, her voice is beautiful, even angelic at times.  Urgent.  Reverbial.  Haunting.  And the emotions of the album can be felt on the proverbial record sleeve.